By Pam Brandis
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s recent study found the rate of people needing hospital care after a dog attack has more than doubled in recent years.
In NSW in 2024, over 5000 dog attacks on people were logged by local councils.
The national statistics are around double that figure. Data from 2023-24 shows 9691 hospitalisations from dog bites.
Yet still, all we are told after someone is mauled or killed is that the dog or dogs are euthanised and further investigations are ongoing, of which there is no conclusion or outcome.
In September this year, 17-year-old Annalyse Blyton died in hospital after a 10-year-old boxer cross Bull Arab and wolfhound attacked her when she visited with a friend.
People at the scene rushed to pull the dog off her, but her injuries were severe.
The dog owners said it was out of character and allowed police to shoot the dog.
Later that month in Sydney’s north west, school children were attacked by two roaming dogs, the girls’ screaming alerted neighbours who chased the dogs away.
Fortunately, they had no major injuries.
The dogs wandered off and have not been located.
In Camperdown, NSW, on November 3, a 55-year-old man was critically injured by his own dog in a gruesome attack.
Neighbours called the police after hearing screams, but they were unable to enter the unit because of the dog.
The police used riot shields and a dog snare pole to enter.
The video showed a black and white American staffie walking with police calmly, wagging his tail, taking treats to jump into the dog trailer. He was not neutered.
At Doonside in Blacktown, NSW, on November 6 a 54-year-old man was fighting for his life after he tried to break up a fight between his three large dogs and his three smaller dogs when the dogs attacked him.
The large dogs have been euthanised.
I will delve into what the experts say about this, in terms of the why and how this is a growing problem in Australia and the USA in the next issue.
