By Joshua Robinson –

A total of 2,671 dogs have been destroyed by police forces in Great Britain since September 2020, new data from PersonalInjuryClaimsUK has found.

Data was obtained from police forces in England, Wales, and Scotland via a Freedom of Information request, covering September 2020 to September 2023.

The figure of 2,671 could be much higher given that 86% of police forces responded, whilst some forces were unable to confirm the number of dogs destroyed for various reasons.

Northumbria Police confirmed that there were an excess of 200 cases in which dogs were destroyed, whilst Avon and Somerset Police said their number was over 400.

Not all incidents that result in a dog being destroyed are always recorded on force systems, too.

The figures indicate that the Metropolitan Police had destroyed more dogs than any other police force that responded to the FOI, accounting for over a fifth of dogs destroyed by all forces who responded.

Following behind were South Yorkshire Police, which accounted for 16% of dogs destroyed.

City of London Police destroyed no dogs whatsoever in the same period.

Surrey Police also had a low rate of dogs destroyed, accounting for less than 0.3%.

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Police Forces with the Highest Number of Dogs Destroyed:

The top ten police forces with the highest numbers of dogs destroyed (and who responded to the FOI) were as follows:

• Metropolitan Police – 605
• South Yorkshire Police – 431
• Avon and Somerset Police – 400+
• Derbyshire Constabulary – 284
• Greater Manchester Police – 218
• Northumbria Police – 200+
• West Yorkshire Police – 149
• Essex Police – 137
• Humberside Police – 101
• Hertfordshire Constabulary – 64

Not all forces provided reasons for the destruction of dogs, but some of the most common were as a result of Section 1 and Section 3 offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Section 1 prohibits persons from owning dog types bred for fighting, whilst Section 3 relates to when a dog is dangerously out of control in a public place or a place where it is not allowed.

Most Destroyed Dog Breeds:

The most commonly destroyed dog breeds included:

• XL Bulldogs
• American Bulldogs
• Pitbulls
• Cane Corsos
• Staffordshire Bull Terriers

Figures provided by some police forces suggested there had been a rise in the number of dogs destroyed in the last two years. Dog destructions rose by 200% in the Greater Manchester Police.

However, the biggest rise was indicated by figures provided by South Yorkshire Police, where the number of dogs destroyed had increased by 292% since 2021.

Out of 43 police forces in Great Britain, 86% responded to the FOI request. The only forces not to respond were:

• Cumbria Constabulary
• Durham Constabulary
• North Yorkshire Police
• Northamptonshire Police
• Sussex Police

To Learn More:

PersonalInjuryClaimsUK offers a specialist service for anyone looking for support and advice following a dog bite or attack.

They operate a 24-hour helpline and live chat service which you can access on their website.

To learn more about the number of destroyed dogs in Great Britain, please visit: https://www.personalinjuryclaimsuk.org.uk/research-and-statistics/dogs-destroyed-great-britain/