Dog maulings on the rise

Deb Hardy with son Louie, 4, whose face was bitten by a dog. Photo / Janna Dixon

The father of dog-attack victim Carolina Anderson has renewed calls to reduce the number of incidents in New Zealand.

Figures from ACC reveal the number of claims for dog-related injuries is rising steadily and reached almost 10,000 last year.

The claims cost about $4 million a year in follow-up care. ACC doesn't record the extra cost of acute medical care such as ambulance and immediate hospital bills that are specific to dog attacks.

John Anderson, whose daughter still has regular surgeries after being mauled in an Auckland park in 2003, said the figures were "shocking".

"These statistics beg for more action from officials. I believe aggressive dog breeds should be muzzled while in public places," he said.

Anderson said officials had to remember that some dog attacks happened on the streets and in public places, and had repercussions for years afterwards for the victims.

Carolina, now aged 15, "still has operations in front of her".

Her surgeon, Dr Janek Januszkiewicz, was also alarmed there had been no reduction in the number of bites.

He said injuries "cost a lot of money and suffering" and politicians should "limit" breeds which did the most damage.

"Maybe there's a role for compulsory training for dogs - like you have to have lessons to drive a car," he said.

Plastic surgeon Dr Glenn Bartlett said specialists at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland had dealt with four dog-attack victims in the last week.

One was a 7-year-old West Auckland boy whose lower lip and chin were "almost ripped off". Another was a young girl with a badly bitten chest.

ACC head of injury prevention Peter Wood said the organisation didn't have enough money to highlight the dangers of every possible injury.

Much of its budget for prevention was targeted at accidents in the home, where people were most likely to be injured. There are about 600,000 claims for injuries in the home a year. Last year they cost ACC about $621m.

Vigilance to protect kids

Louie Hardy needed plastic surgery after his face was bitten by a dog - but the 4-year-old's parents blame themselves, not the animal.

Deb and Chris Hardy believe parents and dog owners have joint responsibility for keeping children safe around animals.

The Auckland couple took Louie and Lily, 6, to a barbecue on February 5 where Louie was bitten by the host's 2-year-old Neapolitan mastiff as she ate her evening meal.

Deb said she heard "piercing screaming" and the "frightening sight" of blood "pouring" from her son's right eye.

Louie was raced to Starship hospital and later transferred to Middlemore Hospital for plastic surgery.

He had two holes in his face, one 2cm wide and the other 1cm.

He had 10 stitches under general anaesthetic and antibiotics to beat infection.

Louie was among almost 10,000 subjects of ACC claims for dog bites last year.

Deb said she felt guilty for allowing her son to get too close to the animal as she ate.

She said the owner apologised and told her they had considered putting down the dog, giving her away or having her assessed. That decision was left to the owner, and Deb was yet to hear the dog's fate.