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Yard squad to fight dog crime gangs
Justin Davenport, Crime Correspondent07.01.09
SCOTLAND Yard is set to launch a new squad to tackle an explosion in the number of dangerous dogs being used in gang-related crime and anti-social behaviour.
New figures show that in eight months last year 494 dangerous dogs were seized by police in London compared with 43 in the four years leading up to March 2006. There are 270 seized dogs in kennels awaiting court proceedings at a cost to the Met of more than £1 million a year.
Acting Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Allen said dog-related crime and anti-social behaviour was a growing problem. He said pitbull-type dogs had become a weapon of choice in gang-related crime, drug dealing and anti-social behaviour.
In a report to the Metropolitan Police Authority he says police and animal welfare agencies have seen incidents of abandoned animals, dog-fighting and dog seizures double year on year.
The RSPCA recorded a five-fold increase in dog fighting between 2004 and 2006. A total of 137 fights involved 82 youths fighting their dogs in the park or the street. There is also growing concern over dangerous dogs and anti-social behaviour.
After his election Mayor Boris Johnson said he was concerned about the rise in the number of dangerous dogs being seized and called for action.
Mr Allen said the Met's general dogs unit were being overwhelmed with calls to deal with dangerous animals. From April to December police dealt with 1,342 calls and carried out 404 pre-planned operations.
By law each investigation into allegations involving an animal requires the involvement of a specialist dog handler. This means the handlers could not carry on with their normal work involving their own operational dogs.
Mr Allen said: "This clearly fails to use police dog time efficiently or effectively. There is also an impact on young police dogs in that they do not receive sufficient development opportunities."
The report also reveals that seized dogs spend an average of six months in kennels while court proceedings drag on. As a result they become more dangerous and difficult to re-house. Mr Allen said the Met planned to launch a Dangerous Dog Unit which would include specialist officers and be made up of a sergeant, five constables and a civilian. There were also plans to transfer the jobs undertaken by dog handlers to specialist RSPCA inspectors who would work with the new unit to prosecute cases of dog cruelty.
The new squad would cost £350,000 but in the long term would generate savings and reduce the cost of kennelling dangerous dogs. This year the estimated kennel cost is £1.35 million.
Reader views (11)
I think all people who want to own any dog should have to have a licence and that it is illegal to own a dog without one. Certain criteria should be met before a licence is issued such as it being mandatory the dog is neutered and microchipped. This would not only make it more difficult to own a dog but it would stop dogs being able to be sold in papers etc and impossible for illegal breeds such as pitbulls to be licenced. I am not naive enough to believe this would stop the problem completely but it would enable police/dog wardens to stop a suspected unlicenced or dangerous dog, as I believe at the moment most people are unable to identify specific breeds. They could carry readers to scan for a chip, linking it to all the information of the dog & owner. I know its more money but the infrastructure exists, and we do it for the licensing of cars! So how hard could it be!
- Abby, London
Why do we always get a load of twaddle from any government agency!!Never enough men never enough time, never enough money! Why would it take a dog handler longer than it needs to collect these dogs? Why would it affect his other work, and why would it affect young dogs? You're not dealing with this problem all the time, even though it is getting bigger and should be a worry to you.
- Julie Cashmore, kidderminster worcs
I am a victim of a machete robbery where my staffordshire bull terriers and their litter of puppies were the target. My 7 dogs were taken as hoodied thugs kicked my front door down and branded a foot long machete. Other than being a terrifying experience we are now left with the concern that our dogs may be used in the dog fighting ring.
It is about time people realise it is not the dogs to blame but the hands they are in. All these dog thefts and dog fighting issues are all linked and the public need to be made aware. Children walking their family pets are being robbed but these stories do not make the press and therefore no one takes precautions!
- Halina, London
I am a Lambeth resident and have noticed over the years the increased number of dangerous dogs there are in my borough. It seems that youths are replacing the carrying of knives with dangerous dogs as they are unlikely to be stopped for being in possession of a dog.
Some of the owners are so young their unable to control the dog, and are dragged along when taking it for a walk. There at least should be a set age limit of having one of these animals in public!
School children have told me that they have been robbed using dogs to threaten and intimidate them, for their money, mobile phones, MP3 players etc. Some of these crimes takes place on the top decks of buses where the driver is unaware of what is taking place and the victims have no where to escape.
I am glad this has been highlighted in your paper and I look forward to seeing just how this situation can be tackled.
- Joon, Streatham, South London
The commissioner said it himself,as much as the Drug-
Dealers and other criminals are using dogs as weapons,so just as many criminals use guns,the police would not
focus on arresting guns and charging guns and putting
guns in jail,take the focus off the poor animals.
1)Drug-dealers ARREST and put in Jail for a long time,conficate all assets=income.
2)Violent criminals ARREST and put in Jail for a long
time.
3)Dog- fighters ARREST and put in JAIL for even a LONGER
time.Seize all ASSETS=Income.
This 3 point plan is feasible and will and does work
albeit a little more Dangerous for the police rather than declaring WAR on the dogs and then running around
arresting law-abiding citizens family pets which
achieves nothing except creating heartbreak in decent family homes aka the heroics of the Manchester and
Merseyside police establishment.
- Selwyn Marock, Johannesburg South Africa
...this is truly frightening..There are so many measures that could and should be taken but are not.
- Raymond, London
Derek, London, said it's become clear to most Londoners that a new sinister menace on our streets are hoodie gangs with their pitbulls. Well put Derek.
- Martin, London
the real problem is that many of the young kids who own these dogs have no idea how to train and handle them .pitbulls are not the dangerous dog everyone thinks they are, and are no more dangerous than staffs,english bull terriers and many more breeds of dogs.if the goverment really wants to stop these animals falling into the hands of the wrong owners they need to stop the sale of dogs on websites and in papers so it's harder to find dogs and has to be researched.also stop the puppy farms to many dogs are being breed by to many people and most have no idea what they are breeding and what there breeding from .its about time the goverment stood up and took astand we usaed to have some of the best dogs in the world but because people can make lots of money they just keep breeding from rubbish and taking no reponsablility after the point of sale .I have breed english bullterriers and have told every single owner that i will take any dog back for any reason and have on 2 occasions.I would like to see it made law that every dog is micro chipped to both the owner and breeder,This means that should a dog appear on the system for any reason it is traceableto its point of birth .it would also be a good idea to set up traininng for the young people who want to be reponsable owners and then they can educate the rest.the way to get these kids put of the life their in is connect with them in something they are intrested in.
- Terry, southend on sea
Due process is exactly that, due process. If u don't have enough officers train more. The issue has nothing to do with dangerous dogs and everything to do with dangerous humans. Keep blaming the victim (the dog) rather than the perpetrator and u will never solve the problem, as indeed u have not after 15 years of the DDA.
- Jimbo, Adl Aust
You should need a license to buy a pitbull or similar potentially dangerous dogs -it's become clear to most Londoners that a new sinister menace on our streets are hoodie gangs with their pitbulls - to them a pitbull is a knife with teeth.
- Derek, London
Another good reflection on Labour's Britain................
- Jonny, London
