National Dog Attack Database....

[Pjrt]

My link

CAMPAIGNERS are calling for a national database on dog attacks as hundreds of people are mauled every week across the nation.

Despite dozens of people landing in hospital with injuries on any given week, there is no national record keeping track of the attacks.

The Australian Veterinary Association is leading the call for an Australia-wide database, which it says is crucial to getting a clearer picture of the issue and forcing authorities to act on developing uniform and effective national laws.

It is estimated there are more than 100,000 attacks that leave more than 1400 people hospitalised every year, but until the full details are known there will be no meaningful progress on reducing dog attacks, AVA spokeswoman Dr Kersti Seksel said.

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Dr Seksel, a registered vet specialising in animal behaviour, said it was "horrific" to know more people, mostly young children, would be attacked by dogs before more was done.

"I think any injury to any child is horrible, whether it's a dog bite or a car accident," she said.

"The more that we can do to minimise the risk, always the better we are.

"It's not only legislation and punishment but also education of people and education of the dog."

IS A NATIONAL DATABASE FOR DOG ATTACKS NECESSARY? COMMENT BELOW

The AVA, the RSPCA and other peak animal advocacy groups say laws adopted by most states that target dogs based on their breed are useless and soaking up critical resources.

Breed-specific laws have "not worked anywhere in the world" and have been "scientifically discredited for many years", Dr Seksel said.

They were often a kneejerk reaction to a tragic dog attack but "any dog can be capable of biting", she said.

"Burning a whole pile of totally innocent dogs doesn't do anything at all," she said.

The RSPCA says there needs to be a focus on training owners to socialise their dogs when they are young pups.

Liz Walker, of the RSPCA Victoria, said education could only target the right communities if there was a better understanding of where dog attacks were most prominent.

"At the end of the day any dog has the potential to bite and do damage and that doesn't matter whether it's a chihuahua up to a border collie, a healer or a pit bull," she said.

"If you've got the data in front of you then you know where your programs need to be aimed.

"It's very frustrating (that more is not being done)."

Geoff Irwin, the president of the Australian Institute of Animal Management, said authorities across the country were wasting time implementing policies that were not reducing the number of attacks, especially on vulnerable children.

He said a lack of national data meant people were less likely to realise how significant the problem was.

"Can you make people listen? I wish we could," Mr Irwin said.

The AIAM is in the final stages of preparing its position paper on dog bites, which Mr Irwin said would likely point strongly to promoting education for pet owners.

"As far as legislation goes, (society is) looking for a fairly cut-and-dry answer and that's not going to happen because it's a pretty complex issue," Mr Irwin said.

"Most dog attacks occur on kids under five and occur in the home or in an area where they recognise the dog or have some knowledge of the dog.

"That tells you straight away there's not rabid dogs running through the community biting people at random."

He said the AIAM would promote "education at the coalface", expecting breeders and owners to socialise dogs when they were young.

I had to lol at 'healer'!!

[sandgrubber]

There are SO SO many things that would be managed if we kept better records. Personally, having mortality and cause of death stats with pedigree dogs would be of higher priority than dog attacks.

HOWEVER, if someone IS going to create a dog attack database, it needs to be thoroughly though through. In particular, details about how the dog is managed at home (how is it socialized, what is the fencing like, does it get any exercise, who bred it, has it had any training, have there been prior complaints, etc.) need to be kept. Anyone with half a brain knows that breed is unlikely to be the primary cause for dog attacks. Ways to get at the other, usually multiple, causes are needed.

[Salukifan]

My link

CAMPAIGNERS are calling for a national database on dog attacks as hundreds of people are mauled every week across the nation.

No need to read on after that really.

The studies are done but the lesson just doesn't seem to resonate with people. The key issue that sees kids in hospital with dog bites is failure to supervise the child with the dog.

Of course, that shifts the responsiiblity for prevention onto adults, rather than blaming dogs.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[juice]

The more restrictive we get about where dogs can go the more the problem gets.

[Christina]

The more restrictive we get about where dogs can go the more the problem gets.

As above.

Pity we can't put all this energy into having a National Paedophile Registry like they do in America.

Much more danger to our children than dogs.

There is also the issue of what qualifies a dog to go on it & who decides this ?

[GeckoTree]

NDAD sounds good to me, might shut the Breed bashing pitbull haters up. ( Yeah right) and open there eyes to what is really happening. DOGS ACTUALLY HAVE TEETH AND SOME WILL BITE provoked or otherwise.

Saw a cartoon about someone loosing there mojo, they dropped it down a wombat hole, comment says 'bloody wombats'. Like how dare they have a hole.

[denali]

I was bitten by a groodle today while grooming him. (Not seriously, it is all ok, he got my nail :) ) but all breeds can bite.

I don't understand why average 'non dog' people don't understand this. It's safe to assume DOL'ers do.

I have never had a problem with any bully breed that i've met.

I agree with everything that has been said in response to this, however if done RIGHT this could be helpful, like sandgrubber said.

[Santo66]

"any dog can be capable of biting",

but all breeds can bite.

DOGS ACTUALLY HAVE TEETH AND SOME WILL BITE

Very true I totally agree, but what I don't get is when professionals require a dog to bite and cause some damage in a working role, why don't they use just "any dog" on the basis that they all have teeth and they can all functionally bite? Why do they use specific breeds and character types when the ability to bite is said to be not breed and character specific?

Edited October 19, 2013 by Santo66

[Christina]

"any dog can be capable of biting",

but all breeds can bite.

DOGS ACTUALLY HAVE TEETH AND SOME WILL BITE

Very true I totally agree, but what I don't get is when professionals require a dog to bite and cause some damage in a working role, why don't they use just "any dog" on the basis that they all have teeth and they can all functionally bite? Why do they use specific breeds and character types when the ability to bite is said to be not breed and character specific?

Because some breeds are more suitable for this type of training. Also they do not actually bite. They use their teeth but release on command.

Because some breeds would not be the right build for the purpose too. Police work for

example requires a solid built dog that can move fast. A Chihuahua would be a useless.

[TessiesTracey]

Echoing other peoples thoughts here, in as much as, keeping records must be accurate and very very thorough.

Just thinking out loud a bit here because it concerns me a bit.

In the UK the national health service (data viewable via new website called HESonline) now keeps records on hospital admissions due to dog 'attacks'.

http://dangerousdogsact.com/43/dangerous-dogs-act-information/uk-dog-attack-statistics/

These stats have been used by the press in a fairy negative manner. What many of the newspapers don't mention is that these statistics don't just include dog 'bites' or dog 'attacks', they also include dog 'strikes' - i.e. cuts, bumps, concussions, scrapes, broken bits (not a technical term ;)) received by humans due 'collisions' with a dog.

Anyway... just a thought... it could be a useful tool, but as with everything else - in the right hands.

[Maddy]

The more restrictive we get about where dogs can go the more the problem gets.

As above.

Pity we can't put all this energy into having a National Paedophile Registry like they do in America.

Much more danger to our children than dogs.

There is also the issue of what qualifies a dog to go on it & who decides this ?

Slightly OT but..

Be careful what you wish for.

That registry is a horrible joke: a child who sends another child a picture of their own body can be added to that list as a child pornographer. It's happened, it continues to happen. In my opinion, you'd have to be crazy to wish for nanny state policies like that.

[Steph M]

"any dog can be capable of biting",

but all breeds can bite.

DOGS ACTUALLY HAVE TEETH AND SOME WILL BITE

Very true I totally agree, but what I don't get is when professionals require a dog to bite and cause some damage in a working role, why don't they use just "any dog" on the basis that they all have teeth and they can all functionally bite? Why do they use specific breeds and character types when the ability to bite is said to be not breed and character specific?

Seriously?

Perhaps it's also a train-ability thing, or a drive thing or an inhibition thing.

There's a lot more factors that go into selecting a working dog than just 'yep, has teeth and can bite!'