THE number of dog attacks across the region has fallen to a five-year low, new data shows.
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There were 77 dog attacks recorded during the three-month period from January to March this year, data from the Office of Local Government reveals.
In those attacks, 22 people and 110 animals were left injured.
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During the same quarter in 2017 there were 92 attacks, this was a drop compared to 94 in 2016, and 106 in 2015. While in January to March 2014 there were 79 dog attacks across the region.
The report breaks down the number of dog attacks by local government area and during this period Orange recorded the most with 21 during the three-month period.
Of these attacks, 10 people and 22 animals were injured.
Dubbo and Parkes came in second for the highest number of recorded dog attacks, with 14 in each location during the three-month period.
In those attacks, six people and 18 animals were injured in Dubbo, while in Parkes one person and 14 animals were injured.
Bathurst local government area was next for dog attacks with nine, followed by Mid-Western and Hilltops with six each, Cowra had two, while there was just one attack each in Cabonne, Lithgow, Narromine, Oberon and Weddin.
No attacks were recorded during the three-month period in Blayney, Bogan and Forbes.
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And, while Orange may have had the most dog attacks, the data revealed that Dubbo had far more dogs than any other location in the region.
Dubbo has 27,898 microchipped dogs, followed by Bathurst (23,298), Orange (20,715), Mid-Western (17,052), Lithgow (14,230), Hilltops (9668), Parkes (7838), Cowra (7709), Cabonne (7315), Blayney (5468), Forbes (4627), Narromine (4460), Oberon ( 4309), Bogan (1996) and Weddin (1988).
The Office of Local Government said a dog attack can include any incident where a dog rushes at, attacks, bites, harasses or chases any person or animal (other than vermin), whether or not any injury is caused to the person or animal.