Dog bite statistics ::

Frequency of dog bite injury in the US (2001)

• In 1994, the most recent year for which published data are available, an estimated 4.7 million dog bites occurred in the United States and approximately 799,700 persons required medical care.
• Of an estimated 333,700 patients treated for dog bites in emergency departments in 1994, approximately 6,000 were hospitalized.
• In 2001, an estimated 368,245 persons were treated in US emergency rooms for nonfatal dog bite-related injuries.

Dog bite deaths and maimings US and Canada (1982-2007)

The combination of pit bulls, rottweilers and wolf hybrids:

• 77% of attacks that induce bodily harm
• 73% of attacks to children
• 83% of attack to adults
• 70% of attacks that result in fatalities
• 77% that result in maiming

Interesting fact about pit bulls:

• Pit bulls attack adults nearly as often as they attack children, a characteristic not found in any other breed.

Dog bite fatalites in the US (1979-1998)

• At least 25 breeds of dogs were involved in 238 human dog bite related fatalities during this time span. Pit bulls and rottweilers were involved in over half of these fatalities and from 1997-1998, over 60%.
• Researchers note that it is extremely unlikely that pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 60% of dogs in US households during this period thus, there appeared to be a breed-specific problem with fatalities.

Which dogs bite?

• Biters are 6.2 times as likely to be male than female
• Biters are 2.6 times as likely to be intact than neutered
• Biters are 2.8 times as likely to be chained as unchained