“The number of dog attacks recorded by police in England and Wales has risen by more than a third in the past five years, a BBC investigation has found.

Last year, there were nearly 22,000 cases of out-of-control dogs causing injury. In 2018, there were just over 16,000.

The UK’s dog population is estimated to have risen by only 15% in that time.

Police say they’ve seen more reports of dangerous dogs as a result of specific work by specialist officers.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) says forces across the UK have been focusing on attacks.

The BBC’s findings are based on 37 responses to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests made to all 43 police forces.”