The walkies wounded... 1m injured by their pets
MORE than one million dog owners have been injured while walking their pet, it was revealed yesterday.
Researchers found one in five of the nation’s dogs have unintentionally hurt their owners. The most common injuries are twisted ankles, scratches, sprains and friction burns.
The statistics emerged following a study of 3,000 dog owners carried out by OnePoll. A spokesman said: “Heading out for a walk without the right equipment, or walking the dog on rough terrain can be dangerous.
“We found about one in four dog owners have suffered sore muscles after stretching to keep hold of the dog. And a similar number have received friction burns from the lead when their dog has yanked them.’’
EXPRESS CASINO: GET A FREE BONUS OF UP TO £150 NOW!
The researchers found about 1.6 million of Britain’s estimated 7.3 million registered dog owners have suffered from falls, scratches, sprains and strains.
A third of those polled have twisted an ankle on more than one occasion as a result of falling over when their pet pulled hard on the lead.
Over-excited dogs have accidentally scratched 27 per cent of owners when jumping up or greeting them, and one in 20 owners have been left winded from a fall.
Some of the more bizarre injuries include a foot stuck in a rabbit or fox hole for 16 per cent of owners, 14 per cent have been butted by the dog when bending to stroke it and seven per cent have walked into a lamp-post while strolling along the street.
But it’s not all bad news for dog owners. Previous studies have linked dog walking with improved cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure and decreased stress.
