Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Dog Walking Injuries Cost NHS £23 Million Annually, Study Finds

Experts urge safer leash use with targeted training to curb injuries disproportionately impacting women, especially those over 65.

Image
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • The study in Injury Prevention reviewed five US-based analyses covering almost 500,000 dog walking–related incidents.
  • Women accounted for 74% of hand and wrist injuries and people over 65 made up 31% of cases.
  • Leash pulls caused 68% of recorded injuries, while tripping over dogs or tangled leads contributed to 20%.
  • Broken fingers were the most common injury at 30.8%, followed by wrist fractures at 25.2%.
  • Researchers estimate £23 million a year in direct NHS treatment costs for wrist fractures alone and recommend proper leash handling, front-clip harnesses and basic obedience training to reduce risks.