Hertfordshire Constabulary spends more than £215k on kennelling dogs
Hertfordshire police spent more than £215,000 on kennelling dogs in the space of eight months last year, it has been revealed.
The information, provided in response to a Freedom of Information request, shows that Hertfordshire’s costs between February and September 2024 (£215,018) exceeded those of neighbouring Bedfordshire (£129,610) and Cambridgeshire (£159,041).
Hertfordshire police did not confirm how many dogs were kennelled in those months, but the force seized 59 dogs suspected of being banned breeds, which includes the XL Bully. According to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), it can cost up to £1,000 a month to keep a dog kennelled.
Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, lead for dangerous dogs at the NPCC, has warned: “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 £4m in 2018 to currently standing at more than £11m and this is expected to rise to as much as £25m by the end of April 2025.”
Across the UK, police forces seized 4,586 suspected banned breed dogs between February and September 2024. But a Hertfordshire police spokesperson made clear there are other reasons for dogs to be kennelled too.
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.”