FOI REF: FOI-2023-1480
You asked
Please can you provide information detailing the dog breed responsible for attacks & deaths. I would like to analyse the information the police have on file relating to dog breeds or cross breed attacks?
We said
Thank you for your request.
Unfortunately, we do not hold any of the information requested.
We do not collect statistics on dog attack incidents and dog injuries. Dog attack information may be available each police force in England and Wales. Information on people hospitalised following a dog attack in England is available for the years 2007/2008 to 2022/2003 from NHS England and information for Wales may be available from NHS Wales or Public Health Wales.
We are responsible for the production of mortality statistics for deaths registered in England and Wales, using the information supplied on death certificates. Causes of death are certified in most cases by a doctor, who records the sequence of medical conditions and relevant events leading to, or contributing to, the death, based on the deceased's healthcare records and other available information, such as laboratory tests or post-mortem investigation.
Some deaths are certified by a coroner who determines the causes of death following an inquest, based on all the available evidence. It is unusual for wider contextual factors, such as dog breed, to be recorded on the death certificate. We therefore also do not hold the information you have requested regarding dog bite deaths by breed of dog.
We do hold information more generally on deaths caused by dog bite or dog strike. This information can be accessed in the following link to a previously answered FOI: Deaths caused by dog bites or strike 1981 to 2022.