According to a ScienceDirect study released in January 2021, the United Kingdom placed fourth in the top five countries with the highest number of fatal dog attacks from 1995 to 2016. Such dog-related incidents motivated legislators to establish the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which prohibits certain dog types such as Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa, and Fila Brasileiro. Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 on keeping dogs under proper control states that dog owners will face legal action if their dog causes someone to fear injury.
Allowing dogs of any breed or type to be dangerously out of control is a criminal offence, which applies even if a person is just looking after someone else’s dog. It’s illegal to let a dangerous dog roam freely in a public place, a private place, or even the owner’s property. When an allegation is made and proven under the said law, the owner can face a severe penalty, and their pet may be put down.
Three decades after the law was passed, there has been a significant increase in the number of fatal dog attacks that led to hospitalizations of the victims. Here are examples of fatal attacks by dogs through the years, as reported by The Guardian, Evening Standard, and BBC. Note how some of these incidents have happened as a result of dogs that are dangerously out of control.
On 10 September 2015, Craig Greve was imprisoned for five and a half years after his illegally owned bulldog killed his 64-year-old grandmother, Rhone Greve. The American bulldog bit Mrs Greve 16 times. Even before the fatal attack, she had been already mauled by the dog on four occasions. Craig had been banned from owning a dog after the incident.
On New Year’s Day in 2016, 22-year-old Liam Hewitson died in Preston, Lancashire, after his own dog attacked him. Paramedics have treated the man, but he subsequently died from his injuries. His dog, a pit bull terrier, was put down by a veterinarian following the incident. Police were not able to identify what his dog’s breed was, but there were reports suggesting it was a pit bull terrier.
On 16 May 2017, Jade Dunne was given a suspended sentence after her American bulldog mauled three-year-old Dexter Neal to death in Essex on 18 August 2016. Dunne pleaded guilty to owning a dog dangerously out of control and was sentenced to one year in jail. She was also banned from owning a dog for a decade.
On 12 September 2017, an inquest has heard that a pet dog that mauled its owner, Mario Perivoitos, in front of a BBC documentary crew could have been high on cocaine. BBC producers who were making a docu about drugs were present when Perivoitos was bit by his Staffordshire Terrier on 20 March 2017. Six months later, the inquest heard a veterinary toxicologist report that the test results revealed high levels of morphine and cocaine in the dog’s urine.
On 12 December 2017, Claire Neal was jailed for four years after her Staffordshire bull terrier attacked a group of 12 children at a park in Northumberland. Her dog bit the kids when it escaped from a house in Blyth in May 2016. In November 2017, Neal admitted that she owned a dog that was dangerously out of control.
On 13 February 2018, 30-year-old Aaron Joseph was imprisoned for 10 years after his bull terrier attacked and killed his neighbour, 52-year-old David Ellam. He was found guilty of owning the dog while it was dangerously out of control in August 2016. Ellam died after trying to defend his own pet, a Yorkshire terrier, from Joseph’s dog.
On 9 June 2020, mother Tawnee Willis was jailed for two years after her negligence led to the death of her child. Her nine-year-old boy named Frankie Macritchie was fatally attacked by a “powerful” dog in a caravan on a Cornish holiday park. He was left alone inside the caravan with the dog, which was owned by his mother’s friend, for more than two hours while his mother attended a party.
These attacks are just some of the stories of fatal dog attacks—and every statistic has their own story. On 6 June 2019, figures have shown NHS hospitals have witnessed a nearly five per cent increase in dog-related admissions from 2015 to 2018, amounting to a total of 23,078 injuries that resulted from dog attacks. With this, the Royal College of Surgeons has encouraged dog lovers to be mindful that while dogs may be “man’s best friend”, they sometimes bite. There is no room for complacency when it comes to safety. Even if it is your own dog, you cannot assume that it will not bite you or other people.
While it is impossible to cover every single incident in one article, these news stories above prove that dog safety guidelines need to be observed at all times to protect yourself and your loved ones. It is also vital to comply with the laws, such as the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, to avoid imprisonment and hefty fines. At the end of the day, dogs can be trained when they are taught properly. It is good for your dog to undergo lessons with a professional trainer like Jay Lowe to help them understand proper behaviour. Book a training session with us and ensure safety around dogs today.
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