Beware of the dog. And the cat and the squirrel, the monkey, the lizard and even the camel. Record numbers of Scots are being attacked by animals according to figures revealed under a Freedom of Information request.
The figures reveal that 9,324 people visited accident and emergency in 2014 after being injured by animals. An average of 26 people were attacked every day in that year.
More than half the injuries were caused by dogs, but rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and mice have all prompted visits to A&E and three people sought treatment after being bitten by fish.
But the biggest rise in figures between 2012 and 2014 came in the category of injuries caused by cats. Mike Flynn Chief Superintendent at the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said that cats carry bacteria in their teeth and claws so such attacks should be taken seriously.
He also pointed out that bites from wild animals can lead to serious infections. “You can also get blood poisoning from some wild seabirds,” he said.
Among the other animals who have attacked humans in the last two years include a monkey, a pig, a bat and cows.
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