Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to December 22, 2009

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Study highlights

The combination of pit bulls, rottweilers, presa canarios, and their mixes:

• 80% of attacks that induce bodily harm
• 69% of attacks to children
• 83% of attack to adults
• 68% of attacks that result in fatalities
• 74% that result in maiming

Discussion notes:

• Even if the pit bull category was "split three ways," attacks by pit bulls and their closest relatives would still outnumber attacks by any other breed.
• Pit bulls attack adults nearly as often as they attack children, a characteristic not shared by any other breed.

1982-2009 chart:

Breed	Bodily harm	Child Victims	Adult Victims	Deaths	Maimings
Pit bull terrier	1451	628	499	153	777
Rottweiler	447	257	115	67	244
Wolf hybrid	81	67	4	19	45
Husky	49	32	4	17	13
German Shepherd	79	52	20	9	50
Bullmastiff (presa canario)	48	17	20	8	26
Chow	52	35	14	7	34
Akita	50	34	14	1	41