Gangs of youths in cities throughout the country are starting to use aggressive dogs instead of knives and guns to defend their territory.

In London alone last year, almost 1,000 dogs were reported as being dangerously out of control in public.

The RSPCA also received about 750 complaints about dog-fighting and dog attacks in English streets last year, compared with 192 incidents in 2002.

NHS figures released yesterday showed that 3,800 people were treated in hospital for dog bites last year, an increase of 43 per cent over the previous four years.

The statistics coincide with a new campaign by animal welfare organisations to expose the cult of the “status dog”. These animals — often dressed in a gleaming harness — are used by males aged 12 to 18 as the latest street weapon and fashion accessory. They are also frequently kept off the lead and so are able to attack passing dogs or their owners.

Sometimes the dogs are used to shield under-age drinking or drug dealing.

The main breeds used as “status dogs” are Staffordshire bull terriers, their crosses, bull mastiffs, English bull terriers and other bull terrier crosses.

“Chain fighting” is also common, when youths goad dogs against each other. The dogs are kept on a lead and contact is usually avoided but the agonised barking causes such a racket that residents believe that illegal dog fighting is taking place.

In many urban areas gangs with dogs on street corners are so intimidating that people are afraid to walk past.

There are particular problems in the capital, where the number of under-18s turning up at accident and emergency units with dog bites was up by 119 per cent last year. In the West Midlands the number was up by 80 per cent.

Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat health spokesman, is demanding a review of the legislation covering dangerous dogs. He is concerned about the “worrying trend of using dangerous dogs as fashion accessories or, worse still, as weapons”.

An attempt to change the attitudes of youths who buy dogs to frighten or endanger others is also under way.

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