Almost 5,000 West Midlands dog attacks in the last five years
There has been a five-year spike in dog attacks since 2018 figures released by West Midlands Police show.
The recent figures come after a horrific incident where an 11-year-old girl and two others were attacked by an American bully XL last Saturday sparking a debate on dog ownership in the UK.
Ana Paun, 11, was attacked by the American bully XL and Staffordshire bull terrier crossbreed puppy in the Bordesley Green area of Birmingham last Saturday afternoon. The attack left three people with injuries, requiring all of the victims to receive medical aid.
A 60-year-old man has since been arrested on suspicion of possessing a dog dangerously out of control.
A total of 4,978 dog attacks have been reported by West Midlands Police since 2018, with 1,112 in the year 2022 alone.
The figures show that in 2018, a toltal of 671 dog attacks were registered by West Midlands Police, with 761 attacks registered the year after.
In 2020, 761 dog attacks were again registered in the West Midlands, jumping to 975 in 2021.
The figures spiked again in 2022 with West Midlands Police registering 1,112 dog attacks in the West Midlands alone, leading to a total of 4,978 dog attacks in the last five years.
The attack on Ana made national headlines when Home Secretary, Sulla Braverman, called for the banning of the breed, saying the attack was "appalling" adding: "The American XL bully is a clear and lethal danger to our communities."
Dogs Trust is one of the organisations disputing calls to ban the breed, although it said the number of incidents in recent years is concerning.
A Dogs Trust spokesperson said: "We are concerned by the number of incidents that appear to involve XL bull types and agree that steps need to be taken to protect the public.
"However, adding another dog to the list of banned breeds is not the right approach. Banning them will simply make room for another type of dog to fill the space left by the XL bull types, and the cycle will be repeated.
The organisation went on to say that dog control laws "need to be overhauled" and replaced with laws that allow for early intervention.
The dog charity continued: "The Dangerous Dogs Act, with its list of banned types, has been in place for over 30 years and is clearly not working.
"That’s why Dogs Trust wants to see the current dog control laws overhauled and replaced with one law that allows for early intervention, has a focus on the prevention of dog bite incidents and includes measures that deter and punish owners of dogs whose behaviour is dangerous.
"We will continue to look for reform in existing dog control laws until we are satisfied that any new measures are preventative, breed-neutral and effective, and ultimately protect both dogs and people alike."
The incident also restarted a debate online surrounding breed or owner, with many showing mixed feelings on whether the dog or the handler themselves are to blame.
On Facebook, Dana Nadine-Anne Hall said: "Wasn't even a full XL, but yet again only XLs getting slated and threatened to be banned.
"It was a crossbreed mongrel who clearly had zero training."
Renita Boyd, another Facebook user, said: "Why say what breed? Making a breed look bad but any breed can be bad, it's up to the owner to properly train their dog.
"Not one particular breed is bad. Owners need to do better."
West Midlands Police have been approached for comment.