Dog attacks: 34% increase recorded by police in England and Wales

The fig of canine attacks recorded by constabulary successful England and Wales has risen by much than a 3rd successful the past 5 years, a BBC probe has found.

Last year, determination were astir 22,000 cases of out-of-control dogs causing injury. In 2018, determination were conscionable implicit 16,000.

The UK's canine colonisation is estimated to person risen by lone 15% successful that time.

Police accidental they've seen much reports of unsafe dogs arsenic a effect of circumstantial enactment by specializer officers.

The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) says forces crossed the UK person been focusing connected attacks.

The BBC's findings are based connected 37 responses to Freedom of Information requests made to each 43 constabulary forces.

Dogs which origin decease oregon wounded to a idiosyncratic oregon an assistance canine indispensable beryllium recorded by constabulary - but different incidents, for illustration a canine attacking different animal, oregon nuisance and anti-social dogs, don't person to be. As a result, these whitethorn not beryllium included successful the Freedom of Information (FOI) figures.

It was besides not imaginable to see comparable information for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Lily-Blu Whitehurst, from Congleton successful Cheshire, was near with facial injuries aft she was bitten by a canine successful September 2021. She had been astatine a friend's location erstwhile the family's English bull terrier lunged astatine her.

"I was sat connected the sofa adjacent to the owner. Their canine was lying crossed my lap. I moved guardant due to the fact that it was dense and it conscionable attacked," says the 18 twelvemonth old.

The wound fractured Lily-Blu's chemoreceptor and she needed 28 stitches successful hospital.

"The wound was millimetres from my eyes. One chopped was crossed my eyelid. I couldn't unfastened 1 of my eyes for astir 2 weeks and my forehead swelled up. A twelvemonth on, 1 oculus inactive can't afloat close."

The BBC's FOI figures suggest reported canine attacks whitethorn person grown astatine astir doubly the complaint of the fig of caller favored dogs.

Estimates alteration - but an yearly survey by the vet foundation PDSA says determination has been a astir 15% summation successful canine numbers UK-wide - up from 8.9m successful 2018, to 10.2m successful 2022.

Lily-Blu missed 2 and a fractional months of schoolhouse portion she was recovering.

"I was 4 months disconnected turning 18. I was going retired and it was awful. Because I didn't look the aforesaid immoderate more," she says. "I deliberation it volition proceed to person an effect connected maine for the remainder of my life."

The proprietor of the canine that attacked her pleaded blameworthy successful tribunal and was fined £700. The canine was past taxable to restrictions - including having to deterioration a muzzle erstwhile it near the location and being placed successful a cage erstwhile visitors came round.

Lily-Blu has 2 favored dogs herself - including Buster, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. She says they person helped her realise she doesn't request to beryllium fearful.

"I cognize however to enactment astir dogs. I've had dogs each my life. It's helped maine to realise that not each dogs are similar that."

The fig of dogs removed from their owners by constabulary has besides risen, according to the FOI information obtained by the BBC. Nearly 3,500 dogs were seized successful 2022 crossed 33 unit areas - up 36% from 2018 figures.

Most are due to the fact that animals are deemed "out of control" - but determination are different reasons. For example, immoderate mightiness beryllium strays oregon taken from radical astir to spell into prison.

"It's busier than we've ever known," says Paul Jameson, a specializer canine authorities serviceman for South Yorkshire Police. He says determination has been anincrease successful canine numbers since the clip earlier Covid.

"Some person not been socialised arsenic overmuch arsenic dogs would person been earlier - successful presumption of puppy grooming oregon grooming classes. Or being utilized to radical coming to the location address. That tin interaction upon the canine and make stress."

He adds: "Having seen the effects of these canine attacks, I marque nary apology for seizing dogs wherever determination is simply a risk."

Postal idiosyncratic Sarah King had her digit bitten disconnected portion delivering letters successful Rotherham successful January 2022.

"I was doing a circular I was unfamiliar with. The canine had managed to get its snout close into the letterbox. He heard maine coming down the path. There was nary noise," she recalls.

"It was a transverse betwixt a Rottweiler and a Shar Pei. It was a large canine - a cleanable bite. There was humor everywhere."

Sarah needed respective surgical procedures and present has a prosthetic finger.

"A twelvemonth down the enactment and I'm inactive suffering. It inactive hurts and is precise numb.

"I didn't spell retired for a agelong time. I'm inactive seeing a counsellor. I person flashbacks."

The proprietor of the canine was charged and pleaded guilty. He was fixed a six-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to wage £2,000 successful compensation.

Sarah thinks each canine owners should enactment up informing signs extracurricular their homes - and person either a abstracted outer letterbox, oregon a cage for message attached wrong the beforehand door.

Dr Rachel Casey - manager of canine behaviour and probe astatine the carnal payment charity, Dogs Trust - says canine aggression usually happens due to the fact that of anxiousness oregon worry.

"Their ears mightiness spell backmost and their assemblage posture changes. Owners request to beryllium capable to place these signs."

She says if idiosyncratic wants to get a dog, they should get 1 that suits their manner - alternatively than conscionable due to the fact that they similar a peculiar breed.

In its connection to the BBC, the NPCC sought to reassure members of the nationalist disquieted astir a emergence successful canine attacks.

"Incidents tin often beryllium precise alarming, but I privation to reassure radical that we are taking the substance earnestly and we are cracking down connected those who ain oregon breed unsafe dogs," said Deputy Chief Constable Robert Carden.

"We proceed to inquire members of the nationalist who cognize of unsafe canine ownership to interaction constabulary connected 101 oregon successful an exigency ever telephone 999."