More DDA Dogs Die as Taxpayer Picks Up Astonishing £736,760 Bill (in a Credit Crunch)
Published on April 28, 2009 by Freelance Contributors · 2 CommentsMore dead dogs and over seven hundred, thousand pounds.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has shown that dogs are still dying while in the care of the Metropolitan police service (MPS) as they attempt to enforce the draconian Dangerous Dogs Act – at a cost of more than £736,760 of taxpayer’s money in just a five month period.
The costs relate only to boarding, transport and veterinary costs of dogs held and do not include any other associated legal costs such as behaviourist assessments and other costs of bringing a case to court.
The FOI request supplied to Alison Green of anti BSL group DDA Watch shows that between 31st September 08 and 28 February 09 a total of 233 dogs were seized by MPS with 202 held as potentially banned breeds. Only 27 of those 202 were also held under section three of the DDA indicating that the behaviour of the majority of the dogs held was not of concern.
Nine of the dogs held died in MPS “care”. This brings the total of dogs that have lost their lives due to illness or unknown reason in the last two years to a shocking 110 in MPS contracted kennels alone. While the number seems to show fewer dogs on average have died in recent months it still begs the question of why no one is being held accountable?
A separate request sent to West Midlands Police showed that they too are seeing dogs dying while being held as three dogs held in their care died in kennels between September 08 and February 09.
With Defra’s recent guidance on enforcing the Dangerous Dogs Act, unless the law is repealed we can only expect to see more dogs dying and more taxpayer’s money being spent on legislation that can never be fully enforced. If the issue of the dog’s appearance was no longer a question the MPS alone could free up over ONE MILLION pounds each year.
As a seventh child this year dies in violent circumstances in the London area, surely its time the authorities focus their time and money on what is truly a threat to the public and stop the persecution of dogs based on the look of that dog?
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One Hundrend and ten DEAD dogs really is a shocking number of dogs to die in kennels, why aren’t the rspca regularly inspecting these premises where all these dogs are being held?
If a boarding kennels had that kind of death rate there would be an investigation but is it okay for ‘dangerous dogs’ to just die in kennels and none of the big charities supposed to be there for ALL dogs are asking questions or saying anything on this issue.
I don’t know if the RSPCA is asking questions about this or not.
But, they can’t just go in on regular inspections for two reasons.
One, the kennels locations are secret.
Two, if the RSPCA are not invited in then they have no power or right to go in.