Animals most responsible for sending Australians to hospital: Sharks are nowhere near the top of the list, despite attack concerns

Shark attacks may be dominating news headlines after the tragic death of a surfer but Australians are more than 20 times more likely to be hospitalised by a cat or horse than a shark.

And the animal most likely to land Aussies in the emergency department is usually found in suburban backyards, not the outback or ocean.

New data from iSelect revealed that animal-related injuries accounted for almost six per cent of hospital admissions between 2023 and 2024.

But the animals most responsible for sending Aussies to hospital might not be what you'd expect.

Dogs topped the list after causing 10,345 hospitalisations between 2023 and 2024.

In fact, dogs made up more than 30 per cent of all recorded animal-related hospitalisations in that period.

Other mammals, including cats, ho