Dangerous Dog Incidents and Seizures of Dangerous Dogs 2019 to 2025
Publication Number
PUB 1341
Publication Statement
Please note that this information is correct as at 30 September 2025 and may be subject to change.
As with all publications of information by Essex Police, please note caveats may apply regarding the accuracy of data.
Title
Dangerous Dog Incidents and Seizures of Dangerous Dogs 2019 to 2025
Date Range
January 2019 to September 2025
Background Information
Provides the following statistics relating to dangerous dog incidents, allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control offences, dogs seized and dogs destroyed:
- Annual numbers of dangerous dog incidents - January 2020 to September 2025
- Annual numbers of offences recorded under the Home Office code '008/21 - Owner of a dog allowing it to be dangerously out of control in public place and cause injury' - January 2020 to September 2025
- Annual numbers of dogs seized - January 2019 to June 2024
- Annual numbers of dogs seized by recorded breed - January 2019 to June 2024
- Annual numbers of dogs destroyed - January 2019 to June 2024
- Annual numbers of dogs destroyed by recorded breed - January 2023 to June 2024
Related Documents/Links
Published Items - Dangerous Dogs | Essex Police
FOI Publication
Notes
The Dangerous Dog incident figures are derived from investigations recorded on the STORM incident recording system and the Athena crime recording system. These include dog-on-human attacks, dog-on-dog attacks and the fear or apprehension of being injured by a dog incidents. These are more comprehensive than offences recorded under the '008/21 Allowing a Dog to be Dangerously out of Control' offence code.
- Accurate dog breed information is only available for seized or destroyed dogs. Dog breed information for dogs believed to have been involved in dangerous dog incidents cannot be accurately extracted from our crime or incident recording systems as there is no flag or indicator for dog breed.
Numbers of Dangerous Dog Incidents - January 2020 to September 2025
| Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Incidents | 814 | 871 | 1024 | 1227 | 1664 | 874 |
Numbers of offences and outcomes recorded under Home Office code 008/21 - January 2020 to September 2025
| Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Dangerous Dog Offences - Total | 666 | 739 | 847 | 882 | 882 | 655 |
| Outcome Types | ||||||
| Adult Caution - conditional | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition | 27 | 21 | 31 | 31 | 34 | 8 |
| Type 10 - Formal Action Against Offender is not in the Public Interest (Police) | 3 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| Type 12 - Prosecution Prevented-Named Suspect Identified But Is Too Ill (Physical Or Mental Health) To Prosecute, or confirmed died either before crime reported or before enough evidence to charge | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Type 13 - Prosecution Prevented-Named Suspect Identified But Victim Or Key Witness Is Dead Or Too Ill To Give Evidence | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Type 14 - Evidential Difficulties Victim Based- Suspect Not Identified: Crime Confirmed But The Victim Either Declines Or Unable To Support Further Police Investigation To Identify The Offender | 100 | 101 | 116 | 83 | 91 | 73 |
| Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action | 40 | 53 | 59 | 75 | 93 | 44 |
| Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action | 123 | 131 | 104 | 100 | 124 | 77 |
| Type 17 - Prosecution Time Limit Expired: Suspect Identified But Prosecution Time Limit Has Expired | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available | 175 | 199 | 233 | 229 | 182 | 147 |
| Type 1A - Charged/Summons - alternate offence. Offender has been charged under the alternate offence rule. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Type 20 - Further action resulting from the crime report will be undertaken by another body or agency subject to the victim (or person acting on their behalf) being made aware of the act to be taken | 9 | 15 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 14 |
| Type 21 - Further investigation resulting from crime report which could provide evidence sufficient to support formal action against the suspect is not in the public interest - police decision. | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Type 22 - Diversionary, educational or intervention activity, resulting from the crime report, has been undertaken and it is not in the public interest to take any further action. | 37 | 46 | 53 | 61 | 27 | 18 |
| Type 3 - Caution Adult | 8 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 33 | 29 |
| Type 5 - Offender has died | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Type 8 - Community resolution (Crime) | 138 | 163 | 228 | 257 | 265 | 184 |
| Type 9 - Prosecution Not In the Public Interest (CPS) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Under Investigation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 52 |
| Total | 666 | 739 | 847 | 882 | 882 | 655 |
Numbers of Seized Dogs - January 2019 to June 2024
| Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 up to 27/06 |
| Seized Dogs | 66 | 95 | 91 | 105 | 177 | 144 |
Numbers of Seized Dogs by Recorded Breed - January 2019 to June 2024
| Recorded Breed | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 up to 27/06 | Total |
| Akita | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Alano bulldog | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Alapaha blue blood bulldog | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Alphara | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Amedial | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Anatolian Sheph | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| American Bulldog (ABD) | 1 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 49 |
| Beagle | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Bichon Frise | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Boerboel | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Boxer | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Bulldog | 0 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Cane Corso | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 27 |
| Caucasian Shepherd | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Cavapoo | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Chow Chow | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Cockerpoo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Collie | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| Dachshund | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Doberman | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| Dog de Bordeaux | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| Dutch Herder | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| English Bulldog | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| English bull terrier | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| French bulldog | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 11 |
| German Shep | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 13 |
| Greyhound | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| GSD | 4 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
| Huskey | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| Jack Russell | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| JRT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Labradoodle | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Labrador | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Lurcher | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| Malamute | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Malinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 16 |
| Mastiff | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 27 |
| Patterdale | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Pitbull | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 20 |
| PBT | 10 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| Pocket Bully | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Presa Canario | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| Pug | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Ridgeback | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Rotti | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| Rottweiler | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| SBT | 18 | 9 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 55 |
| Shar-pei | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Shih tzu | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Spaniel | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Sproker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Staffy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 9 | 30 |
| Vizler | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Weimaraner | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| X Breed | 9 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 56 |
| XL Bully | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 29 | 74 | 111 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
Numbers of Seized Dogs that were Destroyed - January 2019 to June 2024
| Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 up to 27/06 |
| Dogs Destroyed | 34 | 33 | 52 | 55 | 89 | 54 |
Numbers of Seized Dogs that were Destroyed by Recorded Breed - January 2023 to June 2024
| Recorded Breed | 2023 | 2024 up to 27/06 | Total |
| ABD | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Akita | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Alphara | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Amedial | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Boerboel | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Cane Corso | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Chow Chow | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Cockerpoo | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Doberman | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Dog de Bordeaux | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Dutch Herder | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| English Bulldog | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| French Bulldog | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| German Shep | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| Huskey | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| JRT | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Malamute | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Mali | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Mastiff | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| Patterdale | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Pitbull | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Pocket Bully | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Presa | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Pug | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Rotti | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Shar-pei | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Shih tzu | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Spaniel | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Staffy | 8 | 3 | 11 |
| X Breed | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| XL Bully | 13 | 33 | 46 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Every effort is made to ensure that the data provided by Essex Police is accurate and complete. However, Essex Police systems are designed primarily for the management of individual cases and not for the purposes of providing data to answer specific FOI enquiries. Please note although data can be extracted from a number of sources via database queries, the results may be subject to inaccuracies. Care should be taken to understand our return when considering the interpretation or further use of the data.