Dog bites 24/2025

FOI Reference: 24/2025

Request:

The data requested would be:

Registered dog bites between 2020 -2023

Breed of dog (if known)

Size of bite (if known)

Response:

Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 places two duties on public authorities. Unless exemptions apply, the first duty at Section 1(1) (a) is to confirm or deny whether the information specified in a request is held. The second duty at Section 1(1) (b) is to disclose information that has been confirmed as being held.

Where exemptions are relied upon Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires Dyfed Powys Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which:   (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information you have requested. However we are withholding the whole of the requested information since we consider that the Section 12(1) exemption the Cost of Compliance exceeds the Appropriate Limit applies to it.

Section 12 (1) – The cost of compliance exceeds the Appropriate Limit

Section 12(1) states: “…Section 1 (1) does not oblige a public authority to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying with the request would exceed the appropriate limit.”

The cost of providing you with the information requested in respect of your request is above the amount to which we are legally required to respond i.e. the cost of locating and retrieving the information exceeds the “appropriate level” as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004. It is estimated that it would exceed 18 hours (i.e. minimum of 173.17 hours) to comply with this part of your request. The regulations can be located @ https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/3244

The Freedom of Information department has been advised that the information in respect of your request is not held in an easily retrievable format. In light of this and in order to accurately obtain the information relative to your request for the time frame stipulated would involve Dyfed Powys Police accessing and reviewing all dangerous dog offence records and Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in any place in England and Wales (whether or not in a public place) injuring any person or assistance dog’ offences to identify if the record relates to a to a dog bite and then to identify the breed and if recorded the size of the bite. It has been established that there are a total of 1,039 offence records that cover the period of your request.  It has also been established that it would take a minimum of 10 minutes to review and obtain the information for a single offence record in respect of your request (as outlined above).  The process outlined results in the below time estimate.

2020 = 237 records at a minimum of 10 minutes per record = 39.50 hours

2021 = 277 records at a minimum of 10 minutes per record = 46.17 hours

2022 = 266 records at a minimum of 10 minutes per record = 44.33 hours

2023 = 259 records at a minimum of 10 minutes per record = 43.17 hours

Time estimate to complete task and request = 173.17 hours

In accordance therefore with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter acts as a Refusal Notice for the Whole of this request under Section 17(5) A public authority which, in relation to any request for information, is relying on a claim that section 12 or section 14 applies must, within the time for complying with section 1(1), give the applicant a notice stating that fact.

You may wish to refine and resubmit your request so that it reduces the time shown above to fall within the 18 hours, should you require any further advice in relation to this matter please don’t hesitate to contact the Freedom of Information Unit.  In addition to the above the Freedom of Information Unit has been advised by the relevant department that information on the number of dogs seized following dog bites is retrievable. Please also be advised that should the request be refined, it does not remove the public authorities right to cite exemptions if relevant.                                 

(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 14/01/25)