"Policing is already stretched, and rising costs and growing demand are pushing resources to the limit. The added burden, created by the government and public, of paying for kennelling illegal dogs places even more pressure on already tight budgets."
"Our kennelling needs have gone up by about one-third since the ban came into force and the demand isn't slowing down so we're having to really concentrate on threat, harm and risk."
"In the short term I think we will continue to see dog attacks as these dogs start to come of age and reach maturity. So I think it's going to probably get worse before it gets better."
"Experts said court delays were increasing the duration and cost of kennelling of seized dogs, and they suggested cases involving XL bullies should be accelerated so as not to prolong unnecessary kennelling."
Police spending on kennels and veterinary bills in England and Wales has more than tripled since the XL bully ban in 2024. Average costs per police force rose from £137,400 in 2022-23 to £423,136 in 2024-25. West Mercia police reported a staggering 674% increase. Rising costs and demand are straining resources, with calls for government support. Experts noted that court delays are prolonging kennelling durations, and the demand for kennelling is expected to increase as more dogs reach maturity, potentially leading to more dog attacks.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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