Dog Bite Incidences in New Zealand (10 year analysis)

Dog bite injuries represent a significant and growing public health burden in New Zealand. Unlike most comparable countries, New Zealand's ACC system captures claims across the full spectrum of injury severity, from minor lacerations treated in primary care through to serious injuries requiring surgery. This breadth makes ACC data a uniquely comprehensive source of information on the frequency and distribution of dog bites, but it also means that the data requires careful interpretation, particularly when making comparisons with international statistics that are typically based on hospital admissions only.

The research literature on dog bites in New Zealand is not extensive, but it is internally consistent. Studies published between 1992 and 2022 have each found rising incidence, persistent inequities across ethnicity and deprivation, and marked regional variation.

This 2026 NavigateWelfare report extends and updates this evidence base, covering a period and scope not previously examined in any recently published analysis and providing key observations as well as considering the implications of the findings in relation to a national dog bite prevention approach.

dogbite analysis report 20162025.pdf

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