Deadly dog attacks and injuries on rise across the UK - check your local area

13 November 2023 , 17:18

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Hospitalisations from dog attacks have reached record levels, figures show (stock image) (Image: Getty Images)

Deadly dog attacks are on the rise across the UK - and a new map shows just how big the problem is.

Official NHS figures have revealed that in the year to March 2023, there were 9,277 hospital admissions in which the patient had been bitten or struck by a dog. This was up from 8,819 the year before, and marks a record high, with the number increasing steadily since at least 1998 when figures began. The total number of people killed by dogs in Britain has also risen.

You can see where recent fatal attacks took place using our interactive map:

A dog attack left Kayleigh Rooney, 29, with several injuries after being set upon by a Japanese Akita at a friend's home (Kayleigh Rooney)

A disproportionate one in three fatal dog attacks seen in the UK since 2020 has happened in the North of England - something which may be linked to the higher rates of deprivation seen in the North. Research shows a greater prevalence of dog attack hospitalisations in more deprived communities.

On a new episode of the The North in Numbers podcast, Kayleigh Rooney recounted being set upon by a Japanese Akita at a friend’s home in Liverpool when she was just 15 years old. She said: “I just remember seeing his mouth was wide open and I was thinking ‘oh he’s going to bite me here’ and there’s nothing you can do. He must have knocked me out with the force because I just remember being on the floor. You know when a dog plays with a toy and they shake their head a lot, he was doing that, and I remember thinking to myself if I pull back now, there’ll be nothing left.”

Girl, 4, mauled to death in dog attack pictured as neighbours hear mum's screams

Kayleigh bounced back from the vicious dog attack by becoming an award-winning dog groomer

Kayleigh was left hospitalised with severe injuries, needing reconstructive surgery and psychological help after the ordeal. These types of incidents have been on the rise, with terrifying dog attack videos going viral on social media, and a spate of high-profile fatalities making headlines in recent months.

While Kayleigh bounced back from the vicious dog attack by becoming an award-winning dog groomer, not everyone is so lucky. A small number of people tragically die from dog attacks every year, and there has been a recent spike in fatalities.

In the last 20 years or so, the number of fatal dog bites has averaged at about three per year. However, in 2022 there were ten fatalities, and there have been eight so far this year.

Much of the media attention on dog attacks has focused on American bully XL dogs in particular - a particularly large and powerful variation of an American pit bull terrier and American Staffordshire terrier cross. While the American bully is regarded as a specific breed in the US, it is not recognised as such by the main British dog associations, such as the Kennel Club.

Dogs suspected to be American XL bullies have been involved in several high-profile attacks, including three of the eight deaths seen this year. In response, the government has added them to the list of banned dogs in England and Wales. From 1 February it will be illegal to own one, unless the owner has successfully applied for it to be exempt.

Annie Gouk