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Gloucestershire Constabulary is set to receive more than £100,000 in extra funding to help cover the spiralling costs of dealing with dangerous dogs, particularly banned breeds such as XL Bullys.
The grant, worth £116,000, is Gloucestershire’s share of a £9.4m pot from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The funding follows sustained lobbying by Police and Crime Commissioners across the country who warned of the mounting financial pressures created by new legislation.
Figures show the constabulary’s spending on kennelling banned dogs has soared by more than 400% in recent years. In 2022/23, costs stood at £70,000. By 2024/25, they had risen to nearly £300,000, with £333,000 already earmarked for 2025/26.
Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson said kennelling costs were a “lesser-known responsibility” that had become a growing burden. “Thankfully, this is not a problem we hear about very often. But when they do happen, attacks by dangerous dogs can be catastrophic,” he said. “Kennelling banned breeds like XL Bully dogs is another of the lesser-known responsibilities that fall to the Constabulary and it is becoming more and more expensive as we have had to hire new people to deal with changes in legislation, as well as booking out kennelling at substantial cost.”
The additional funding will only partially offset the financial strain, with Mr Nelson noting it covers roughly a third of the current costs. “I’m pleased that the collective lobbying from PCCs across the country has been rewarded. This will help the constabulary meet the increasing costs of dealing with XL Bully dogs at a time when the budget is under severe pressure,” he said. “Costs and volumes are definitely increasing and this is only a third of our costs so far. But we’re very grateful for government recognising the massive new burden this new legislation has placed on us.”
The ban on XL Bully dogs was introduced under the Dangerous Dogs Act, with police forces now responsible for seizing and safely housing the animals. But concerns remain about the effectiveness of the law. The RSPCA has warned that the XL Bully ban is “failing to protect the public”, with attacks and fatalities continuing despite thousands of dogs being seized.
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