Midlands dog attacks see 300 in hospital over year
More than 300 people across the Black Country and Staffordshire were admitted to hospital after being attacked by a dog over the course of a year.
Figures released by Health and Social Care Information Centre show there were a total of 323 people who required urgent medical treatment between February 2013 and January 2014 as a result of a bite or strike by a dog.
In Wyre Forest 79 people needed urgent treatment for bites while in Sandwell and West Birmingham there were 68 reports of dog bites and strikes and in Dudley there were 49.
In Walsall 31 people needed treatment after being attacked while in Wolverhampton 23 people were admitted to hospital and in Cannock Chase 22 people received injuries from dog bites and strikes. In Stafford and the surrounding area 18 people visited hospital.
Earlier this month 31-year-old Karl Jones of Barnard Way, Cannock, was given a 12-week suspended sentence and banned from keeping dogs for 10 years after two people were bitten by his Staffordshire Bull Terrier in separate attacks just months apart.
Researchers at the health data service found the rates of hospital admissions were three times higher for people from poor areas compared to their wealthier neighbours.
There were 6,740 hospital admissions for dog bites nationally – an increase of six per cent on the previous year.
Kingsley Manning, chair of the Health and Social Care Information Centre , said:
"Our statistics also show that hospitals have dealt with more admissions for bites and strikes by mammals compared to last year.
As we head towards the summer months, when admission rates for dog bites are at their highest, these trends may be worth further study by healthcare organisations and public sector bodies."
