Dogs In The Home The Greatest Risk
The Age
Tuesday November 21, 1995
from Dr Susan Carden, fellow in paediatric ophthalmology, Royal Children's Hospital; and Virginia Routley, coordinator, Victorian Injury Surveillance System.
The Age editorial (13/11) under the heading Legislation with Teeth would appear to have given the incorrect impression about injuries to children caused by dogs.
The figures quoted, comparing the higher risk of dog bites with motor vehicle accidents and child abuse, apply to the one to four-year-old age group, one and two-year-olds, in fact, being the most at risk. Overall, children less than 10 years old make up 55 per cent of serious dog bites requiring hospital admission.
The Victorian Injury Surveillance System figures show that 16 per cent of all dog bite injuries to children aged under 15 years occur in public areas. A further 15 per cent of the injuries are unspecified as to where they occurred, so even if these are added together the overwhelming majority of dog bites still occur on private properties. It is worth noting adult (15-plus years of age) dog bite injuries also most commonly occur in the home (36 per cent) and then in public places (33 per cent).
These sorts of figures, one would have thought, should have been brought home to your readers. This may then help to reduce injuries caused by dogs through community awareness of very young children in their own home being those who are most at risk.
The public area should have been mentioned as reasonably dangerous, but not made the main thrust of an editorial, as the most dangerous area could be overlooked by parents with young children. -- Susan Carden, Parkville.
© 1995 The Age