Dog attacks recorded by police in England and Wales have risen by 21% in a year, figures have revealed.
According to the statistics, there were more than 30,000 reported offences in 2023, compared to 25,000 the year before.
A freedom of information request submitted to police forces showed that Devon and Cornwall Police recorded the largest percentage rise in attacks across the country, up 51% from 662 in 2022 to 1,002 in 2023.
Overall, police forces recorded 30,539 offences of a dog injuring a person or guide dog in 2023 – up from 25,291 in 2022.
A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said:
“There are a number of factors which may contribute to this including an increase in incidents being reported and how offences are recorded based on the information provided.
“Dog owners have a responsibility to keep their dogs under control and this includes providing suitable socialisation, training and safety measures if needed to help reduce the potential of incidents occurring, to keep themselves, the public and other animals safe.”
The concerning rise comes in the same year that XL Bully dogs were banned by the government after a spate of fatal attacks.
The new rules made it illegal to own an unregistered XL bully dog, as well as making it an offence to breed, sell, advertise, exchange, gift, rehome, abandon or allow XL Bully dogs to stray in England and Wales.
At the time, Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:
“We are taking quick and decisive action to protect the public from tragic dog attacks and today I have added the XL Bully type to the list of dogs prohibited under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
“It will soon become a criminal offence to breed, sell, advertise, rehome or abandon an XL Bully type dog, and they must also be kept on a lead and muzzled in public. In due course it will also be illegal to own one of these dogs without an exemption.
“We will continue to work closely with the police, canine and veterinary experts, and animal welfare groups, as we take forward these important measures.”
Pauline Elford’s nine-year-old grandson Frankie Macritchie died in 2019 after being left alone with an American bull terrier cross.
Mrs. Elford said Frankie had been left alone with the seven-stone dog in a caravan in Cornwall. The dog attacked him, resulting in dozens of bite wounds.
She said nobody heard Frankie’s screams and he had died while waiting for someone to come to his rescue.
“When I entered the caravan, I didn’t even recognise my own grandson,” she said. “The horrendous injuries, entering that caravan must have been like entering hell.”
Mrs. Elford, who was related to Frankie through his father, said she had knelt beside paramedics as they tried in vain to save him.
Frankie’s mother Tawnee Willis was sentenced to two years in prison for cruelty to a person under 16 years.
Her friend Sadie Totterdell was sentenced to three years for owning a dog which caused injury while dangerously out-of-control.
Now Mrs. Elford, 57, from Plymouth, is calling for tougher penalties. She said:
“Until sentences are increased, dog attacks will continue, regardless of the breed. The government has to increase sentencing. If your dog kills somebody, it should be a manslaughter charge.”
Under the Dangerous Dogs Act, people can be put in prison for up to 14 years, be disqualified from ownership or their dangerous dogs can be euthanised. The maximum sentence for manslaughter is life imprisonment.
Paul McMullan, Personal Injury expert at Oakwood Solicitors Ltd commented:
“We see far too many injuries as a result of dog attacks, including the XL Bully, where owners have just not considered whether their dog is under control. Whilst they might be very friendly with family and those they know, how do they react to strangers?
“When leaving the dog unattended in a front garden, can a child or anyone get access to the dog? These are the things owners need to think carefully about.”
Sam Gaines from the RSPCA said since the pandemic, some dogs were more likely to have behaviour problems that could increase aggression.
“When we look at aggressive behaviour, the actual key causal factors are around how they’ve been bred, how they’ve been reared and how they’re managed,” she said.
A Royal Veterinary College study also found high rates of problem behaviours in dogs bought in the pandemic.
But Dr. Gaines warned it was “difficult to highlight any one particular driving force” without a comprehensive system looking at behaviour and other factors involved in serious bite incidents.
What can I do if I have been attacked by a dog?
If you have unfortunately become a victim of a dog attack, we would recommend reporting your injury to the police as soon as possible to prevent others from becoming injured.
If the dog is classified as “beyond control”, the police may seek authorisation for the dog to be destroyed or recommend that owners incorporate preventative measures such as muzzles, letterbox covers, a training course or cages.
In addition, a victim of a dog attack may be able to make an application to the government for a compensation award via the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority scheme, which has been set up to reimburse victims of violent crimes, although this is limited to instances where the dog has specifically been used as a weapon.
Alternatively, you may wish to submit a claim against the dog owners and their insurers directly, which is not as strict in terms of qualification or awards.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
If you have any questions or concerns regarding a dog in your area or wish to submit a claim for compensation, please get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation with our Public Liability team.
Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
Paul McMullan is Head of the Employers' and Public Liability Department and joined Oakwood Solicitors in 2010. Paul represents his clients in a wide range of cases, including complex claims and catas…
Debunking The Most Common Misconceptions About CICA Claims
An article for those in doubt.
Many potential applicants for CICA claims have certain preconceptions about how the CICA scheme works and what they are entitled to receive. These ar…
View
CICA claims and timescales FAQ
It is extremely common for applicants to the CICA scheme to be confused and even frustrated by the length of time it takes for their claim to complete.
Simply put, it is the unfort…
View
CICA – The First Offer
A widely asked question by people undergoing a Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) claim is whether or not they should …
View
