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65 dog attacks recorded in 2007
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| Stitches - Zoe and Joy Grigg |
A TOTAL of 65 people were attacked and injured by dogs in south Essex last year, new figures have revealed.
The police statistics show during 2007, 44 attacks were recorded in the south west Essex police division - including Basildon and Thurrock - and 21 in south east Essex, covering Southend, Castle Point and Rayleigh.
Concerns about attacks, particularly on young children, have risen after several high-profile national cases.
The most horrific was that of 13-month-old Archie-Lee Hirst, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, who was mauled to death by a rottweiler in December.
Last week, the Echo reported on an incident in which an alsatian bit 11-year-old Zoe Grigg in Southend, leaving her in need of seven stitches.
And in April, a dog owner was prosecuted in connection with an attack in which neighbour Jamie Saveall, nine, was scarred for life after being attacked by a dog in Leigh.
Jamie needed 40 stitches above his left eye and below his chin after being bitten by a rottweiler mastiff cross last September.
His mum, Carron Saunders said: "It is disgusting owners get away with it.
"The dog which bit Jamie has to be muzzled and kept on a lead in public, but this happened at home.
"I don't think the dog should be put down, but it should be kept on a farm or somewhere away from children. If it's done it once it'll do it again. Owners need to be more responsible."
The most serious attack in south Essex was on a toddler called Tegan Coltast, from Shotgate. The two-year-old was bitten on her legs and her calf muscles were ripped when a rottweiler attacked her in Norsey Woods Country Park, in Billericay.
The rottweiler was destroyed following the attack last October.
It is hard to pick up a trend in recent figures, however, since 86 attacks where reported in the two police areas in 2005, 55 in 2006 and 65 last year.
However, Essex Police believes national media stories about dog attacks have made the public more aware and more likely to report attacks.
Southend Council's animal warden Val Howells urges owners to get advice to choose the right breed, and to train their dogs.
She said: "Any dog, no matter what size or breed and no matter how friendly or well-trained, has the potential to bite, particularly if provoked or hurt during a toddler's innocent play.
"Even the smallest dog is capable of seriously injuring a defenceless child.
"All dog owners have a duty to train the animal to be socially acceptable and well behaved."
2:07am Wednesday 7th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Sally Ann Webb, Eastwood on 8:10am Wed 7 May 08
It is the owners at fault, just last night we were out walking our 2 Border Collies, on leads, and the owner of a Boxer dog, walking on the other side of the road, had the dog on a flexi lead at full stretch. When the dog spotted us it ran across the road to try to get to us. The owner said she was sorry she 'did not see us'. I sais she was very lucky a car was not on the road, or she may have been sorry, having a dead dog on the end of her lead. If a chld had been present, it could naturally have been at risk, if the dog had strated a fight with onther, less well behaved dog than ours. People often fail to show common sense, flexi leads are not safe for pavement walking, you put your dog, other dogs, traffic and people at risk.
It is the owners at fault, just last night we were out walking our 2 Border Collies, on leads, and the owner of a Boxer dog, walking on the other side of the road, had the dog on a flexi lead at full stretch. When the dog spotted us it ran across the road to try to get to us. The owner said she was sorry she 'did not see us'. I sais she was very lucky a car was not on the road, or she may have been sorry, having a dead dog on the end of her lead. If a chld had been present, it could naturally have been at risk, if the dog had strated a fight with onther, less well behaved dog than ours. People often fail to show common sense, flexi leads are not safe for pavement walking, you put your dog, other dogs, traffic and people at risk.
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