Pets are proving to be an increasingly dangerous threat to Australian households, with pet-related injuries increasing by more than 28 per cent over the past decade, according to new research.
Common pet injuries increased from 18.9% in 2012-2013 to 47.5% in 2021-2022, according to an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) study released on Wednesday.
Children under 15 years accounted for just under 13% of these cases.
The increase in injuries is linked to the rise in pet ownership during the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than two-thirds of Australian households now estimated to own a pet. ing.
The report found that hospital admissions increased by 10% between 2019-20, the year Australia's first lockdown, and 2020-21.
Here's what you need to know:
You are more likely to be bitten by a dog than by a snake.
Australians are around 90 per cent more likely to be attacked by a dog than a venomous snake or lizard, new data shows.
Approximately 40% of Australian households own a dog, which equates to approximately 5.1 million dogs.
In 2021-22, Australians recorded 9,542 dog bite or mauling attacks.
For comparison, only 539 injuries from venomous snakes and lizards were recorded.
Half of hospitalized children between the ages of 0 and 4 have been bitten or mauled by a dog.
This age group accounted for 6% of hospitalizations due to dog attacks.
Infants and young children are the most likely to suffer head injuries.
An alarming observation is that children under 5 years of age continue to be at higher risk of head and neck injuries compared to other age groups.
However, head and neck injuries are increasing in all age groups, the study noted.
In general, open wounds were the most common type of injury reported, accounting for 57%.
The incidence of pet-related injuries has increased over the past decade in all regions of Australia, from remote areas to major metropolitan centres.
Hospital admissions related to all other types of animal attacks declined or remained the same over the decade.
More than 85% of all animal injuries brought to hospitals were classified as emergencies.
Wildlife-related injuries are on the decline
The report found that men were 0.9% more likely to be injured by wild or poisonous animals than women.
However, in general, wildlife-related injuries have decreased across all demographics since 2012.
When injuries were identified, the most frequently recorded location of injury was at home.
