- By Rebecca Woods
- BBC News, West Midlands
Image source, Getty Images
There is no proof any specific breed of dog is most likely to be more aggressive than another, the Dogs Trust says
The variety of dog attacks tends to increase in heat – however why? As the school vacations begin, professionals are alerting individuals to be alert, with kids under 14 most at threat.
They tend to come in waves, and data reveal there are more attacks over the summertime in the UK. On the one hand, it’s simple to think of dogs getting simply as hot and troubled as individuals do – snapping in the only method they understand how.
According to the Dogs Trust, nevertheless, the increase is most likely to our modification in behaviour in warmer weather condition, instead of anything biological.
“There’s no proof to state there’s a connection in between dog attacks and heat,” said the charity’s Maria Murray. “But there’s absolutely a connection with more attacks on kids throughout the summer season.
“The kids are at home a lot more and dogs get a bit more fed up of kids being around.”
People likewise spend a lot more of our time outside, so the opportunities of being available in to exposure to a dog is increased.
“Children under 14 are the most likely to get bitten – that’s due to the fact that kids may not have the ability to read their dogs,” said Ms Murray. “There’s likewise more chance to have fun with dogs in the garden, so these things can occur.”
Statistics program almost 9,000 individuals went to healthcare facility in 2022 with dog bites, an increase of more than 1,000 events on the previous year.
There has actually likewise been substantial boost in dog ownership because the Covid-19 pandemic started, with an approximated 12 million dogs owned by households in the UK, up from 9 million 5 years earlier.
“With more dogs and more homes having a dog, it’s inescapable we’re going to get more events,” said Ms Murray.
‘Got me in their teeth’
Simon Edge was amongst them and said he’d been left incredibly careful because the attack.
“I was returning from the dental professional and walking home – 2 dogs came bounding towards me, I downplayed it in the beginning,” he said.
“Then one got in front of me, one behind and the next thing you understand they have actually both got me in their teeth.”
Barford Primary School needed to be locked down for the safety of the kids.
In an attack that lasted “about 80 seconds”, Mr Edge was bitten 4 times.
He informed the BBC he was lucky due to the fact that he had actually been informed a teenage lady got 42 different injuries that day.
Mr Edge was bitten when leaving a dental practitioner in Birmingham
“We were best outside the main school and I simply believed, ‘if the dogs can do that to me, what would they have done to a young baby’?” Mr Edge said.
He said he’d been left careful of huge dogs when they passed him in the street and he was shocked to see increasing reports of attacks.
“It appears to be taking place increasingly more. To be sincere I do not understand why they eliminated the dog licence, a minimum of that made individuals liable.”
Unscrupulous breeding
Although deadly dog attacks are uncommon, there have actually been 5 in the UK up until now this year. There were 9 in 2022 – more than the double the previous year.
It is possible that lockdown, and brand-new dogs not having the ability to be hung out appropriately in those important very first weeks, might still be having a result.
“We understand that aggressiveness tends to be because dogs are fretted about something and if they have actually not had the ability to be hung out early on then they are most likely to be fretted around individuals,” said Ms Murray.
Unscrupulous breeding is likewise increasing, with growing circumstances of puppy smuggling; dogs brought over from Europe unlawfully for animal trade.
“It’s a big money-making chance, so individuals who do not have the best experience of reproduced dogs and even the eight-week window that a puppy is with the breeder is so crucial for that dog to be hung out in the very same method,” said Ms Murray.
“If you consider dogs from eastern Europe, opportunities are the very first weeks of life remain in a kennel environment, having actually seen absolutely nothing, and after that transferred for days on end in a small cage in the back of a van.
“It’s not a fantastic start and there’s constantly going to be some issues.”
Image source, Dan Jones Images
Maria Murray, from the Dogs Trust, says owners must carefully monitor their animal – exist and keep an eye out for the dog getting anxious
The Dogs Trust recommends individuals desiring a dog needs to want to rescue centres initially. If buying privately, then the advice is to fully research the breeder first – try to meet the parents of the puppy and know the temperament of the prospective animal first.
“You know that those puppies have had a really good experience in those first eight weeks of life.”
As for helping to get the number of summer dog attacks down, Ms Murray urged owners to have “really good, close supervision – be present, see out for the dog getting anxious or a child getting over exuberant”.
The charity is running workshops on child safety for parents, where individuals can watch live webinars for tips.
“There is no evidence at all that any particular breed of dog is likely to be more aggressive than another,” Ms Murray said.
“A tiny dog can still do damage, can still scar a child, because a lot of the interactions are when children are hugging dogs or kissing dogs, so a lot of those injuries are facial as well.
“So we’ve got to be truly cautious.”
