Dog bites soaring, but mandatory desexing rules are on the way
DOG bites that require admission to hospital are soaring — but mandatory desexing rules could help stop it.
DOG bites that require admission to hospital are soaring, ahead of new laws for mandatory desexing.
Regulations are being developed for mandatory desexing of all dogs and cats born after July 1, 2018 — with some exceptions — which is expected to cut dog attacks.
Research published last year by Adelaide University shows desexed dogs are up to nine times less likely to attack than “entire” dogs.
New figures show the number of children aged nine and under admitted to public hospitals across the state for dog bites rose 50 per cent in one year to reach 84 in 2015-16.
It was part of an overall rising pattern of dog bite injuries for people of all ages needing hospital treatment which has grown steadily over four years from 211 cases to 299 cases.
The 299 figure was part of the 340 total hospital admissions for “dog related injuries”, such as falling over a dog, resulting in 930 days spent in hospital.
Children aged up to nine years were more likely to be admitted to hospital for a dog -related incident than any other age group — 20 per cent — and spent a total of 96 days in hospital.
Nine-year-old Adelaide boy Matthew Gebauer was attacked by a dog two weeks ago, sustaining bites to his face which nearly detached his top lip.
The youngster stepped in to protect his three-year-old friend Willow, after he saw the dog — tied by a rope to a pole — prepare to jump at them.
“The dog was about to get her,” he said. “I jumped in front of her and the dog bit me.”
Matthew’s grandmother Leona Gebauer, 49, said his lip was healing well, and he was still comfortable playing with the two family dogs, but they would arrange for him to see a counsellor. Ms Gebauer suggested there be more education for children in schools about how to approach dogs.
She said owners also needed to be responsible by keeping their animals on leashes and muzzled if necessary.
The latest figures on dog attacks are outlined in the Chief Public Health Officer’s Report July 2014-June 2016, sourced from the Dog and Cat Management Board.
The data is only for public hospitals and statistics for 2016-17 are not yet available.
As well as looking at the problem, the report looks at solutions underway.
It notes a ‘classic injury triad’ can lead to a bite, described as ‘a complex interplay of innate and behavioural features of dogs; of the victims; and aspects of the environment.’
Factors such as dog temperament, gender and neuter status may influence the risk of a bite, while victim age, gender, safety knowledge, risk perception and behaviour around dogs can also increase risk.
A dog’s living conditions, including opportunity for social interaction, is the third plank thought to affect the risk of dog bite.
“Given the increasing burden of injury from dog bites in South Australia, despite a suite of
educational and other health promotion programs, it was clear that a new approach was required to reduce the risk of dogs biting,” the report states.
“A review of the literature found that dogs that are entire (not desexed) had a greater likelihood of biting and possibly more likely to cause serious injury than dogs that are desexed.
“Using this evidence, the Dog and Cat Management Board in partnership with the Local Government Association recommended a policy that desexing of dogs become mandatory in legislation.”
A Citizen’s Jury backed the desexing plan in an effort to reduce ‘unwanted dogs and cats’ and The Dog and Cat Management Amendment Bill was passed in Parliament in July 2016, with the inclusion of a provision for mandatory desexing of new generations of dogs and cats (with exceptions) born after July 1, 2018, plus mandatory microchipping.
Regulations are now being developed including the age at which dogs and cats must be desexed and microchipped, and details of exemptions such as working and breeding dogs, which will come into effect from next July.
Secretary of the Dog and Cat Management Board Andrew Lamb said the new laws would be phased in following years of public consultation.
“From 1 July 2018, all new generations of dogs and cats will need to be microchipped and desexed,” he said.
“This is to help reunite lost pets with their owners, and reduce the number of unwanted litters abandoned to pounds and shelters, where sadly, many are euthanised.
“Dogs and cats born before this date are not bound by this new desexing requirement, and there are exemptions for working dogs, or dogs belonging to registered breeders.
“In addition, owners of large breeds may receive a desexing deferral until it’s fully physically developed.
“The new breeder registration scheme, which also comes into effect on 1 July 2018, isn’t just for pedigree breeders — anyone who wishes to keep their dog entire, or breed occasionally, can pay a small annual registration fee to the Board.
“This will help shine a light on the breeding industry and force unscrupulous puppy farmers out of the trade.”
Mr Lamb said desexing will be an important tool in the fight to reduce dog bites along with community education programs like Living Safely with Pets, which teaches students in Reception to Year Three about modifying their own behaviour to reduce bite risks.
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