In Australia, recent headlines have been dominated by shark attacks following the tragic death of a surfer. However, statistics reveal that injuries from domestic animals, particularly cats and horses, result in over 20 times more hospitalisations than those caused by sharks.
New data from iSelect indicates that nearly six per cent of hospital admissions between 2023 and 2024 were due to animal-related injuries, with the most significant number of incidents coming from common household pets rather than wild creatures found in the outback or ocean.
Intriguingly, dogs topped the list of offenders, causing 10,345 hospitalisations during the specified period, which accounts for more than 30 per cent of all animal-related admissions. Other mammals, including cats, horses, and various farm animals, were responsible for 5,306 hospitalisations, while over 2,200 individuals were treated for injuries from non-venomous reptiles.
When examining the figures further, non-venomous insects and arthropods came in fifth place, followed by spiders and venomous marine creatures. Contact with thorny plants also contributed to more than 400 hospitalisations, illustrating the variety of ways one can encounter risks from nature. Notably, sharks ranked low on the scale, occupying the ninth position with only 270 hospitalisations linked to them.
The implications of these statistics are striking: while sharks evoke fear, it is actually our friendly canine companions that lead to a larger number of emergency visits. This reality is underscored by a report from Australia Post, which highlighted that postal carriers experienced an alarming average of 44 dog attacks each week in the first half of 2025, translating to about nine incidents per day.
In terms of serious outcomes, dogs were implicated in 82 fatalities from 2001 to 2021, with 38 caused by bites alone. The only animal group more lethal in that timeframe was livestock, specifically cows and horses.
In summary, while the sensational nature of shark attacks might dominate the media narrative, the data clearly shows that domestic pets like dogs are responsible for a significantly higher rate of hospitalisation and even fatalities in Australia. This revelation should prompt a re-evaluation of the perceived dangers of swimming in the ocean versus living alongside domesticated animals.