FORENSIC AND SOCIOEPIDEMIOLOGICAL ASPECT OF STRAY DOGS BITES

Abstract

Dog bites represent an increasingly significant medical, public health, and legal issue, particularly in urban areas with a high number of stray dogs. Alongside actual injuries, there is a growing number of false bite reports aimed at obtaining unlawful financial compensation. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of injuries reported as dog bites in southeastern Serbia during 2022, determine the frequency of falsely reported cases, and identify changes in dog bite frequency in 2023 and 2024. Data were collected from the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Niš, including 443 reported cases. Each case was analyzed for cause, type, location of injury, and demographic characteristics of the injured individuals. In 87.58% of cases, the bite was confirmed as authentic, while 4.74% were determined to be falsely reported. Individuals aged 51 to 70 years were most frequently affected, and the lower limbs were the most common injury location. Most injuries were minor and occurred in the afternoon. No statistically significant change in the frequency of false reporting was observed from 2022 to 2024. The calculated slope of -12.50 and p-value of 0.6166 indicate no statistically significant trend in total dog bite reports. This study highlights the need for a systematic approach, including improved stray dog control, enhanced shelter infrastructure, and the development of forensic protocols to distinguish between real and false bite injuries. Such measures could reduce both the legal and financial burden on local communities