Will the Minister make a statement on the number of dog attacks recorded by police in England and Wales increasing by 21 per cent in a year?
A responsible dog breeding and ownership workshop was held on 15 February, following on from the Responsible Dog Ownership Summit: Action on dangerous dogs held in October 2023. The purpose of which is to continue the delivery of multi-agency collaborative working in this area promoting responsible dog ownership and to tackle anti-social behaviour and dog attacks
A significant recommendation from the initial summit was to encourage the reporting of dog attacks and near misses. I have written to Chief Constables in all Welsh police forces and to Local Authorities highlighting the latest guidance and regulations to work to, and the importance of robust reporting of incidents in Wales. By enhancing the collection of data on dog attacks, we can analyse trends and work towards finding solutions. Also, I have met with Rob Taylor , All Wales Wildlife and Rural Crime Co-ordinator, and Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hobrough of Gwent Police on this matter.