Investigatory procedures, investigations warnings and dog control notices actioned during 2017-2018 for out of control dogs

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, East Lothian Council should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear East Lothian Council,

For the year 2017-2018 please supply me with -

a) The investigatory procedures followed in response to “out of control” dog complaints.

b)The number of investigations carried out into possible “out of
control” dogs.

c) The number of warnings issued for “out of control” dogs and
please break this figure down by breed and the specific nature of the complaint.

d)The number of dog control notices issued for “out of control”
dogs and please break this figure down by breed and the specific nature of the complaint.

Yours faithfully,

Garry Thomson

Freedom Of Information, East Lothian Council

Thank you for your email.

This automated message is East Lothian Council’s acknowledgement that your information request has been received and is receiving attention. The statutory timescales for responses are as follows:

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

20 working days

Environmental Information Regulations 2004

20 working days

Internal Reviews

20 working days

Unfortunately we are currently facing a backlog of requests, however, please be assured that we are working towards resolving this and will respond to you just as soon as we can. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Thank you

Freedom of Information Team
Licensing, Administration and Democratic Services
East Lothian Council
John Muir House
Haddington
EH41 3HA

Tel: 01620 827623
Email: [East Lothian Council request email]<mailto:[East Lothian Council request email]>

Information about East Lothian Council’s complaints procedure can be found here<https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/info/2105...>.

Details of your rights to requesting information from East Lothian Council are published here<http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/info/704/d...>.

The Scottish Information Commissioner is responsible for the enforcement of Scotland's freedom of information laws. Guidance regarding your rights of access to information held by Scottish public authorities is available on the Commissioner’s website<http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/>.

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Dear East Lothian Council,

I am requesting an Internal Review.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/i...

Yours faithfully,

Garry Thomson

Freedom Of Information, East Lothian Council

Thank you for your email.

This automated message is East Lothian Council’s acknowledgement that your information request has been received and is receiving attention. The statutory timescales for responses are as follows:

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

20 working days

Environmental Information Regulations 2004

20 working days

Internal Reviews

20 working days

Unfortunately we are currently facing a backlog of requests, however, please be assured that we are working towards resolving this and will respond to you just as soon as we can. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Thank you

Freedom of Information Team
Licensing, Administration and Democratic Services
East Lothian Council
John Muir House
Haddington
EH41 3HA

Tel: 01620 827623
Email: [East Lothian Council request email]<mailto:[East Lothian Council request email]>

Information about East Lothian Council’s complaints procedure can be found here<https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/info/2105...>.

Details of your rights to requesting information from East Lothian Council are published here<http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/info/704/d...>.

The Scottish Information Commissioner is responsible for the enforcement of Scotland's freedom of information laws. Guidance regarding your rights of access to information held by Scottish public authorities is available on the Commissioner’s website<http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/>.

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Freedom Of Information, East Lothian Council

1 Attachment

Our Ref:  2018/542868

 

Dear Mr Thomson

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002

ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2004

 

I am writing in response to your enquiry of 6 September.

 

On behalf of East Lothian Council I wish to apologise for the delay in
responding to your information request.  We always try to respond to
requests as soon as possible within the statutory time frame and I am
sorry that we have been unable to do so on this occasion. 

 

East Lothian Council has now carried out an internal review and I am
pleased to provide the information you require which I hope will be of
interest to you; please refer to the PDF attachment.

 

This now concludes this matter, however, if you are still not satisfied
with our decision following the internal review process, then you may ask
the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner (OSIC) to investigate
the matter.  You must appeal to the Commissioner within six months of
receiving this notice.  You may submit your appeal online via OSIC’s
website, a link to the online appeal service is provided for your
convenience: 
[1]http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourR...

 

Alternatively, you may contact OSIC at:

 

Scottish Information Commissioner

Kinburn Castle

Doubledykes Road

St Andrews

Fife

KY16 9DS

 

Telephone:  01334 464610

Fax:  01334 464611

E-mail:  [2][email address]

 

If you remain dissatisfied following the Commissioner’s decision, you may
be able to appeal to the Court of Session.   You should, however, obtain
legal advice before deciding on this course of action.  This is because an
appeal may only be made on a point of law, not because you disagree with
the Commissioner’s view of the case. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Shelley Neville

Freedom of Information Team

Licensing, Administration and Democratic Services

East Lothian Council

John Muir House

Haddington

EH41 3HA

 

Tel: 01620 827623

Email: [3][East Lothian Council request email]

 

Information about East Lothian Council’s complaints procedure can be found
[4]here.

 

Details of your rights to requesting information from East Lothian Council
are published [5]here.

 

The Scottish Information Commissioner is responsible for the enforcement
of Scotland's freedom of information laws.  Guidance regarding your rights
of access to information held by Scottish public authorities is available
on the Commissioner’s [6]website.

 

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Dear Freedom Of Information,
Dear East Lothian Council,

The information I asked for has not been answered adequately or correctly, in fact, your answers are nonsense and are simply made up.

Investigatory procedures, investigations warnings and dog control notices actioned during 2017-2018 for out of control dogs
Response by East Lothian Council to Garry Thomson on 10 October 2018.

FOI Ref: 2018/542868

For the year 2017-2018 please supply me with -

a) The investigatory procedures followed in response to “out of control” dog complaints.

Your Answer: Investigations are carried out in accordance with government guidelines and in compliance with the Control of Dogs Scotland Act 2010

I asked specifically for the "investigatory procedures" followed in response to “out of control” dog complaints and not how Investigations are carried out in accordance with government guidelines etc.

If you have no set or fixed "investigatory procedures" to follow in response to "out of control" dog complaints just answer "we do not follow set procedures".

b) The number of investigations carried out into possible “out of control” dogs.

Your Answer: 155

This answer is wrong per your previous response to a Mr. Tennant the figure you gave him was, in fact, 182 and I doubt if even this figure is up-to-date.

c) The number of warnings issued for “out of control” dogs and please break this figure down by breed and the specific nature of the complaint.

Your Answer: Nil

Once again you gave Mr. Tennant a figure of 26 and this was broken down by the specific breed of dog and I doubt very much that 26 is an up-to-date figure.

Is this a joke? I also asked for the specific nature of each complaint.

26:
Alaskan Malamute x 1
American Bulldog x 1
Bull
Mastiff
x 1
Cross breeds x 7
German Shepherd x 3
Jack Russell x 1
Labrador x 1
Miniature
Schnauzer x 2
Patterdale Terrier x 1
Rottweiler x 1
Saluki x 1
Shih Tzu x 1
Siberian Husky x 1
Staffordshire Bull Terrier x 4

d) The number of dog control notices issued for “out of control” dogs and please break this figure down by breed and the specific nature of the complaint.

Your Answer: Three Dog Control Notices issued.

I know this is not an up-to-date figure because that's why I made this request in the first place.

Your Answer: Breeds: Rottweiler Staffordshire Bull Terrier Dorset Bull Dog

And?

Your Answer: Nature of Complaints: 2 dog on dog attacks 1 attack on Human

Sorry, what dogs attack who or what ?

YOUR ANSWERS TO MY REQUEST FOR INFORMATION IS LAUGHABLE!

Yours faithfully,

Garry Thomson

East Lothian Council

Mr. Garry Thomson

FOI Ref: 2018/542868
For the year 2017-2018 please supply me with -

a) The investigatory procedures followed in response to “out of control” dog complaints.

Investigations are carried out in accordance with government guidelines and in compliance with the Control of Dogs Scotland Act 2010

b) The number of investigations carried out into possible “out of control” dogs.

155

c) The number of warnings issued for “out of control” dogs and please break this figure down by breed and the specific nature of the complaint.

Nil

d) The number of dog control notices issued for “out of control” dogs and please break this figure down by breed and the specific nature of the complaint. Three Dog Control Notices issued.

Breeds: Rottweiler Staffordshire Bull Terrier Dorset Bull Dog

Nature of Complaints:

2 dog on dog attacks 1 attack on Human

East Lothian Council

Mr T. Tennant 25 March 2018 FOI
Ref:
2018/
368(
491481
)
For the year 2017 please supply me with -
a)
The number of investigations carried out into possible “out of
control” dogs.
182
b)
The number of warnings issued for “out of control” dogs and
please break this figure down by breed.
26:
Alaskan Malamute x 1
American Bulldog x 1
Bull
Mastiff
x 1
Cross breeds x 7
German Shepherd x 3
Jack Russell x 1
Labrador x 1
Miniature
Schnauzer x 2
Patterdale Terrier x 1
Rottweiler x 1
Saluki x 1
Shih Tzu x 1
Siberian Husky x 1
Staffordshire Bull Terrier x 4
c)
The number of dog control notices issued for “out of control”
dogs and please break this figure down by breed.
3:
Rottweiler
English Bulldog
Staffordshire Bull Terrie

Yours sincerely,

Garry Thomson

Freedom Of Information, East Lothian Council

Thank you for your email.

This automated message is East Lothian Council’s acknowledgement that your information request has been received and is receiving attention. The statutory timescales for responses are as follows:

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

20 working days

Environmental Information Regulations 2004

20 working days

Internal Reviews

20 working days

Unfortunately we are currently facing a backlog of requests, however, please be assured that we are working towards resolving this and will respond to you just as soon as we can. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Thank you

Freedom of Information Team
Licensing, Administration and Democratic Services
East Lothian Council
John Muir House
Haddington
EH41 3HA

Tel: 01620 827623
Email: [East Lothian Council request email]<mailto:[East Lothian Council request email]>

Information about East Lothian Council’s complaints procedure can be found here<https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/info/2105...>.

Details of your rights to requesting information from East Lothian Council are published here<http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/info/704/d...>.

The Scottish Information Commissioner is responsible for the enforcement of Scotland's freedom of information laws. Guidance regarding your rights of access to information held by Scottish public authorities is available on the Commissioner’s website<http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/>.

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