Met cops handling a minimum of one hazardous dog a day, figures reveal | Dangerous dogs

The figures – launched under flexibility of details laws – reveal that seizures of some types, most significantly the American bully, have actually ended up being significantly typical in the last couple of years.

The Met has actually taken 44 American bullies up until now this year – almost 3 times the next most typical breed – the Staffordshire bull terrier crossbreed, of which 16 have actually been taken. In 2018 and 2019, no American bullies were taken by the Met.

The figures contribute to BBC research which discovered the variety of dog attacks tape-recorded by cops in England and Wales had actually increased by more than a 3rd in the previous 5 years.

There was likewise a big increase in 2015 in the variety of individuals passing away as an outcome of dog attacks. Typically, about three people a year die from dog-related incidents in England and Wales, however 10 individuals were killed in 2022. So far in 2023, 4 individuals have actually been killed.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said an increase in tape-recorded dog attacks was down to increased focus from cops.

The deputy chief constable Robert Carden, who leads the hazardous dogs working group, said: “There is anecdotal evidence from rehoming centres that they are seeing a rise in dogs with behavioural problems being handed in. It is difficult to know the reasons for this but it could be attributed to dogs bought during lockdown who missed out on key socialisation and have then become too difficult to handle in maturity.

“There are now police officers in all regions of the country focusing on dangerous dogs and dog attacks, working with officers on the ground to ensure that investigations are launched when it is appropriate and proportionate to do so.”

Since 2021, American bully XL dogs (and one American bully XL crossbreed) have actually killed 9 individuals in the UK.

Metropolitan cops figures reveal that while the variety of hazardous dog seizures increased in 2015, the variety of individuals being charged stays low. The force made 40 arrests for hazardous dogs out of control in 2022, compared to 186 a years previously. Sixteen individuals were charged – lower than the 20 charged in 2020, and down considerably from 102 in 2012.

Last month a group of MPs tabled an early day movement specifying that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 was “woefully ineffective”, and required brand-new laws to safeguard the general public.

However campaign groups have actually cautioned versus calls to broaden the list of prohibited dog types. Dr Samantha Gaines, a dog well-being specialist at the RSPCA, said breed was not a dependable procedure of aggressiveness.

“Any dog, regardless of their breed, has the potential to bite, and whether or not a dog develops aggressive behaviour is a complex interaction between genetics and lifetime experiences,” she said. “Adding additional dogs to the current list of prohibited types, or measures which seek to manage certain types of dog because they are believed to be more dangerous than others, will not effectively protect the public.”

Last year the federal government established the accountable dog ownership working group to check out methods of lowering dog attacks. The group is anticipated to report their findings later on this year.

The NPCC said: “We are aware that incidents can often be very alarming to members of the public who witness them, but I want to reassure people that we are taking the matter seriously and we are cracking down on those who own or breed dangerous dogs. We continue to ask members of the public who know of dangerous dog ownership to contact police on 101, or in an emergency always call 999.”