Hertfordshire Police spent over £215,000 kennelling dogs in eight months last year
The cost of housing seized dogs in Hertfordshire exceeded neighbouring forces, with police warning of rising expenses
Hertfordshire Police spent more than £215,000 on kennelling dogs between February and September 2024, figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request have revealed. The total of £215,018 was higher than the costs incurred by Bedfordshire Police (£129,610) and Cambridgeshire Police (£159,041) over the same period.
The force did not confirm how many dogs were kennelled but stated that 59 were seized on suspicion of being banned breeds, including the XL Bully.
According to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), it can cost up to £1,000 per month to keep a dog in kennels.
Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, the NPCC lead for dangerous dogs, highlighted the growing financial and logistical challenges for police forces. He said: “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 £4 million in 2018 to currently standing at more than £11 million and this is expected to rise to as much as £25 million by the end of April 2025.”
Across the UK, police forces seized 4,586 suspected banned breed dogs between February and September 2024. A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Police stated that dogs may be kennelled for reasons beyond breed restrictions.
They 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.”