Dog attacks

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/007838/H

Version Date: 24/03/2025

The Performance & Development Department has provided the following information.

The number of reported dog attacks (Home Office code 008/21 – owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in any place in England or Wales injuring any person or assistance dog) for the following dates:
Feb 1 2020 – Jan 31 2021
Feb 1 2021 – Jan 31 2022
Feb 1 2022 – Jan 31 2023
Feb 1 2023 – Jan 31 2024
Feb 1 2024 – Jan 31 2025

If there is time, and you are able, please provide me with the number of attacks involving XL Bully dogs for the last annual period (Feb 1 2024 to Jan 31 2025)

Data Processing:                                                              

Crimes recorded on crime information system - UNIFI                                                            

'No crimes' and 'non notifiables' included                                                           

Qlikview Report: Crime Lists                                                                     

"Filtered by entered date: Feb 1 2020 – Jan 31 2021

Feb 1 2021 – Jan 31 2022

Feb 1 2022 – Nov 14 2022"                                                                      

HO Code: 008/21                                                                                                                                     

Data was extracted and an excel search was carried out of the MO Text for "xl bul" and "xl-bul" - these were manually flagged as bully related for the purpose of this request                                                                    

Crimes recorded on crime information system - NICHE                                                                      

 'No crimes' and 'non notifiables' included                                                                     

Qliksense Report: Crimes & Outcomes                                                              

"Filtered by crimed date: Nov 15 2022 – Jan 31 2023

Feb 1 2023 – Jan 31 2024

Feb 1 2024 – Jan 31 2025"                                                                       

HO Code: 008/21                                                                                                                                      

Data was extracted and an excel search was carried out of the Summary and the MO for "xl bul" and "xl-bul" - these were manually flagged as bully related for the purpose of this request                                                                      

Unifi and Niche data sets combined.                                                                                                                                         

Data Limitations:                                                                                                                                       

"Offences relating to dog attacks are not notifiable to the Home Office by police forces. Forces are not required to record a crime in respect of these. As a result, figures for these offences after November 14th 2022 are highly likely to decrease.

Police are required to record the reported incident on our command-and-control system. However, such incidents are not easily located given the very generic classifications applied to the incidents, namely ASB – Animal problems, or Public Safety – Animals/Wildlife."                                                                     

Outcomes for data prior to November 15th 2022, are as of November 14th 2022. The report used is no longer maintained or updated                                                                                                                                              

Data Output:                                                                                                                                              

Between February 1st 2020 and January 31st 2025, there were 4,283 offences recorded under the offence code 008/21.                                                                      

Of those, 49 mentioned "xl bul" in the MO/Summary.