Dog-related ACC injury claims rise in Northland

More people are claiming for dog-related injuries. Photo / File

Dog-related injuries in Northland are on the rise, new ACC figures show, amid renewed calls for dangerous breeds to be banned.

Between 2011 and 2013, dog-related injury claims increased from 604 to 748, with claim costs jumping from $102,563 to $159,934.

Claims were also up nationwide to 12,750, although costs fell slightly to $2.9 million.

Most claims were minor, requiring a visit to a GP, and included bites, accidents such as tripping over a dog or infected flea bites.

The three most common injuries were cuts, soft tissue injury, and dental injury.

A horrific four-dog attack on 7-year-old Japanese girl Sakurako Uehara in Murupara earlier this month has drawn calls for dangerous breeds to be banned.

Sakurako was bitten more than 100 times. She remains in Middlemore Hospital and faces years of surgery.

National Dog database figures for 2012 showed Northland had 24,279 registered dogs. Of those, 172 were classified as menacing and three as dangerous. Popular breeds included border collies, huntaways, Labradors, German shepherds and fox terriers.

Environment Northland manager Keith Thompson, who oversees animal management for Whangarei and Kaipara district councils, said most owners he saw were responsible, but there were always a few who did not care about dog safety.

Irresponsible owners were more likely to own bull terrier crosses, drink drive and "play with P", he said. They typically lived in poorer areas in rental properties, and did not want to fence properties they did not own.

"It's the same people; the names just keep popping up all the time," Mr Thompson said.

His officers saw one attack per week in Whangarei, which ranged from a "nip on the ankle" to a wound requiring stitches.

In the wake of the Murupara attack Local Government Minister Paula Bennett said she was considering whether dog control regulations needed to improve.

However, NZ Institute of Animal Control Officers president Les Dalton said laws banning specific breeds would not be effective, as many dangerous breeds had been cross-bred, such as "jowly" bull terrier crosses.

Dog owners can be jailed for three years or fined up to $20,000 if their dog is involved in an attack causing serious injury. The penalty for not registering or microchipping a dog is $300.