Dog Fighting in Croydon

The request was partially successful.

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Please advise any and all arrests for suspicion of dog fighting activity in 2015, 2016 and 2017 to date in the borough of Croydon.

Please also advise for the same time period the number of animals in Croydon reported missing or stolen.

Please also advise the number of animals found dead, abused, or injured with injuries consistent with use in dog fighting whether as fighting animals or 'bait' animals.

Please advise number of prosecutions for dog fighting in this time period for dog fighting related crime and number of convictions.

Yours faithfully,

Suzanne Kelly

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Ms Kelly

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2017110000444

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 10/11/2017.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

"Please advise any and all arrests for suspicion of dog fighting activity
in 2015, 2016 and 2017 to date in the borough of Croydon.

Please also advise for the same time period the number of animals in
Croydon reported missing or stolen.

Please also advise the number of animals found dead, abused, or injured
with injuries consistent with use in dog fighting whether as fighting
animals or 'bait' animals.

Please advise number of prosecutions for dog fighting in this time period
for dog fighting related crime and number of convictions."
Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act).  You will receive a response within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act.  

If you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please contact
us at [email address] or on the phone at 0207 161 3500, quoting the
reference number above. Should your enquiry relate to the logging or
allocations process we will be able to assist you directly and where your
enquiry relates to other matters (such as the status of the request) we
will be able to pass on a message and/or advise you of the relevant
contact details.

Yours sincerely

R. Loizou
Support Officer - Freedom of Information Triage Team
 
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

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Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Ms Kelly

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2017110000444

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 10/11/2017.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

1. Please advise any and all arrests for suspicion of dog fighting
activity in 2015, 2016 and 2017 to date in the borough of Croydon.
2. Please also advise for the same time period the number of animals in
Croydon reported missing or stolen.
3. Please also advise the number of animals found dead, abused, or injured
with injuries consistent with use in dog fighting whether as fighting
animals or 'bait' animals.
4. Please advise number of prosecutions for dog fighting in this time
period for dog fighting related crime and number of convictions.

This is to inform you that the MPS are unable to proceed with your request
as we require further information from you.  

With regards to question 2 we are unable to provide information on
'missing animals' as this is not recorded on our system.  We are however
able to report on the number of pets stolen (code VA) cats, dogs, etc.
 Although there are other codes for horses, fish, cattle etc. Please
advise which you would like us to search?

With regards to question 3 the MPS do not hold this information and you
may wish to contact the Local Authority and/or RSPCA.

After receiving your reply, your request will then be considered and you
will receive a response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days.

However, if the requested additional information has not been received by
22nd December 2017 I will assume you no longer wish to proceed with this
request and will treat it as withdrawn.

Yours sincerely,

Jennifer Powell
Freedom of Information Manager
 
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

Find us at:

Facebook: Facebook.com/metpoliceuk

Twitter: @metpoliceuk

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Thank you for your question, please search on report on the number of pets stolen (code VA) cats, dogs, etc.

Please be advised that I will be writing on this topic for a newspaper, and would in addition to this FOI request like to speak to an officer working on animal crimes. I have put in a request with the Met press office, and wanted to make you aware of same.

Yours faithfully,

Suzanne Kelly

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),
I know you are busy, but thank you in advance for the information requested.

Yours faithfully,

Suzanne Kelly

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Ms. Kelly,

Thank you for your email. I am unsure how you wish to proceed with this request? I wrote to you in November to explain that we were unable to continue with your request until we received the below information from you. I also stated that if we had not heard by 22nd December 2017 we would close the case.

Your reply came to us on 6th February thanking us in advance for the information requested. I must inform you that this case is now closed and that if you require anything further this will need to now be submitted as a new request in line with the legislation.

Kind regards

Jen Powell

show quoted sections

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Kelly,

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2017110000444

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 10/11/2017.  I apologise for
the delay in getting this information to you and any inconvenience this
has caused.  I note you seek access to the following information:

1. Please advise any and all arrests for suspicion of dog fighting
activity in 2015, 2016 and 2017 to date in the borough of Croydon.
2. Please also advise for the same time period the number of animals in
Croydon reported missing or stolen.
3. Please also advise the number of animals found dead, abused, or injured
with injuries consistent with use in dog fighting whether as fighting
animals or 'bait' animals.
4. Please advise number of prosecutions for dog fighting in this time
period for dog fighting related crime and number of convictions.

I wrote to you to advise that with regards to question 2 we were unable to
provide information on 'missing  animals' as this is not recorded on our
system.  We were however able to report on the number of pets stolen (code
VA) cats, dogs, etc.You advised that you would like to redefine to this.

We also informed you that the information in relation to question 3 is not
held by the MPS and you may wish to contact the Local Authority and or/
RSPCA.

SEARCHES TO LOCATE INFORMATION
To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted
within the MPS.  The searches located information relevant to your
request.

DECISION
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find attached information pursuant to your request above.  With
regards to question 4 I have been informed that the RSPCA prosecute for
these types of offences.  

Yours sincerely

Jennifer Powell
Freedom of Information Manager

In complying with their statutory duty under sections 1 and 11 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the enclosed information, the
Metropolitan Police Service will not breach the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988. However, the rights of the copyright owner of the
enclosed information will continue to be protected by law.  Applications
for the copyright owner's written permission to reproduce any part of the
attached information should be addressed to MPS Directorate of Legal
Services, 10 Lambs Conduit Street, London, WC1N 3NR.
 
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

Find us at:

Facebook: Facebook.com/metpoliceuk

Twitter: @metpoliceuk