Kent Police have decided to remind dog owners of their responsibilities regarding the care of their pets.
With the heatwave set to last through July, police have posted warnings to owners about dogs being left off a lead or keeping animals in cars.
There have been a number of dog-related incidents in Kent and the police are predicting a rise with the summer months upon us and a large number of irresponsible owners n the county!
Historically, Kent Police has seen the highest number of reported incidents between May and August. In 2022 there were 98 reported in July, with just 44 in February the same year.
May 2023 saw 124 reported incidents including dog bites and dog-on-dog attacks, with 44 so far in June (up until 12 June).
It should not really take the police force to have to ‘remind’ people how to look after their animals. People should either be responsible enough to do do the right thing or just not be a pet owner, but sadly there are always a few who are not responsible.
Inspector Ian Warner said ‘Whilst the majority of people are responsible there is still a small minority who are not. Preventing anti-social behaviour and ensuring everyone remains safe is part of the force’s Safer Summer initiative. Earlier this month officers received a report that a dog had injured a child while in the owner’s garden in Charing’.
The full report can be found here.
