A large number of these attacks occur at home or in friend’s homes and the dog is known to the injured person. All dogs are potentially dangerous, and young children are unpredictable in their behaviour towards animals and therefore should never be left alone or unsupervised around a dog, even a dog that is normally well-behaved. As for those "off leash" areas, dogs need exercise (otherwise they go a bit paranoid - and we don't want that!) but I'd like to see them more clearly signposted as such. I can think of a few parks that have a large part designated as an "off leash" area (the northern end of Camperdown Memorial Rest Park in Newtown is one that comes to mind), but depending on how you enter the park, you don't realise this until you see all the dogs running around.

When I was about five, I was attacked by a group of dogs that were just roaming the street (about three or four of them I think from memory), although fortunately I escaped with a few minor scratches and someone (not the owners I hasten to add) called the dogs off. I can't say that I've ever really liked dogs since...................