FOI 53/26 Dangerous Dogs

Date: 23/02/26

Enquiry Reference:  FOI 53- 26                                                        

 

I write in connection with regards to your Freedom of Information request. Please accept my apologied for the late response. Below is your request and our response.

 

1. Offence codes – Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, Section 1 Please provide the offence code(s), classification(s), or recording categories used by your force to record the following:
2. a) Possession or custody of a prohibited type dog (Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, s1(3))
3. b) Suspected prohibited type dog (prior to any confirmation)
4. c) Confirmed prohibited type dog, if recorded separately
5. d) Seizure of a dog believed to be a prohibited type (including seizures under s5 or PACE powers)
6. e) Breeding, selling, exchanging, advertising, or gifting a prohibited type (s1(7)) If Section 1 matters are not recorded as notifiable crimes or are not recorded on your crime system, please state this clearly.

Answer

We record crimes using the home office offence codes and the only code for dangerous dogs is 008/21. However, on a local system we record seizure of dogs under the following categories:

Section 1

Section 3

Section 1 & 3

Disclaimed by owner

Prisoner dog

Stray

Recovered from sudden death

Other

 

2. Offence codes – Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, Section 3 Please provide the offence code(s) or classifications used to record:
3. a) Dog dangerously out of control causing injury
4. b) Dog dangerously out of control causing death
5. c) Dog dangerously out of control with no injury

Answer

We hold/record using the home office offence code 008/21 - Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in any place in England and Wales (whether or not in a public place) injuring any person or assistance dog. This is in the crime category of violence against the person -   8N Assault with injury.

 

 

3. Destruction and exemption outcomes

Please provide any offence codes or outcome codes used to record:

1. a) Destruction orders (s4)
2. b) Destruction without owner present (s4B)
3. c) Exemption orders (s4A)
4. d) Voluntary surrender or disclaimer, if recorded separately

Answer

We record the outcomes on the local system as follows:

Returned to owner

PTS (Disclaimed)

PTS (Court order)

IES

Assessed for rehoming (third party)

Expired TORTS notice

 

4. Internal or local codes

If your force uses internal or local offence codes that differ from Home Office classifications, please provide:

- the internal code

- its description

- and, where applicable, the Home Office offence category it maps to

Answer

See above answers.

 

5. “Suspected” vs “confirmed” classification Please confirm whether your recording system distinguishes between:

- suspected prohibited type,

- and confirmed prohibited type,

- or whether a single code is used for all Section 1 matters regardless of status.

1. a) No information held.

 

6. Recording guidance

Please provide, or identify by title/reference, any written guidance or definitions used by crime-recording staff that specify:

- when Section 1 matters should be recorded

- which offence code should be applied

- how suspected versus confirmed prohibited type is recorded (if applicable)

1. a) No information held.

 

Having made enquiries within the Force above is all the information we hold. 

 

Please note that all statistical data supplied in relation to Freedom of Information requests is a snapshot of data held at the time the request was received by the Freedom of Information office and is subject to constant change/updates.

 

 

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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-code-of-practice

 

Yours sincerely

Information Rights Decision Maker