Dog bites put 150 victims in A&E

Snarling dog

More than 150 people have been so badly attacked by dogs in the last five years they have needed hospital treatment.

Twenty-nine casualties, including four under 18s, were admitted with bite wounds at hospitals run by Pennine Acute NHS Trust, including the Rochdale Infirmary in 2007/08.

The latest figures released by the Department of Health mean 158 attacks that resulted in patients needing treatment at one of the four A&E departments in the five year period.

Nationally there were nearly 4,000 cases of people needing hospital treatment for dog bites last year, of which more than 700 were victims aged under 10.

The Dangerous Dogs Act brought in after a series of attacks in the early 1990s has been widely criticised. Many have called for it to be updated and beefed up to ensure vicious animals can be seized.

MPs are currently trying to extend the 1991 Act so that owners are responsible for attacks that happen in homes and gardens. Currently, an owner can only be prosecuted if the attack happens in a public place.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said comprehensive legislation was in place to deal with people who failed to control their dogs.

Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 four types of dog are banned: the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.

A Defra spokesman said a review of the dangerous dogs legislation was undertaken in 2007, during which police were consulted.

He said: “From this review, we believe that while the existing law on dangerous dogs is robust enough, it is important that the law is more rigorously enforced.”

The spokesman added: “Officials from Defra and the Ministry of Justice are currently working with enforcement agencies to see what can be done to improve the way courts handle dangerous dogs cases.

“And we have also recently commissioned new research into dog aggression against humans.”

Campaigners have also pressed for dog licenses to be brought back.

Compulsory registration of dogs was abolished in 1987.