Britain prides itself as being a nation of dog lovers, but we often forget that dogs are still animals at the end of the day, and can pose a threat to humans in certain circumstances.
Dangerous dog attacks on the up in the UK - they have increased by 34 percent in England and Wales in the past five years.
One noteworthy incident in recent months is that of three year old, Rebekah Bollie, who was left 'missing half her smile' after the family dog bit into her cheek.
Advert
Another attack cost a woman her nose, whilst a fellow victim, Rachel Anderson, nearly lost her arm when she was mauled for 45 minutes by a friend's pet husky.
These stories are only a few of many, as thousands of people in the UK fall victim to dog attacks.
Two people have already died as a result this year, whilst six people were rushed to hospital on April 18 after 'killer dogs' attacked near a primary school in Birmingham.
Advert
And now, a new list has revealed which areas of the country are hit most by dog bite attacks.
Recorded over a seven month period between April and November 2022, the list compiles the twenty worst areas in the country for dog attacks.
20) Leeds - 130 attacks took place.
19) South Yorkshire - 135 attacks.
Advert
18) Sussex - 140 attacks.
17) North West London - 145 attacks were recorded.
16) Nottingham and Nottinghamshire - also had 145 attacks.
15) Derbyshire and North Cumbria - also had 145 dog attacks take place in this chosen seven month period.
Advert
14) Wakefield - 150 savagings in this period.
13) Norfolk - had the same figure as Wakefield.
12) South East London - echoed this figure between April and November.
11) Hampshire and the Isle of Wight -160 attacks took place.
Advert
This number was echoed in the next few entries.
10) Cheshire and Merseyside
9) Birmingham and Solihull
8) Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
7) Buckinghamshire
6) Oxfordshire
5) West Berkshire
4) Devon - beat all other locations to make to the fourth spot.
3) Coventry and Warwickshire - 170 attacks.
2) The Black Country - came second with 185.
And at the top of the unenviable list was Kent and Medway, with a shockingly high 250 dog attacks in seven months.
This averaged out to more than four maulings a week where surgery was required.
Across the country, attacks on children in particular seem to be on the rise, as nearly 700 were rushed into hospital for surgery.
Vanessa Jane Davies, a scar therapy consultant, has seen an increase of people coming to her for help.
Speaking to The Sun, Davies said: "I have seen a significant rise in referrals for children and adults who have been bitten or struck by a dog.
"I treat men and women on a monthly basis for dog attacks, however, it's often the young children who are at the highest risk of dog attack injuries and they are particularly vulnerable to bites to the face and neck."
Ben Thompson