FOI 26-477 Dog Bite Attacks

Freedom of Information Request

Reference
FOI 26-477 Dog Bite Attacks
Request Date
12 Oct 2026
Response Date
27 Oct 2026
Information Requested

Dog Attacks and Dog Bite Injuries (2021–2026)  

  1. The number of incidents attended by the Scottish Ambulance Service where the presenting complaint, reason for the call or recorded incident involved a dog attack, dog bite or injury caused by a dog. 
  2. Of the incidents identified above, the number involving: a. persons aged under 16 years; b. persons aged 16 years and over. 
  3. Of the incidents identified above, the number where the patient was: a. treated at the scene without onward conveyance; b. conveyed to an Accident and Emergency department; c. conveyed to a Minor Injury Unit or other urgent or unscheduled care service; d. conveyed to another healthcare facility; e. not treated or conveyed, where recorded. 
  4. The number of incidents involving a dog attack, dog bite or injury caused by a dog which were categorised as requiring an emergency or urgent ambulance response. 
  5. Any recorded estimate of the cost incurred by the Scottish Ambulance Service in responding to incidents relating to dog attacks, dog bites or injuries caused by dogs.
Response

The Scottish Ambulance Service does not record incidents within its operational systems using a category for "dog attack", "dog bite" or "injury caused by a dog".  

The information requested is therefore not held in a recorded format. While individual incident records may contain information referring to dogs, identifying and categorising incidents for the purposes of this request would require the creation of new information through the analysis and interpretation of free-text records.  

 

Under FOISA, public authorities are required to provide recorded information that they hold but are not required to create new information in order to answer a request.  It is for these reasons we have applied section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002 as information not held. 

 

  1. The number of incidents attended by the Scottish Ambulance Service where the presenting complaint, reason for the call or recorded incident involved a dog attack, dog bite or injury caused by a dog.

The Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold this information. Please see the explanation above. Notice is therefore given under section 17(1) of FOISA. 

 

  1. Of the incidents identified above, the number involving: a. persons aged under 16 years; b. persons aged 16 years and over.

As the Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold information identifying incidents involving dog attacks, dog bites or injuries caused by dogs, we are unable to identify a population of incidents from which these figures could be derived. Notice is therefore given under section 17(1) of FOISA. 

 

  1. Of the incidents identified above, the number where the patient was: a. treated at the scene without onward conveyance; b. conveyed to an Accident and Emergency department; c. conveyed to a Minor Injury Unit or other urgent or unscheduled care service; d. conveyed to another healthcare facility; e. not treated or conveyed, where recorded.

As the Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold information identifying incidents involving dog attacks, dog bites or injuries caused by dogs, we are unable to identify a population of incidents from which these figures could be derived. Notice is therefore given under section 17(1) of FOISA. 

 

  1. The number of incidents involving a dog attack, dog bite or injury caused by a dog which were categorised as requiring an emergency or urgent ambulance response.

As the Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold information identifying incidents involving dog attacks, dog bites or injuries caused by dogs, we are unable to identify a population of incidents from which these figures could be derived. Notice is therefore given under section 17(1) of FOISA. 

 

  1. Any recorded estimate of the cost incurred by the Scottish Ambulance Service in responding to incidents relating to dog attacks, dog bites or injuries caused by dogs.

The Scottish Ambulance Service does not hold a recorded estimate of costs relating specifically to dog attacks, dog bites or injuries caused by dogs. The Service does not routinely calculate or record costs by reference to the cause of a patient's injury or illness. 

Accordingly, notice is given under section 17(1) of FOISA that this information is not held. 

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