The areas in Scotland where people are far more at risk from dog attacks
Experts say data should act as ‘wake up call’
People living in deprived areas of Scotland are at a higher risk of being bitten or injured by a dog, a study has revealed.
Researchers at the University of Stirling found that incidents of dog bites and strikes are up to four times higher for individuals living in more socially deprived areas compared to those living in the least deprived areas of the country.
The study shows the highest rates of so-called DBS attacks occur in local authorities with a higher proportion of deprived pockets, such as Glasgow, North Ayrshire, and West Dunbartonshire.
The team behind the research said the findings should act as a “wake-up call” for policymakers at a time of rising incidents of dog attacks, and stressed prevention strategies should focus more on addressing social inequities, rather than criminalisation.
In the first such study in Scotland, the researchers from the university’s faculties of social sciences and natural sciences analysed nearly 60,000 NHS Scotland health records from 2017 and 2019 involving injuries from dogs.
The study, which scrutinised data from NHS 24, hospital admissions, and accident-and-emergency (A&E) departments, identified a “clear social gradient” across all three health datasets. Income, employment, health and education were found to be the “driving socio-economic factors” for DBS incidents.
The rate of hospital admissions was 3.9 times higher for individuals living in the most deprived areas, compared to the least deprived; the rate of NHS 24 calls was 2.5 times higher; and A&E attendances were 2.4 times higher.
The rate of DBS was highest among children aged one to nine. The most common place for dog bite incidents to take place was in the home, according to the study. Rates for children remained relatively stable over the 13 years, while rates for adults increased.
The findings come against a backdrop of rising DBS-related hospital admissions. The number of emergency hospital admissions due to dog bites in Scotland almost quadrupled between 1997/98 and 2023/24, with 300 and 1,105 admissions respectively, according to Public Health Scotland.
Dr Jade Hooper, lead author of the study, said: “The significant social inequities we uncovered are worrying. The implications are particularly strong for Scotland, which has among the most pronounced health inequalities in the UK and western Europe.
“This study should be a wake-up call for policymakers and we urge a fundamental shift in public health strategy surrounding dog bites and strikes. It’s important that we recognise the wider pressures families may be facing, including financial stress, limited access to behavioural advice and support, and the challenge of safely managing dogs and children in busy households, particularly where adults may be juggling multiple responsibilities.”
She added: “Multiple agencies need to come together, across local government, police, health services and animal welfare organisations, and prevention measures should be compassion-focused and family-centred, involving professionals such as social workers, health visitors and schools.”
The study, published in the Animals journal, was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and supplemented by the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research and Electronic Data Research and Innovation Service.
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