Almost 2,000 dog attacks were recorded over an 18 month period in Northern Ireland from last September.
Figures covering April 2021 to September 2022 show that 1,055 people reported being attacked by a dog, and 897 dog on dog attacks were also recorded by councils.
And councils have brought just 13 successful prosecutions from 652 incidents of attacks on people and pets between April 2022 and September 2022. Penalties imposed by the courts on those cases totalled £6,188.
Read more: Miracle of family dog pulled from collapsed building in Turkey
In Bangor, Co Down, the most recent recorded serious dog on dog attack left Teddy, a Shih Tzu, with severe internal, life threatening injuries. And although he is recovering, vets' fees for emergency care, surgery and ongoing after care have amounted to almost £8,000 with his family's insurance policy covering just £1,000.
Animal Welfare spokesperson for the Alliance Party, Patrick Brown, said: "It is a major concern to see the number of attacks on people and other pets.
"The case of Teddy, the family dog mauled in Bangor, Co Down, while being walked on a lead, brings those numbers into reality; the impact the attack has had on this poor dog and his owners is clear and this is just one incident.
"This situation needs to be taken far more seriously, we need to see new legislation introduced but also adequate funding to enable Council’s to enforce that legislation.
"Currently, that is not happening as the records also reveal out of those 652 incidents of attacks on people and pets between April 2022 and September 2022, there were only 13 successful prosecutions.
"The penalties imposed by the court for those prosecutions totalled a mere £6,188. We are in a crisis and more people need to sit up and take notice because ultimately it is the animals and those that love them that are suffering.”
Here is how the NI figures break down across
- Dog on human attacks NI : April 2021 - March 2022 : 707
- Dog on dog attacks NI : April 2021 - March 2022 : 593
Dog on human attacks NI : April 2022 - Sept 2022 : 348
Dog on dog attacks NI : April 2022 - Sept 2022 : 304
In England and Wales, dog attacks recorded from 2018 have shown a 46% increased and last year 12 people were fatally mauled in Great Britain.
The Sunday People analysed figures from 16 of the UK’s 45 police forces and found a worrying picture of how many dog owners have lost control of their pets in the last five years.
The investigation revealed:
- A 73% increase in attacks in the West Midland
- The most recorded incidents were in Essex, at 4,425, and
- In 80% of incidents in Gwent, Wales, victims did not know the dog.
Dog behaviour experts said more dangerous animals being bred in lockdown followed by a cost of living crisis made for a “perfect storm”.
Pamela Dempsey, who runs Impackt Behaviour, a centre for canine training, told the Sunday People: “I am saddened by the figures but not remotely surprised. I’m surprised they’re not higher.
“I have seen an astronomical rise in dog attacks in my own dog behavioural clinics. I used to see dog bites maybe once a month – now it’s three or four times a week. I’d say this is just the tip of the iceberg and more attacks are yet to come.”
The Freedom of Information request also discovered that in the past five years, there were 4,248 attacks in the West Midlands and 3,806 in Greater Manchester. After West Midlands, the biggest percentage rises were in Gloucestershire, at 64%, and Wiltshire, at 60%.
The startling figures are reflected in the number of people needing hospital treatment for dog bites. NHS data showed there were about 30 admissions a day between April and November last year.
And at least five children have been killed by dogs in the past year – with a 26% rise in attacks since the pandemic began.
Pamela, who has worked as a dog behaviour expert for 20 years, said we are now seeing the true impact of a surge in dog ownership and lack of socialising in lockdown.
She said: “Dogs run parallel to humans. Our own social lives and mental health were hugely impacted over lockdown. Dogs have suffered in the same way.”
Jane Robinson, chair of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK, said dogs not properly socialised in lockdown have now reached adolescence and maturity, adding: “Despite trainers offering classes via Zoom, many dogs went without the type of training that taught them vital skills.
"In lockdown, we also saw some breeders breeding dogs who hadn’t had proper health checks being sold at exorbitant prices. These dogs now have health issues which impact behaviour.
"There are no quick fixes for changing behaviour – social media posts on TikTok or Instagram may make it look slick but do your research and make sure the ‘trainer’ you’re following is fully accredited with a respected training body.”
READ NEXT:
- £200 fine for poop not scooped in Ards and North Down
- 4-week old puppy found dumped in industrial estate
- Dogs attacked almost 2,000 people and dogs in 18 month period
- Breeding dogs with extreme characteristics should be a criminal offence
- Crufts 2023 is due to be bigger than ever
To get the latest dog news straight to your inbox, sign up to our free newsletter
