Police target 'status symbol' dangerous dogs

Police have warned owners of dangerous illegal dogs that they will be seized.

Figures have revealed the number of offences involving dangerous dogs in Barnet has steadily risen over the past three years, and officers are taking action to stop the problem getting worse.

In the financial year 2005/06 there were 32 dangerous dog offences but this year there have already been 29 with another six months to go. Sergeant Lee Benham, of the East Finchley safer neighbourhood team, said: "Our message to owners of dangerous dogs is that we will be targeting you. These dogs are illegal and it is only a matter of time before one of them carries out a serious attack on a person.

"There has been a worrying increase in the number of people who own these types of dogs as 'status symbols', and we are doing all we can to tackle that problem and eliminate illegal dogs from the borough."