More than 350 dogs suspected of being banned breeds were seized by Devon & Cornwall Police between 2020 and 2025, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act.

The data, provided by police in response to an FOI request, relates to dogs seized under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act on suspicion of being a prohibited type, rather than dogs involved in attacks or offences under Section 3.

A total of 357 dogs were seized during the six years. Seizures rose slightly, increasing from 41 in 2023 to 121 in 2024 before falling to 67 in 2025.

Of the dogs seized, 107 were assessed as not being a prohibited type. However, police noted that records do not confirm whether those animals were subsequently returned to their owners.

A further 24 dogs were made subject to Contingent Destruction Orders and added to the Index of Exempted Dogs, allowing them to remain with owners subject to strict conditions.

No dogs were ordered to be euthanised by the courts during the period covered by the request.

The figures also show that 44 dogs were disclaimed by their owners after being seized, including 25 in 2024 alone.

Police were unable to provide information on how long dogs typically spend in kennels following seizure, how quickly assessments are carried out, or the average time taken to reach a final outcome, stating that "The Dog Section within the Operations Department do not record timeline data."

Kennelling costs have risen sharply over the period. While police said they could not separate costs relating specifically to Section 1 dogs, total Dangerous Dogs Act kennelling expenditure increased from £11,138 in 2020-21 to more than £310,670 in 2024-25.

The force said the average daily kennelling cost is between £25 and £26 per dog, plus VAT.

Police were also unable to provide figures showing how many seized dogs had a recorded history of aggression towards people, saying that no such information is held.