Dangerous Dogs
Question
Sir John Hayes
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dangerous dog attacks on (a) other dogs and (b) cats there have been in each year since 2013.
Answer
Defra does not hold this information. Information regarding dangerous dogs offences will be held by individual local authorities and police forces. More widely, we are working in partnership with the police, local authorities and animal welfare organisations to ensure that the full range of existing dog control powers are effectively applied to encourage responsible dog ownership and reduce the risk of dog attacks. As part of this, we are considering ways in which the collection and reporting of data relating to dog control incidents could be improved to inform prevention strategies. Conclusions from this work are expected later this year.