Top tips to keep children safe around dogs this summer

St John Ambulance and the RSPCA are offering guidance on keeping safe this summer as dog bite hospital admissions rise 17% in the past 12 months.

St John Ambulance and the RSPCA want children, adults, and four-legged friends to enjoy a carefree, happy summer in parks and public spaces and are issues practical steps to keep safe around dogs and first aid advice, if bitten.

The simple message that the two charities are sharing in any dog can bite, and to ‘Be alert, Be aware and Be safe’.

St John, the first aid and health charity, wants the public to know how to respond on the scene of a dog attach (before expert medical attention arrives) and know what steps to take to avoid an attack in the first place.

There are an estimated 12 million dogs in the UK and whilst most serious, sadly fatal attacks happen in the home, NHS data shows dog bites (also referred to as ‘strikes’ where injury from a dog other than a bite) have risen by 17% from 7,424 in 2020/21 to 8,655 in 2021/22.

Attacks on children aged 0-4 increased from 565 in 2020/21 to 614 in 2021/22 and there was also an increase in attacks on 10–14-year-olds from 306 to 378.

Simple steps to take

St John has partnered with the RSPCA who are urging the public to follow the CFSG’s Dog Safety Code and take three simple steps to stay safe around dogs:

1. Be Alert – always keep an eye on your dog around kids, never leave them alone together.
2. Be aware – get to know your dog, dogs use signals to tell us how they feel.
3. Be safe – any dog can bite, accidents happen fast.

RSPCA dog welfare expert, Dr Samantha Gaines said: “Many of us can recognise some of the clear signs that a dog gives to indicate that they’re frightened or unhappy, such as showing their teeth or growling. But there are more subtle signals that our dogs give us to tell us that they’re feeling uncomfortable and it’s important that parents and children understand these and react accordingly.

“Yawning, lip licking, lowering their head and putting their ears back, avoiding eye contact, raising a front paw, and tucking their tail are all early signs that a dog needs some space and feels anxious.

“Children can be very difficult for dogs to understand. They tend to get very close to dogs which they can find threatening and it’s important that they learn not to approach dogs when they’re sleeping, eating, or playing with a toy. Parents should always supervise children’s interactions with dogs.”

If unfortunately, you do witness a dog attack, it is extremely important to assess the scene.

Head of Clinical Operations at St John, Steve Hatton, advises: “If the dog attack is still active, call 999 ASAP and ask for the police and ambulance. Be clear to the operator the attack is ongoing – the police will task specialist resources to secure the dog.

“Scene safety is a serious consideration during an active dog attack, and although our instinct is to rush in and help, any would be rescuer is likely to be injured also, so it’s important to assess the situation, and if safe to do so, approach but call for professional help, immediately.”