THE number of people attacked by dogs in Warrington has increased in the past year having more than doubled since 1999.

In 2010/11 Warrington Hospital’s A&E unit and Halton Hospital’s minor injuries unit treated 488 victims compared to 447 the year before and 243 12 years ago.

Doctors at Warrington Hospital said the increase has occurred mainly among children and teenagers and that dogs such as pitbull-types or rottweilers were to blame for the vast majority of attacks.

They also explained how there is a lower threshold for people to go to A&E than there used to be, which could go some way to explain the rise.

Warrington South MP David Mowat said: “I am disappointed with the increasing number of harmful dog attacks taking place in our area. The department of environment, farming, rural affairs is currently working closely with the Home Office in order to respond to this rising trend, specifically with regard to the anti-social aspect of dangerous dog ownership.

“Dog owners need to take responsibility for their pets and residents should report any potentially dangerous dogs they encounter to the police.”

A&E staff advised anyone who is bitten to clean the wound under a tap for 30 seconds before letting it bleed for a minute to get rid of any saliva and bacteria.

People should then apply pressure to the cut to stop it from bleeding and make the decision to go to their GP or A&E.

Staff warned that cat bites, although more superficial than those of a dog, were more likely to lead to infection and that human bites were the worst of all due to high bacteria levels.

Helen Jones, MP for Warringotn North said: “It is disappointing that the number of incidents involving dogs has not fallen over the years. As someone who has suffered a dog bite I know how painful and distressing it can be. Having said that, it is the case that responsible dog owners, who are the majority, always ensure their pets are under control and are not in a position to bite or attack.”