Lockdown puppy boom sees big rise in Norfolk dog attacks

Breeders reported soaring demand during the pandemic with working from home making dog ownership a possibility for more people.

But increased dog ownership has coincided with the number of dog bite wounds being treated in hospitals rising by almost a third in the last year – the highest annual rise since 2011.

Experts say there has been an increase in behavioural issues, including aggression, in dogs taken on as pets during the pandemic.

Lockdown owners were more likely to be first-time dog owners. They were also less likely to seek out breeders that performed health testing, or view their puppy in-person, while the pandemic made dog training more difficult.

READ MORE: Breeders fear puppy prices ‘will never go down’ after pandemic demand

NHS data shows there were about 190 episodes of patients being treated in hospital having suffered bite wounds in the former NHS Norfolk and Waveney CCG in the year to March 2023 – up from 145 the year before.

Runner Joel Saggers suffered bloody wounds after being bitten three times in Gorleston (Image: Joel Saggers)

Cases included a woman who was mauled and needed plastic surgery after being attacked by an American Bulldog in Norwich.

Its owner was banned from walking it in public parks after admitting being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.

READ MORE: Woman had skin ‘ripped off’ in Norwich dog attack

In other incidents, a runner was bitten three times in Gorleston, while a young girl was attacked as she walked on the beach at Hunstanton. 

Norfolk police have seized 31 dogs in the last three years under the Dangerous Dogs Act (Image: PA)

Notoriously aggressive breeds like Rottweiler and Staffordshire Bull Terrier were among 31 dogs to have been seized after being considered “dangerously out of control”.

Owen Sharp, chief executive of the Dogs Trust, said most bites happen within the home.

“Basic training of dogs is not enough; close supervision of children and dogs while interacting is the most effective way of preventing incidents,” he said.

READ MORE: Dozens of dangerous dogs seized as postal workers attacked 400 times

Separate data shows 1,700 children nationally were admitted to hospital in the last year because of a dog bite incident.

Dr Samantha Gaines, head of companion animals at the RSPCA (Image: RSPCA)

Dr Samantha Gaines, head of companion animals at the RSPCA, said: “We don’t ever expect our own dogs to bite, but all dogs can – it doesn’t matter what size or breed they are.

“Parents and guardians naturally love the idea of their child having a close bond with the family dog, and in many cases, they do, but having a close bond doesn’t mean that the dog will never bite.”