Police enforcement of the ban on owning XL bully dogs is placing a "huge burden" on forces, police chiefs have said.
The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) said they are facing a "number of challenges in kennel capacity, resourcing and ever-mounting costs".
The NPCC lead for dangerous dogs, Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, said kennelling costs and veterinary bills in England and Wales had risen from £4m in 2018 to more than £11m between February and September 2024 - during the first eight months of the ban.
He added that by April this year, forces predict they could have spent £25m, a rise of 500%.
The ban was introduced in England and Wales on 1 February 2024 following a number of attacks involving the dogs. Similar restrictions were also introduced in Scotland, while in Northern Ireland, XL bullies now have to be muzzled and kept on a lead in public.
