Deadly dog attack epidemic sparked by lockdown ‘impulse buys’ as maulings double

dailystar.co.uk:

Covid lockdowns, according to an expert. Since the virus struck, nearly 3.2 million households have adopted a puppy, but social distancing and increased indoor time means some dogs' social skills are underdeveloped, it is argued.RSPCA dog specialist Dr Sam Gaines believes the boom has led to a false sense of security with some people naive to how much work is needed to raise a dog and the risks of certain breeds in certain environments, the Mirror reported.It comes after a two-year-old was killed last week in Worcester following a dog attack - reportedly involving a Rottweiler - and another eight-year-old boy needed hospital treatment after being bitten on the face.ONS figures show that the 10 years up to 1991, a total of 15 people died following dog attacks.But in the last decade that number has more than doubled to 32.Dr Gaines warned there are no safe breeds and the RSPCA is "really concerned" about the current situation.

She told the Sun: "People found themselves in a situation where they wanted some companionship, wanted something for their children to look after. "Whether that led to some impulse purchases, or impulse acquisitions for people without asking: 'Do I have the time, do I have the resources and finances to make what is a very long-term commitment?'"We are worried that some of the incidents could be related to that.To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here .