Dog attacks

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FIN/25/002967/V

Version Date: 21/03/2025

The Performance Analysis Department have provided the following information.

To obtain this data, PA searched in the Niche Crime Universe for all crimes with the HO Stats Code of 008/21, and using the specified date ranges.

This was then duplicated, adding in OEL Entry Text searches for ‘xl bull’ ‘x l bull’, ‘bully xl’, and ‘bully x l’.

All 36 occurrences were manually reviewed to see whether there was an XL Bully involved/whether it was an ‘attack’.

Where the dog was reported as an XL Bully by the caller or victim and there is no further evidence stating whether the dog is an XL Bully, these have been included.

Where the dog was reported as an XL Bully, but there is further police evidence to state the dog is not an XL Bully, these have not been included.

The number of reported dog attacks (Home Office code 008/21 – owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in any place in England or Wales injuring any person or assistance dog) for the following dates:
Feb 1 2020 – Jan 31 2021
Feb 1 2021 – Jan 31 2022
Feb 1 2022 – Jan 31 2023
Feb 1 2023 – Jan 31 2024
Feb 1 2024 – Jan 31 2025

 If there is time, and you are able, please provide me with the number of attacks involving XL Bully dogs for the last annual period (Feb 1 2024 to Jan 31 2025)