Deaths from dog bites soared by more than 200 per cent in one year, new data on hospital admissions and deaths shows.
Figures showed 12,423 were admitted to hospital due to a dog bite in 2023-2024, an increase of 11 per cent from 2022-2023.
Six people died from a dog bite in 2022, but this surged to 20 within the space of just one year, according to the report from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
Dog attacks also consistently rose over the last seven years, reaching 31,920 attacks in 2024, the report said.
Accidents involving animals are categorised as being caused by “exposure to animate mechanical forces”. Being hit, struck, kicked, twisted, bitten or scratched by another person was the second most common cause of a person being admitted to hospital in that category, up by 10 per cent from the previous year, according to the data.
The report warned injuries caused by people and animals are a “steadily growing source of preventable harm”, adding dog bites can cause “serious and sometimes life-altering harm”.
“Even well‑trained animals can behave unpredictably under stress, during play, or when startled, highlighting the importance of responsible ownership, careful supervision, and public awareness around safe interactions,” it added.
Separately, RoSPA found accidents in general caused more than 23,000 deaths in 2023, and caused nearly 900,000 people to go to hospital in 2023-2024.
Falls were the leading cause of accidental death, and rates increased by 12 per cent over one year and 34 per cent over two years, the charity said.
Accidental poisoning deaths also increased by 10 per cent per capita in one year, according to the report, resulting in 6,238 deaths in 2023. Almost a tenth (nine per cent) of all accidental poisoning and substance-related deaths were connected to alcohol.
People were also more than twice as likely to die of an accident in the North East of England, Wales, or Scotland than in London, the data showed.
Men experienced higher rates of accidental injury and death compared with women, and older people faced a “disproportionately” high number of serious injuries and deaths, particularly as a result of falls.
“Accidents have a tragic impact, not just on individuals, families and communities, but society as a whole,” the RoSPA said.
“Immediate treatment costs to the NHS run to £6 billion annually, not including follow-up rehabilitation and other costs, and accidents account for a minimum of 5.2 million bed days, reducing capacity and driving up waiting lists across the health service.”
Becky Hickman, head of the RoSPA, added many of the accidents identified are “entirely preventable”.
“Our Annual Review of Accidents shows we are still not doing enough to reduce avoidable harm, life-changing injuries and personal tragedies,” she said.
“People in Britain are at increasing and unacceptable risk of suffering a serious accident and it is those who are already vulnerable – young children, the elderly, and people in deprived communities – who are in the greatest danger.
“By learning from patterns of injury, and acting on the evidence, we can help ensure that individuals, communities, and the wider society are better protected from the consequences of accidental injury.”
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