Police force spends £215k kennelling seized dogs

Hertfordshire Police seized 59 dogs suspected of being banned breeds, such as the XL Bully

A police force spent more than £215,000 on kennelling seized dogs in the space of eight months last year.

Hertfordshire Police did not confirm how many dogs were kennelled, but it had spent more than neighbouring Bedfordshire Police, which spent £129,610 - and Cambridgeshire, which spent £159,041.

In that time, the Hertfordshire force seized 59 dogs suspected of being banned breeds, including the XL Bully.  

The constabulary said dogs can also be kennelled for welfare concerns and to protect the public.

The information was provided following a Freedom of Information Request, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

'Welfare concerns'

The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) says it can cost up to £1,000 a month to keep a dog kennelled.

Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, lead for dangerous dogs at the NPCC, warned: "The demand has been and continues to be simply huge. 

"We are facing a number of challenges in kennel capacity, resourcing and ever-mounting costs.

"Veterinary bills and the cost of kennelling across policing has risen from £4m in 2018 to currently standing at more than £11m, and this is expected to rise to as much as £25m by the end of April 2025."

Across the UK, police forces seized 4,586 suspected banned breed dogs between February and September 2024.

A Hertfordshire Police spokesperson said: "Dogs can be kennelled by police for numerous reasons from welfare concerns through to protecting the public. 

"We know it can be traumatic for some owners to be parted from their pets, but our specialist dog unit ensures their welfare is maintained at all times."