A young woman whose face was badly injured in a dog attack has spoken out as figures show dog-related incidents in Scotland reached a record high. Sam Redding, 20, was attacked by a two-year-old Spanish Mastiff-Akita cross named Clyde at a friend's home in Falkirk in January. The ordeal lasted several minutes and left her with severe facial wounds, including exposed teeth through her jaw, requiring reconstructive surgery.
Record rise in dog-related incidents
New figures from Police Scotland show there were 880 call-outs to dog bites and other canine-related crimes in 2025, a sharp increase from 744 in 2024. This means there were at least two attacks every day last year. Around two-thirds of all police responses resulted in someone being reported to prosecutors.
Sam described the figures as "shocking" and called for action. She told the Daily Record: "These figures are absolutely shocking. If the government doesn't address this, someone will end up dead and that could be a child."
Calls for licensing and training
Sam is urging the Scottish Government to reinstate a standard dog licence for pet owners, which was abolished in 1987 across Scotland, England, and Wales. She also wants mandatory training for new owners and a ban on mixing large pedigree breeds.
She said: "The only answer is to reinstate licenses to make sure only responsible people are able to own dogs. I also think mandatory lessons should be brought back in for new owners." She added that large dogs should not be bred together, as mixing pedigrees makes temperaments less predictable.
Legal experts back further measures
Legal firm Digby Brown Solicitors investigated dog attacks where owners do not have pet insurance and backed calls for mandatory pet insurance alongside licensing. However, Sam said insurance alone would not prevent attacks: "It would allow victims to get compensation but I don't think it would prevent or deter attacks from taking place."
Robert Kernaghan, Partner at Digby Brown Solicitors in Dundee, said the record rise in police call-outs is a public safety concern. He noted that puncture wounds, permanent muscle damage, and disfiguring facial injuries are common long-term consequences, along with psychological impacts. He added that around 60 per cent of dog-related incidents result in criminal action, and that responsibility for an attack generally falls on the owner or person in control of the dog. Damages are most commonly recovered from pet or home insurance, but victims face challenges when owners have no insurance.
Kirsten Oswald, Minister for Victims and Community Safety, said local authorities are responsible for the civil Dog Control Notice regime and have powers to hold irresponsible owners to account. She commended Police Scotland's enforcement of dangerous dogs criminal law and noted that a specialised unit has been established to deal with dangerous dogs. A Scottish Government expert advisory group is currently assessing what further steps may be needed to encourage responsible dog ownership.
