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Danger dogs attacks 'are on the rise'
Wardens who battle to keep Preston free of dangerous animals are facing vicious attacks from dogs and their owners.
Over the past two years dog officials from Preston Council have been called out to 139 reports of 'vicious dogs' and 54 described as 'dangerous.'
The number of people treated in hospital following dog attacks has also doubled in the last four years and reports of dangerous dogs keep coming in.
Police were forced to capture and destroy two pit bull terrier -type dogs which were seen running wild outside a school on Preston's Greenlands estate.
The dogs ran up Dawnay Road towards Greenlands County Primary School, where they were seen behaving aggressively outside the school gates, close to pupils having their lunch break.
The police were called by the school on Thursday, November 17, and later raided a home on the estate during which an officer was bitten by one of the dogs.
The latest figures released by the Department of Health shows that 55 people required hospital treatment at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, in 2007 to 2008, which is an increase from 24 in 2002 to 2003.
Jeyaram Srinivasan, consultant plastic surgeon at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "There has been an increase in the number of patients attending our hospital suffering from serious dog bite injuries.
"The number of injuries we treat in the plastic surgery department are relatively small and are usually complex, often involving children.
Meanwhile, members of Preston Council's Dog and Welfare service are facing repeated verbal and physical abuse from dog owners.
One dog warden, who did not wish to be named, said: "I have been physically assaulted.
"People do not like you saving a dog in the middle of the road.
"They come over and give you a bit of a kicking.
"I had threats of being killed a little while ago.
"People do not realise the amount of hassle we get.
"We are verbally abused which is sometimes almost daily – you get six in a day then you do not get any in a week."
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Weather for Preston
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -3 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: 3 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
