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A Public Safety Problem That Has Nearly Doubled in 15 Years
Dog bite injuries in England have nearly doubled in a generation. In 2022/23, there were 9,336 hospital admissions for dog bites in England — up from 4,699 in 2007/08, a 98% increase in 15 years. The trend is driven not by children (as is commonly assumed) but by a tripling of incidence in adults. And the consequences are increasingly severe: 16 people were killed by dogs in 2023 — compared to just 2 in 2019, an 800% increase in fatal attacks over four years.
Key Facts & Figures (Overview)
- 9,336 hospital admissions for dog bites in England in 2022/23 — a 98% increase from 4,699 in 2007/08 (NHS Digital)
- An estimated 207,000 A&E attendances per year in England for dog bites (calculated from admission data)
- 16 fatalities from dog attacks in 2023 — up from just 2 in 2019, an 800% increase in four years
- 1 in 4 people are bitten by a dog during their lifetime
- 42 postal workers are attacked by dogs every week in the UK; an estimated 200 per year have a finger bitten off or severely injured
- NHS costs peaked at £25.1 million for hospital admissions and £45.7 million for A&E attendances in 2017/18
- Dog ownership increased from 9 million in 2019/20 to 13.5 million in 2021/22 — a surge in ownership directly correlated with the rise in attacks
- The incidence of dog bite admissions rose from 6.34 per 100,000 (1998) to 14.99 per 100,000 (2018) — more than doubling
- 70% of attacks occur in home environments — usually involving the family dog or a dog familiar to the victim
- 80% of attacks on children are by dogs known to the child — typically a family pet
- The highest incidence of dog bite injuries is in Merseyside, North West England (32.2 admissions per 100,000); the lowest is in Kent and Medway (7.3 per 100,000)
- Admission rates are 2.6 times higher in the most deprived neighbourhoods compared to the least deprived
- XL Bully ban introduced in England and Wales in February 2024 — owners required to have exemption certificates, with mandatory muzzling, neutering, and microchipping
- Scotland banned XL Bullies from July 2024
Who Is Most at Risk?
Contrary to common assumptions, the rise in dog bite hospital admissions is primarily driven by adults, not children. The Scientific Reports analysis of NHS Hospital Episode Statistics (1998–2018) found that the increase in dog bite admissions was caused by a tripling of incidence in adults, with all age groups over 15 years showing an Incidence Rate Ratio of 1.040–1.065 per year. Children aged 0–9 still have the highest admission rate per 100,000 within paediatric age groups, and children under 5 bitten on the head and neck represent the most clinically severe paediatric injuries. But the headline trend is adult attacks.
Occupational groups at elevated risk include:
- Postal and delivery workers: Royal Mail reports 42 dog attacks on postal workers every week. An estimated 200 workers per year sustain severe hand injuries — including amputations. The Royal Mail dog awareness campaign runs annually in spring when dogs spend more time outdoors.
- Community healthcare workers: District nurses, community care workers, and health visitors conducting home visits face regular exposure to dogs in domestic settings. Unlike postal workers who can avoid a property, healthcare workers must enter homes where aggressive dogs may be present.
- Meter readers and utility workers: Workers requiring access to domestic premises face similar risks.
- Dog wardens and animal control officers: By occupational necessity.
The XL Bully Ban and Changing Breed Risk
The XL Bully ban, implemented in February 2024, represents the most significant legislative development in dangerous dogs law since the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. The ban was introduced following a series of fatal and near-fatal attacks involving the breed, including multiple incidents in 2023.
Under the exemption scheme, existing XL Bully owners may keep their dogs subject to: registration on a government index; microchipping; third-party liability insurance; neutering; muzzling in public; and keeping the dog on a lead in public.
It is important to note that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 does not only apply to prohibited breeds. Section 3 of the Act makes it an offence for any dog to be "dangerously out of control" — in public or (since 2014) in private places including the owner's home. Any breed can be subject to prosecution under this provision.
Training Implications
Dog bite risk is a legitimate and significant workplace hazard for all organisations whose workers visit domestic premises. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers are required to assess this risk and implement controls. Controls include:
- Pre-visit risk assessment processes that flag properties where dogs are known to be present
- Clear protocols for workers to follow when a dog is present (remaining outside, requesting the owner secure the dog)
- Reporting systems for near-miss and actual dog bite incidents
- First aid training that covers wound cleaning and infection risk from dog bites (Capnocytophaga canimorsus, Pasteurella)
Written by CPD Experts
This guide was produced by the team at Online CPD Academy, a UK provider of CPD-accredited online training courses. Our lone worker and field worker safety training covers occupational hazard assessment including animal attack risk.
Sources & References
- Nature / Scientific Reports – English Hospital Episode Data Analysis (1998–2018): Rise in Dog Bite Hospital Admissions Driven by Adult Cases – https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81527-7
- PMC – English Hospital Episode Data Analysis: Full Paper – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7815787/
- NHS Digital – Hospital Admissions Caused by Dog Bites 2022/23 – https://digital.nhs.uk/supplementary-information/2023/hospital-admissions-caused-by-dog-bites
- Royal College of Surgeons – Be Dog Safe: NHS Figures Show Increase in Hospital Admissions – https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/news-and-events/media-centre/press-releases/be-dog-safe/
- Dogster – 18 Surprising UK Dog Bite Statistics (2026) – https://www.dogster.com/statistics/dog-bite-statistics-uk
