Control zones and safeguard campaign launched as dog attack injuries rise by over 20%

Data shows that dangerous dog offences tend to peak in the summer when more children are at home with their pets or around other people's dogs in public spaces. Merseyside Police and partners are aiming to reduce the number of dog attacks through education and dog control zones.

In 2023, the number of incidents involving violence with injury relating to dogs was 469 (an increase of 21.5% compared to 2022). The number of victims under the age of 16 was 121, accounting for 26% of all incidents.

In Sefton, a dog control Public Spaces Protection Order has been extended by the local authority to help reduce dog related incidents. In the designated dog control zones, dog owners must clear up after their dog, place their dog on a lead if instructed by an authorised officer, keep their dog on a lead within defined areas and keep their dog out of prohibited areas.

John Dempsey from Green Sefton told LiverpoolWorld: "The public space protection order, which is something that we've introduced and engaged with people about, is designed to make sure that dogs are controlled correctly in the borough. This doesn't only apply to parks; it applies to all our areas of what you might call open space or open air, so that's football pictures, parks, greenspaces, cemeteries and of course the coast too."

A dog bite prevention app is also due to launch this year, and police and partners will use it to safeguard and help reduce the risk of dog bites in the family home. Developed by Constable Craig Walsh as part of the Prevention Hub, alongside NHS Cheshire & Merseyside, the app will support early intervention and identifying risks before a child is bitten.

The app will allow frontline emergency services and NHS staff to engage with families and provide them with help and advice on how to recognise the early warning signs in dogs. When attending an incident, officers can input information about the presence of a dog (even if no dog bite has occurred) and offer tailored support to communities.

• Watch the video for our full feature on preventing dog attacks and to hear more from Merseyside Police.