Fatal dog attacks in the UK: Interactive map reveals every death from the start of Covid lockdown as grim tally rises to 17 victims

• Interactive map reveals the parts of Britain that have seen most fatal dog attacks 
• Experts today told MailOnline why they believe serious dog attacks are rising 

New data shared by MailOnline today reveals the parts of Britain that have seen the most fatal dog attacks in recent years.

In all, there have been 18 deadly dog attacks since January 2020, with last year being the deadliest on record.

12 people, ranging from a 17-month-old toddler to an 83-year-old pensioner, were killed in dog attacks across England and Wales over the past 12 months – with experts pointing to several concerning trends potentially being behind the spate of disturbing killings.

Now an interactive map, produced by MailOnline, reveals the areas where dog attacks have happened most frequently since the pandemic began.

Use our interactive graphic below to find out how many dog attacks there have been in your area since March 2020.

As a region, the north west of England has seen the highest total of fatal dog attacks in recent years, with four deaths since March 2020.

Among those killed were Bella-Rae Kirch, the 17-month-old who was killed when an American Bully XL mauled her to death at her home in Blackbrook, St Helen’s.

The dog had been bought by her father ‘for buttons’ just one week earlier and was ‘humanely destroyed’ following the shocking attack, Merseyside Police said.

Police and the ambulance service had been called to the home at 3.49pm after a report that a child had been ‘seriously injured’, but despite medical treatment, Bella-Rae was declared dead at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital at 4.45pm the same day.

Next closest with three deaths were the Midlands and Wales, while South Yorkshire saw two fatalities within the same period. 

Dog psychologist Bruce Clanford told MailOnline of his fears about a lack of responsible dog owners fuelling a potential rise in serious attacks.

He said: ‘There’s no regulation on owning dogs, or people handling them, there’s also no standard of education which means there are too many people who don’t know what they’re doing.

‘Lockdown didn’t help, many people had a knee-jerk reaction to just get a dog because it helped them get out and about while we were locked down. 

‘So many dogs have now come out over the past few years that have had to be rehomed, people didn’t understand how to look after them. 

‘Personally, I’ve seen this a lot in the last two years.’

NHS data has shown Britons being mauled by dogs has grown dramatically since 2008 – a rate of 15 cases for every 100,000 of the UK population 

A UK-wide survey revealed the population of dogs kept as pets in the UK was estimated at 13 million in 2020/21, which constitutes a marked increase from a decade earlier when the dog population was around 7.6 million in Britain. 

It comes as a young girl became the first confirmed casualty of dog attacks in 2023 after horrified neighbours last night paid tribute to the four-year-old who was mauled to death by the animal at her home in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

Little Alice Stones was savaged by the beast in her back garden in Broadlands, Netherfield, on Tuesday evening.

Armed police cornered the dog and destroyed it. Thames Valley Police has said no arrests have been made as they investigate the attack in Buckinghamshire.

John William Jones, 68, was found dead at his country cottage in Lampeter, West Wales, on Jan 10 with three bulldogs sedated at the scene

Three-year-old Daniel Twigg was mauled to death in a dog attack on a Rochdale farm on May 15

Little Bella-Rae Birch was just 17 months old when an American Bully XL mauled her to death at her home in Blackbrook, St Helen’s on March 21

NHS data released last year revealed the number of Britons being mauled by dogs has grown dramatically since 2008 – a rate of 15 cases for every 100,000 of the UK population. 

In all, those requiring hospital treatment following a dog attack has more than doubled in the last 15 years – with over 10,000 people now requiring specialist medical care each year.

Ten people were tragically killed as a result of dog attacks in 2022, compared to five deaths in 2021 and two in 2020. 

READ MORE: Experts reveal dog ear-cropping trends, lockdown puppy farms and TikTok could be fuelling rise in UK’s deadly dog attacks 

It comes as experts shared their thoughts on the cause behind the rising number of dog attacks in the country. 

Dr John Tulloch, a veterinary public health expert at the University of Liverpool authored a 2021 research paper that revealed a startling rise in the number of dog bite incidents over the past 20 years. 

He told MailOnline that although wider research into the cause of this explosion in these attacks was limited, there had been an emergence of ‘worrying’ trends that he has witnessed in more recent dog ownership. 

Possible explanations include broader changes in society, with more dogs now being bought from unregulated or overseas breeders, or the way in which people interact with their pets – fuelled by TikTok trends or videos hoping to garner likes online. 

The RSPCA animal charity said that ‘impulse buys’ during the Covid lockdown and ‘animals from overseas puppy farms’ are fuelling the epidemic. 

NHS figures released last year revealed the number of dog-bite victims having surgery hit a 15-year high. 

Total admissions for dog bites, which included injuries not needing surgery, also rose. It meant hospitals in England dealt with 8,819 cases in 2021-22, up 18 per cent on the year before. 

James McNally, dubbed Britain’s ‘dog bite solicitor’ and a personal injury claim expert with Slee Blackwell Solicitors, has said he’s seen a rise in the number of dog bite claims in recent years.

He told MailOnline how he currently has more than 180 clients and his inbox is ballooning with fresh enquiries every day.

Mr McNally said: ‘Some of the worst injuries we’re seeing are by those beloved household pets; Collies, Jack Russells, Huskies. Any dog can cause injury at any time.

‘We’ve had a lady who lost the tip of her nose, delivery drivers missing fingers. There are cases we’re dealing with where a child has been scalped by the dog and suffered serious facial injuries – they’re all horrible.

‘In a lot of the cases we’re seeing, the way I see it is that it’s the family dogs. 

‘I think the pandemic puppy boom has probably contributed to the rising number of dog bites, experts have raised huge concerns about puppy farms and I think a lot of us are just not aware of this entire world of dog breeding. 

‘Ultimately, it’s a bit of a Wild West out there. We had the wrong dogs, being bred by the wrong people, going to the wrong homes. 

‘It’s a recipe for disaster and was fuelling the fire.’

The soaring number of fatal dog attacks has prompted some to call for a revamp on the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 – a piece of legislation that saw a blanket ban imposed on four specific ‘fighting-style’ breeds in the UK; the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasiliero.

Dr Sam Gains, the RSPCA’s head of companion animals, science and policy, told MailOnline: ‘We have long been calling for a complete reform of dog control laws and strongly believe we need a different approach to keeping the public safe and the welfare of dogs protected. 

‘Any dog has the potential to bite and so we want to see effective breed neutral legislation and enforcement which focuses on early intervention so that incidents can be prevented from occuring or escalating, but they must be evidence-based and proportionate.’

Fatal dog attacks in the UK in 2022: 

10 people died from dog attacks in the UK last year.  They are:

John William Jones

John William Jones, 68, known as William, was found dead at his country cottage in Lampeter, West Wales, on Jan 10. Police sedated three bulldogs Milo, Tia and Abbie after arriving at the scene.

Kyra Leanne King

Three-month-old Kyra Leanne King died on March 6, at Ostler’s Plantation, near Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire.

A 40-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of being in charge of an out-of-control husky and remain under investigation.

Bella-Rae Birch 

Bella-Rae Birch was just 17 months old when an American Bully XL mauled her to death at her home in Blackbrook, St Helen’s on March 21. 

The dog had been bought by her father ‘for buttons’ just one week earlier and was ‘humanely destroyed’ following the shocking attack, Merseyside Police said. 

Lawson Bond:

Two-year-old Lawson Bond was savaged at home in the village of Egdon, Worcestershire, on March 28. Lawson suffered a cardiac arrest as a result of his horrific injuries and died two days later on March 30.

Daniel Twigg: 

Three-year-old Daniel Twigg was mauled to death in a dog attack on a farm on May 15. Paramedics rushed to the area in Rochdale shortly after 1pm on Sunday to reports the youngster had been injured. Daniel was taken by ambulance to hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead.

Joanne Robinson: 

Ms Robinson, 43, was killed by an American bully XL in West Melton, South Yorkshire, on July 15. 

Ian Symes: 

34-year-old dog trainer Ian Symes was attacked in a park in Portsmouth on August 10. He died from his injuries after being bitten by an American bully XL. 

Kevin Jones:

62-year-old Mr Jones died after being mauled by a dog at a house in Wales.

Police were called to a property on Holt Road, Wrexham, north Wales, at 11.44am on Monday, May 23.

The Welsh Ambulance Service said Mr Jones was having a heart attack after being bitten by the dog, but died at the scene despite efforts of paramedics.

Ann Dunn:

Ann Dunn, 65, became the ninth victim of a fatal dog attack on October 3 after being mauled by multiple American bulldogs. Her body was found after she did not arrive to collect her grandson from school, neighbours say.

Shirley Patrick:

Pensioner Shirley Patrick, 83, died from her injuries two weeks after being attacked by an American Bully XL breed in Caerphilly, South Wales. 

Source: Read Full Article