Archive 2016 to 2014 ::
View a list of archive news reports that cite statistical data and quotations from DogsBite.org from 2016 to 2014, including: the Detroit Free Press, The Dallas Morning News, Time, and more.
December 27, 2016
Woman sacrifices herself in dog attack to save best friend's baby
Craig Sailor | The News Tribune | Nationally, pit bulls were responsible for 64 percent of fatal dog attacks between 2005 and 2015, according to dogsbite.org, a dog bite victims' group. A 2015 study at the University of Washington Medical Center found similar numbers for pit bulls and dog attacks. Many U.S. cities, including a dozen in Washington...
December 21, 2016
David Fear was a true hero when he protected woman during dog attack
Editorial board | The Tribune | We expect authorities to handle this fairly, professionally and, because a police officer is involved, with the utmost transparency. That's why we believe authorities should release the name of the dogs' owner. That's also the conclusion of the national nonprofit organization, DogsBite.org, which is dedicated to reducing...
December 21, 2016
City won't change dog law
Katie White | Mourning Journal | Reading from statistics from DogsBite.org, Blakeman said that pit bull dogs killed 20 Americans in 2015 and 25 people so far this year compared to 10 deaths by all dog breeds combined during both years. "If it is mathematically, statistically proven they are more likely to cause a problem than other breeds, I don't know why..."
November 20, 2016
Why do pit bulls attack?
Wesley Muller and John Fitzhugh | SunHerald | Pit bulls make headlines when they attack humans because the injuries are typically severe ... "We accept that we don't have to train a pointing dog to point," Lynn said. "We accept that we don't have to train a retrieving dog to retrieve. "Why do we refuse to accept that we don't have to train a fighting dog to fight?"
November 14, 2016
Miami-Dade To Loosen Bite On Pit Bulls?
Gary Nelson | CBS Miami | They have persuaded county commissioners to reconsider the pit bull law ... An Austin, Texas based group, dogsbite.org, however, cites a study of 11 trauma centers nationwide that it says shows the overwhelming number of dog bite cases are from pit bulls and that pit bulls inflict much more vicious wounds than other breeds...
October 24, 2016
4-year-old girl dies after dog attack
Mark Peterson | WNDU | A 4-year-old girl was attacked and killed by a dog, apparently on the same day it was acquired by the family. It happened Sunday afternoon about 4 p.m. in St. Joseph County, Michigan, at a home near Fish Lake ... According to the website dogsbite.org, there were 34 dog bite deaths nationwide in 2015. The victims included 14 children...
October 3, 2016
Montreal pitbull ban comes into effect amid controversy
Jessica Murphy | BBC News | Montreal's pitbull ban, passed by the city council last week, comes into effect on Monday amid an outcry by animal welfare groups and threats to boycott the city over the law ... According to statistics compiled by DogsBite.org, a US charity that supports such bans, 36 US states and 41 countries worldwide have some form of BSL on the books...
October 1, 2016
Miami-Dade may repeal its 1989 ban on pit bulls
Douglas Hanks | Miami Herald | A Miami-Dade commissioner wants to end the county's nearly 30-year ban on pit bulls and repeal a law that survived a challenge at the ballot box just four years ago ... "We know that when this dog breed attacks, there's a very high likelihood that it will be severe," said Colleen Lynn, founder of dogsbite.org, a nonprofit in Austin...
September 26, 2016
New bill would create "dangerous dogs" registry in Michigan
Bryce Huffman | Michigan Radio | Dogs that bite could end up on a "dangerous dog" registry, and their owners could end up behind bars. That's the idea behind a new bill from State Representative Jon Hoadley ... Michigan had the sixth highest number of fatal dog bites last year. That's according to DogsBite.org, a non-profit that aims to raise awareness...
September 20, 2016
Nonprofit Examines What's Behind the 'Fabled' Click and Bait Web Advertisements of Aggressive Shelter Dogs Available for Adoption at County Shelters
DogsBite.org News Release | Nonprofit examines 34 case files from Sonoma County Animal Services. The investigation shows that in their zeal to increase 'Live Release Rate' by adopting out the otherwise unadoptables, the shelter candy-coats dogs with aggressive behaviors in their advertisements. The comprehensive report of over 7,000 words...
September 1, 2016
Shelter struggles to place pit bulls
Neita Cecil | The Dalles Chronicle | When people come looking for a dog to adopt, the first thing they say is "no pit bulls" .... The website dogsbite.org, which focuses on pit bull attacks, stated that in 2015, pit bulls accounted for 28 of the 34 dog bite fatalities in the U.S., or 82 percent. Pit bulls make up about 6.6 percent of the total U.S. dog population, according to the site...
September 1, 2016
Deadly Conifer pit bull attack sheds light on breed bans in Colorado
Robert Garrison | Denver 7 | The pit bull attack in Conifer Monday that killed Susan Shawl and wounded her 36-year-old son sheds light on a controversy that has many up in arms. Seven communities in Colorado have pit bull bans, including Denver ... Here are the seven communities, according to Dogsbite.org, that bans the breed...
August 18, 2016
Pit Bulls – Part II: Which Side Does the Science Support? (5-part investigation)
Marie-Claude Malboeuf | La Presse | The studies cited by the Association of Veterinary Doctors (OMVQ, l’Ordre des médecins vétérinaries du Québec) which they deem to be “scientific” are, in fact, the work of militants funded by the heavily financed pro-pit bull lobby, La Presse discovered. A conflict of interest exists, which is nowhere mentioned in the report...
August 23, 2016
Waterford eases ban on pit bulls; vet can decide breed
Bill Laitner | Detroit Free Press | The critics have appeared before, but Waterford hasn't backed down from its ban on pit bulls passed in 1990, said Township Trustee Anthony Bartolotta ... The website of the nonprofit Austin, Texas-based www.dogsbite.org said that, of 34 fatalities caused by dog bites in 2015, pit bulls were involved in 82% of these deaths...
July 28, 2016
Responsible pet ownership includes ensuring safety
Simi Valley Acron | About 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the United States, of which roughly 365,000 are serious enough to warrant emergency medical care, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Moreover, DogsBite.org reports that 34 Americans died from dog bite-related injuries in 2015. And pit bulls were to blame in 28 of those cases...
July 13, 2016
Protect yourself from dog-inflicted wounds
Jacqueline Gonzalez | The Shorthorn | Colleen Lynn ran every morning as part of her routine until a leashed pit bull attacked her one morning, sending her to the hospital. The incident turned the Austin resident into an advocate of dog attack victims and inspired her to launch www.DogsBite.org ... "Society doesn't treat dog attack victims very well," Lynn said...
July 1, 2016
Dogs as Weapons
Jack Lessenberry | Michigan Radio | Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy went after the owner, a man with a past criminal record named Geneke Lyons, and attempted to convict him of second-degree murder. But before the case went to the jury, Wayne County Circuit Judge James Callahan refused to allow the jury to consider the second-degree murder charge...
June 25, 2016
Boyle column: Pit bull attack shreds arm, changes minds
John Boyle | Citizen-Times | I also cited some eye-popping statistics from dogsbite.org, including this: In the 10-year period from 2005 to 2014, pit bulls killed 203 Americans and accounted for 62 percent of the total recorded deaths (326) ... It's crucial that owners control the events the dogs are involved in and prevent the "high-arousal" mode from kicking in...
June 10, 2016
Would a pit bull ban have prevented Montreal woman's death after attack?
Ellen Brait | The Globe and Mail | The death of a Montreal woman, who was attacked by a pit bull, has brought a heated debate back into the spotlight: Should pit bull ownership be more widely banned in Canada? ... Colleen Lynn, founder of DogsBite.org, a U.S. dog bite victims' organization, said that "dramatically lowering the population of pit bulls..."
June 6, 2016
Bangor boy identified as victim in fatal dog attack involving pit bull
Nok-Noi Ricker | Bangor Daily News | A Bangor boy has been identified as the victim of a deadly dog attack involving a pit bull Saturday in Corinna, according to Sheriff Troy Morton ... The U.S. saw 34 dog bite-related fatalities in 2015, and pit bulls contributed to 28, or 82 percent of the total, according to Dogsbite.org. There were 360 dog bite-related fatalities...
June 3, 2016
WTVM Editorial 6/3/16: Owners must control powerful pets
Holly Steuart | WTVM | When a pit bull broke from his chain and attacked a 9-year-old Columbus boy last week, his alarming ordeal was enough to scare anyone ... Websites like dogsbite.org say pit bulls caused 82 percent of dog bite fatalities in 2015, even though pit bulls are only about 7 percent of the total U.S. dog population...
May 16, 2016
Dog Bites Insurer
Christopher J. Boggs | Academy Journal Blog | In September 2000, a Vet Med Today Special Report listed the dog breeds most responsible for the 282 bite-related fatalities between 1979 and 1998 ... Likewise, DogsBite.org studied 88 dog bite fatalities occurring over the three-year period 2006-2008. This organization's top five deadly breeds were...
May 4, 2016
County takes on dangerous dogs; city might follow
The Robesonian | The Robeson County Board of Health last week took action that might -- just might -- take a modest bite out of what we see as the problem of pit bulls and pit bull mixes that have in recent years left some people dead and others maimed in our county ... According to dogsbite.org, during 2015 there were 34 people killed by a dog in the...
April 22, 2016
Pit bull kills newborn baby in bed
The Guardian | A pit bull terrier crossbreed dog lying in bed with a San Diego couple bit and killed their three-day-old son when it was startled awake. The parents had been watching television at the time with their newborn and the 44kg (97lb) American Staffordshire ... The Texas-based charity DogsBite.org lists three previous killings of children by pit bulls in the US in 2016...
April 18, 2016
Missouri Law Would Block Cities From Banning Pit Bulls, Other Dog Breeds
Fox News Insider | Cities in Missouri will no longer be able to ban pit bulls, according to a bill advancing in the state legislature ... Colleen Lynn, with the organization DogsBite.org, says that pit bulls are particularly dangerous because they inflict more damage during attacks than other breeds. Lynn and others argue that rules surrounding dog breed...
April 14, 2016
City ponders regulations on 'vicious dogs'
Sarah Willets | The Robesonian | The Lumberton City Council is considering regulating the ownership of certain breeds of dogs. The discussion comes after several dog attacks on children in Lumberton, including one in which a 7-year-old boy was killed ... The council also considered information from DogsBite.org on dog bite fatalities across the nation...
April 10, 2016
Pit bull lovers petition Darke Co. shelter
Erik Martin | The Daily Advocate | "How can I put the citizens of this county at risk?" he added. Colleen Lynn, the founder of DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, agrees ... "The Darke County shelter director should be admired for his public safety priority," she said. "This is a priority that is being dismantled across...
March 15, 2016
Spon: Mansfield's dog ordinance in need of revision
Emily Dech | Richland Source | "These dogs, although they can be loving pets, are nevertheless unpredictable, and it could only take the shrill of a child or the approach of a stranger or the mood or insecurity of a dog to suddenly, unexpectedly cause them to attack," Spon said. Spon asks that citizens visit www.dogsbite.org and read victims' accounts of pit bull attacks...
March 23, 2016
Rural residents must register dogs of certain breeds by April 1
Ali Holcomb | The Holton Recorder | According to the website www.dogsbite.org, in an 11-year period between 2005 and 2015, canines killed 360 people in the United States. Pit bulls contributed to 64 percent of those deaths. During Monday's Jackson County Commission meeting, the commissioners said they used statistics from the website to confirm the need...
February 28, 2016
No kid should be afraid to go outside because of a dog
Del Stone Jr. | Northwest Florida Daily News | And here is what Dogsbite.org had to say on the very same subject: "Of the 88 fatal dog attacks recorded by DogsBite.org, pit bull type dogs were responsible for 59 percent (52). This is equivalent to a pit bull killing a U.S. citizen every 21 days during this three-year period ... I don't want to see Lockjaw — or any other pit bull...
February 19, 2016
DogsBite.org Releases 2015 Dog Bite Fatality Statistics; Percentage of Deaths Attributed to Pit Bulls Rises to 82% and Other Trends
DogsBite.org News Release | On February 19, DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, releases its 2015 annual dog bite fatality statistics. Last year, dogs inflicted 34 deadly attacks in the country. Pit bulls contributed to 82% (28), the highest death count recorded for the breed and a 56% (18) rise from 2005...
February 13, 2016
Dougherty: How many deaths will it take until we get pit bulls out of residential areas?
The Virginian-Pilot | Kerry Dougherty | I also know that other dog breeds bite more often than pit bulls. They don't kill more often, however. According to DogsBite.org, which describes itself as a public education website that collects data on dog attacks, there were 42 fatalities from dog bites in 2014 and 64 percent of those – 27 in all – were caused by pit bulls...
January 28, 2016
Pit bulls versus everybody. Should they be banned?
Chastity Pratt Dawsey | Bridge Magazine | But at least two dozen other Michigan municipalities have "breed-specific legislation" or rules that ban or restrict pit bull ownership, according to a list maintained by a group that advocates for victims of serious and fatal dog attacks, Dogsbite.org ... In a debate that can sometimes echo the back-and-forth over gun control...
January 25, 2016
Authorities try to determine how killer dog died
Sarah Willets | The Robesonian | It's the third fatal dog attack in Robeson County since 2012. In 2014, 83-year-old Alemeaner Dial was killed by two family dogs at her home in Rowland ... There were 35 dog-related fatalities in the United States during 2015, including two in North Carolina, according to DogsBite.org, which tracks dog fatalities reported by the media.
January 25, 2016
Inside The Most Vicious Conflict On The Internet
Joseph Bernstein | BuzzFeed | "Tyler is dead because like many young people, Alexandria believes the false myths about pit bulls, primarily pushed by the Pit Bull Propaganda Machine, that deny the breed's purpose bred heritage of bull-baiting and dogfighting. Who cares if Alexandria now finally recognizes the truth? Tyler is already dead." - DogsBite.org Blog...
January 5, 2016
Attacks Keep Coming, Ban Dangerous Dogs in BC Now
Bill Tieleman | The Tyee | Neither B.C. nor Canada keep detailed statistics on dangerous dog attacks that identify breeds, but in the United States in 2015 there were at least 32 human fatalities, with the majority coming from pit bulls, followed by Rottweilers and other breeds or mixed breeds, according to the advocacy group Dogbites.org, which meticulously...
December 31, 2015
Three hospitalized after pit bull–Rottweiler dog goes berserk in Richmond
Charlie Smith | The Georgia Straight | Back then, I reported that DogsBite.org had reported that 176 Americans were killed by pit bulls between 2005 and 2013. DogsBite.org lists 32 people who died last year after being bitten by dogs in the United States. Of those, 28 involved pit bulls or Rottweilers or crosses with these breeds. Most of the victims...
December 3, 2015
OUR OPINION: Grand Forks, other cities need pit bull bans
Korrie Wenzel | Grand Forks Herald | For example, according to statistics compiled on the website fatalpitbullattacks.com, there have been 24 U.S. fatalities related to pit bulls this year alone. The website dogsbite.org shows that in 2014, there were 42 American fatalities attributed to dog attacks. According to the website, 27 of those deaths were blamed on pit bulls...
December 3, 2015
State bill would outlaw local bans on pit bull
Matt Helms and Joe Guillen | Detroit Free Press | So far, 19 states have enacted such prohibitions since the 1980s, but in recent years, such efforts have failed in state legislatures, said Colleen Lynn, president of DogsBite.org, a group she founded in 2007 after being mauled by a pit bull ... "They want us to ignore the heritage of the pit bull breed," Lynn said...
December 3, 2015
Michigan may dump cities' bans on pit bulls
Joel Kurth | The Detroit News | Foes say the numbers don't lie: Pit bulls account for 27 of the 32 fatal attacks this year in the United States, said Colleen Lynn, founder of the Texas-based DogsBite.org, a nonprofit that advocates for breed bans. The tally two deaths this week. Xavier Strickland, 4, of Detroit died after he was walking on the sidewalk...
September 8, 2015
Dog Bite Victims' Group Releases FAQ about Breed-Specific Legislation to Help Inform City Officials and Advocates
DogsBite.org News Release | Austin, TX September 8, 2015 -- DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, releases a Breed-Specific Legislation FAQ on its website. The new in depth FAQ explains what breed-specific legislation (BSL) encompasses, why it primarily involves pit bulls, how cities and counties enforce...
August 25, 2015
When it comes to violent dog attacks, Pit Bulls top the list
Tim Waller | WYFF4.com | WYFF News 4 Investigates' Tim Waller digs into the numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on fatal dog attacks in the country ... [The 10-year period of dog bite-related fatality statistics by DogsBite.org (2005 to 2014) is likely included in this news report because CDC stopped tracking deaths by dog breeds in 1998.]
August 25, 2015
Greenville deputy saves two women from pit bull
Romando Dixson | GreenvilleOnline | A Greenville County deputy shot and killed a dog that attacked and injured two women Tuesday morning, the Sheriff's Office said ... Last year, 42 dog bite-related fatalities occurred in the U.S., according to dogsbite.org. Pits bulls contributed to 27 of those deaths. Fatal pit bull attacks have been in the news recently in the Carolinas...
August 12, 2015
Hogansville man, dog attacked by pit bull
Donny Karr | LaGrange Daily News | According to DogsBite.org, a nonprofit research and education organization that conducts research on severe and fatal dog attacks inflicted by dangerous dog breeds, there have been 18 documented cases in the United States of people who have died in pit bull attacks so far in 2015. Eight of those victims were children age 10 or younger...
August 11, 2015
Pit bulls are disproportionally dangerous. Why is Calgary importing more of them?
Barbara Kay | National Post | Commenting on the Strother case, Colleen Lynn, founder of Dogsbite.org, an advocacy site for victims of dangerous dogs, stated, "Currently, there is no way to reliably test for unpredictable pit bull aggression. The 'state-of-the-art' temperamental assessment test SAFER cannot measure unpredictable aggression, nor can any current test..."
August 4, 2015
Bring Back New West's Pit Bull Law
Bill Tieleman | The Tyee | This year alone in the United States, 14 people have already been killed in pit bull attacks -- including seven children and infants. In 2014 there were 27 people killed by pit bull attacks and 25 in 2013, according to non-profit DogsBite.org, which tracks dog attacks across the U.S. Pit bull breeds accounted for 64 per cent of all dog attack deaths...
July 28, 2015
Nearly half of all shelter dogs of pit variety; Animal Society recommends owners sterilize pets
Christina Elmore and Melissa Boughton | The Post and Courier | "A sterilized dog is not necessarily less dangerous, but it is less likely to roam," Colleen Lynn said ... Lynn also lobbies for mandatory insurance for pit bull owners. "We come back to this issue over and over again. Their simply isn't enough money to put these people back together," Lynn said of the victims...
July 22, 2015
Letter: Difficulty in assessing level of aggression in pit bulls can lead to tragedy
Julie Wall | Post-Bulletin | Either the Asheville Humane Society absolutely failed at assessing the dogs in their shelter, or it has to admit there is currently no accurate way to assess pit-bull-type dogs ... These families know exactly what type of dog killed their loved one. From 2005-2014, 204 people were killed by pit-bull type dogs, according to dogsbite.org...
July 17, 2015
Pit bulls are inappropriate pets for criminals
Mike Dunbar | The Modesto Bee | As we cited in our March 22 editorial, 27 people were killed by pit bulls or close cousins in 2014, according to the website dogsbite.org. Of the 203 deaths-by-dog since 2005, two thirds have been attributed to pit bulls. This is a broader issue than whether a single criminal (assuming he gets out of jail) should be allowed to own a pit bull...
July 13, 2015
Woman dies following pit bull attack
19 Action News | Annie Williams, 71, of Cleveland, died at South Pointe Hospital after being attacked by a pit bull on Pennington Road ... 42 U.S. dog bite-related fatalities occurred in 2014. Despite being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 700 U.S. cities, pit bulls contributed to 64% (27) of these deaths. Pit bulls make up about 6% of the total U.S. dog population...
July 11, 2015
Boyle column: Stats don't lie about dangers of pit bulls
John Boyle | Citizen-Times | When that genetic switch flips, as it did with little Joshua, they detect a threat and have one reaction: to bite until the other animal is dead. Last year, the United States had 42 dog bite-related fatalities, according to dogsbite.org. Pits bulls contributed to 64 percent, or 27 of those deaths. The numbers are screaming at you, like a child under attack...
July 8, 2015
Update: Family grieving boy's death in pit bull attack
Sabian Warren | Citizen-Times | According to Dogsbite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, in the 10-year period from 2005 to 2014 pit bulls killed 203 Americans and accounted for 62 percent of the total recorded deaths from dog attacks in the U.S. (326). Combined, pit bulls and Rottweilers accounted for 74 percent...
May 31, 2015
Pit bulls can be sweet, but they also figure prominently in Wichita attacks, officials say
Tim Potter | The Wichita Eagle | In Dallas in April, media reported that a family pit bull fatally mauled a 2-month-old boy in his home while his father was outside checking a sprinkler. According to DogsBite.org, of 42 dog bite deaths in the nation in 2014, pit bulls accounted for nearly two-thirds of the fatalities, even though they are only 6 percent of the U.S. dog population...
April 22, 2015
As family mourns, propaganda hides danger of pit bull attacks
Columnist Steve Blow | The Dallas Morning News | A tragic deception has been perpetrated on the American public, says Colleen Lynn of Austin. And the gruesome consequences were seen in Dallas last weekend. In a scene almost too sickening to imagine, a 2-month-old baby in a bouncy seat was attacked and fatally mutilated by the family's pit bull...
April 22, 2015
The cult of the pit
Bill Manson | San Diego Reader | That's when I started paying attention to pits. Reading the stats. Because, it turns out they seriously kill people, too. According to Dogsbite.org, a victims' website, pit bulls mauled to death 176 Americans between 2005 and 2013. In 2013, pit bulls killed 25 of the 32 Americans mauled to death by dogs, or 78 percent...
April 20, 2015
First Quarter Report: Municipalities and Grassroots Prevail Against State Preemption Bills Barring Local Breed-Specific Ordinances
DogsBite.org News Release | During the first quarter of 2015, state preemption bills prohibiting local governments from enacting pit bull ordinances were brought in five states: Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Montana and Washington. In all five states the bills failed. Grassroots advocates helped make this victory possible. In 2014, similar state preemption bills...
March 21, 2015
Our View: Start protecting us from dangerous pit bulls
Editorial | The Modesto Bee | Should we have the right to protect ourselves from vicious dogs? Or do we just roll over, play dead and refuse to speak up because the misguided pit bull lobby makes a lot of noise? ... The website dogsbite.org attributed 27 fatalities to pit bulls in 2014. That was up from 25 in 2013. From 2005 to 2014, pit bulls accounted for 203 deaths...
March 16, 2015
Pit bulls are No. 1 in Portland-area bite investigations, data show
Fedor Zarkhin | The Oregonian/OregonLive | Colleen Lynn was jogging in Seattle eight years ago when a pit bull knocked her on her back and sunk its teeth into her forearm. She screamed as the pit bull crushed the bone in seconds. The experience shook her so strongly that she founded DogsBite, an organization that warns the public about breeds...
March 4, 2015
Dog attacks not a crime, but owners will pay
Sharon Coolidge | The Cincinnati Enquirer | Nationwide, from 2005 to the end of 2014, pit bulls killed 203 people in America and accounted for 62% of the 326 recorded deaths from dog attacks, according to the website DogsBite.org, a non-profit that says it puts people's safety first. Combined, the website found, pit bulls and rottweilers accounted for 74%...
March 2, 2015
Tom Loewy: Ryan Maxwell remembered by what we didn't do
Tom Loewy | The Register-Mail | That's what happened to Ryan Maxwell on March 2, 2013. He died in the jaws of a pit bull named Ghost ... Here are some plain facts about pit bulls, from dogsbite.org: 42 U.S. dog bite-related fatalities occurred in 2014. Despite being regulated in military housing areas and over 700 U.S. cities, pit bulls contributed to 64%...
February 23, 2015
Pit bull kills two-year-old girl near Pittsburgh
Associated Press | The Christian Science Monitor | According to the website DogsBite.org, which tracks "dangerous dog breeds": 42 U.S. dog bite-related fatalities occurred in 2014. Despite being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 700 U.S. cities, pit bulls contributed to 64% (27) of these deaths. Pit bulls make up about 6% of the total U.S. dog population...
February 11, 2015
Fatal Dog Attacks Reach Record High in 2014, Off-Property Attacks Surge and Other Annual Trends by DogsBite.org
DogsBite.org News Release | On February 11, DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, releases its 2014 annual dog bite fatality statistics. Last year, dogs inflicted 42 deadly attacks in the U.S., the highest ever recorded by the Texas-based nonprofit. On average, a fatal dog attack occurred every 8.7 days...
February 11, 2015
Rescued Pit Bulls Fight Stigma by Guiding People in Need
Associated Press | Lancaster Online | "There are over 100 dog breeds that are far more suitable to perform tasks for persons with disabilities than pit bulls, especially rescued pit bulls with unknown backgrounds," said Colleen Lynn, founder and president of DogsBite.org, a national group that tracks bites and works to reduce attacks through bans and other laws...
January 6, 2015
Time to ban pit bulls in B.C.
Bill Tieleman | The Tyee | The non-profit DogBites.org tracks fatal attacks and reports that between 2005 and 2013 pit bulls killed an astonishing 176 Americans - or one every 19 days - representing 62% of all dog bite deaths. Rottweilers, another fighting/guard dog, killed 33 in the same period, for a combined total of 74%. The website chronicles...
January 2, 2015
Metamora couple face February trial in dog mauling
L.L. Brasier | Detroit Free Press | Colleen Lynn, founder of DogsBite.org, a Texas-based nonprofit organization that tracks dog bites across the nation, said police and prosecutors in recent years are growing more aggressive in prosecuting owners of dangerous dogs. "We're seeing it in California, and now in Michigan," she said. The uptick is due, in part...
December 28, 2014
Pit bull and Rottweiler cross attacks 16-day-old baby in Victoria suburb of Saanich
Charlie Smith | Straight.com | According to the dogsbite.org website, pit bulls killed 176 Americans between 2005 and 2013, amounting to 62 percent of all canine-related deaths of human beings. Together, pit bulls and Rottweilers were responsible for 74 percent of the deaths over that nine-year period. The percentage rose to 81 percent in 2013...
December 3, 2014
Woman mauled by dogs at Plainfield home
John Barry | The Norwich Bulletin | According to a study of dog bite deaths from 2006 to 2008 in the United States published on dogsbite.org, Rottweilers contributed to 12 deaths, about 14 percent, making the breed the second most dangerous. Pit bulls contributed to 52 deaths, 59 percent of the total, the study says. Neighbor Deborah Longo said about three...
November 28, 2014
Dog-owner group to fight ban on pit bulls in Minot
Associated Press | Washington Times | Colleen Lynn, president of DogsBite.org, which advocates for breed-specific laws, said pit bulls aren't necessarily more likely to bite than other breeds. The issue, she said, is that their hold-and-shake style of biting when they do attack is unlike other dogs, "When they start an attack, they often don't stop," she said...
November 7, 2014
A Dangerous Dog Act of 2016?
Editorial | Merced Sun-Star | Dogsbite.org documented 32 fatalities in 2013. Of those, 78 percent were attributed to pit bulls. Statistics from California health authorities confirm that pit bulls are the breed most likely to bite people in California. But there’s little California communities can do to ban breeds that become a public menace – thanks to that prohibition...
November 6, 2014
Son saves mom from pit-bull attack but dies of injuries
Dave Marquis and Associated Press | USA Today | The son of a 77-year-old woman saved her from a pack of pit bulldogs but died after being mauled himself ... At least 32 people died last year from dog attacks, according to the nonprofit advocacy group DogsBite.org, based in Austin, Texas. Pit bull terriers accounted for more than three-fourths of those deaths...
November 4, 2014
Voters overwhelmingly back Aurora pit bull ban
Brandon Johansson | Aurora Sentinel | Colleen Lynn, a supporter of breed bans and founder of the group dogsbite.org, said she was happy with the outcome in Aurora ... Lynn said that while pit bull supporters are often very public and vocal in their support for the breed, there are many people who oppose the breed but don’t want to speak publicly about it...
October 31, 2014
Pit bulls can be deadly; hold owners accountable
Editorial | The Modesto Bee | The website dogsbite.org tracks death by dog, documenting 32 fatalities in 2013. Of those, 25 (78 percent) were attributed to pit bulls. Five were in California, and three resulted in criminal charges. The owner of a Stockton dog that killed has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. When four pit bulls in Littlerock killed...
October 28, 2014
Aurora's polarizing pit bull ban up for a vote
Nell London | Colorado Public Radio | Aurora voters will decide on Election Day ... That suits Colleen Lynn, founder of DogsBite.org, an advocacy group which supports restrictions on pit bulls. "We’d like to see more city councils putting it on the ballot," she says. "Our theory is that the majority of Americans don’t want to live next door to a pit bull."
October 27, 2014
Victims of Canine Attack Organize Week of Awareness and Remembrance -- November 9-15, 2014
AVOCA News Release | Awareness for Victims of Canine Attack (AVOCA) is organizing its first annual Canine Victims Awareness Week to take place November 9th to 15th, 2014 ... In 2013, 32 Americans (18 children and 14 adults) lost their lives to canine attack, according to non-profit organization DogsBite.org which has been tracking U.S. fatal dog attacks...
October 9, 2014
No criminal charges likely in dog attack on Detroit man
Eric D. Lawrence | Detroit Free Press | Colleen Lynn, founder of DogsBite.org, which is a national nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of dog mauling victims and their families, said she was horrified by Constantine's attack ... Lynn said her organization is advocating for a mandatory pit bull sterilization policy to be implemented nationwide...
September 29, 2014
"Pit Bull Hysteria" Is Based on Fact
Barbara Kay | Huffington Post (Canada) | But Clifton is completely transparent about his methodology, and the full particulars of every pit bull-linked fatality are available at Dogsbite.org. I invite Huffington Post readers to consult Clifton's latest editorial in Animals24-7, which details his entire investigative chronology and epidemiology-consistent research strategies...
September 19, 2014
Pit bulls and small children may be a dangerous mix
Editorial Board | Lancaster Online | Statistics from DogsBite.org bear this out: Pit bulls were responsible for 25 of 32 – or 78 percent of — dog bite-related fatalities in the United States in 2013; 23 of 38 fatalities (61 percent) in 2012, and 22 of 31 (71 percent) in 2011. Not every pit bull is dangerous. But if you’re an owner of a pit bull, consider these statistics...
September 19, 2014
Pitbulls remain a danger to humans and their pets
Julie Wall Letter to the Editor | PostBulletin.com | They are the all-time No. 1 killer of humans and other people's beloved pets. In 2013, thousands of beloved pets were killed by pit-type dogs. Between 2004-2014, 208 people have been killed by pit-bulls in the U.S., according to dog bite fatality statistical data collected and recorded by DogsBite.org...
August 29, 2014
Pit bulls: Why people love, and fear, this common breed
Tom Knapp | Lancaster Online | DogsBite.org reports that 25 of 32 dog bite-related fatalities in the United States in 2013 — 78 percent — were caused by pit bulls, compared to 23 of 38 fatalities in 2012 and 22 of 31 in 2011. The organization records two fatal attacks by pit bulls in Pennsylvania — in February 2010 and August 2011, both in Philadelphia...
August 17, 2014
In Cambridge, a pit bull named Sherlock triggers a rancorous showdown
Doug Erickson | Wisconsin State Journal | Other groups, such as DogsBite.org, recount study after study purporting to show that pit bulls bite, maim and kill at disproportionately high rates. It says more than 700 U.S. municipalities have adopted breed-specific bans since the mid 1980s, when pit bulls started becoming popular with the general population...
August 2, 2014
Another day, another mauling
Keith Magill | Houma Courier | Too bad the same logic is so infrequently applied to something that kills far more people — a breed called the pit bull, which one count says is responsible for 25, or 78 percent, of the 32 dog-bite deaths in the U.S. last year. Last Sunday, a Dulac woman suffered life-threatening injuries after her family pit bull mauled her...
July 27, 2014
Barry Lewis: Pit bulls are dangerous and should be feared
Barry Lewis | Time-Herald Record | A report published in the Annals of Surgery found that "one person is killed by a pit bull every 14 days, two people are injured by a pit bull every day, and young people are" ... The website DogsBite.org noted that in the first eight months of 2011, nearly half of the persons killed by a pit bull were the dog's owner...
July 20, 2014
Pit-bull bans controversial, but they work
Andy Davis | Wausau Daily Herald | The city of Antigo has been pit-bull-free for almost 20 years.
In 1995, the city hired an attorney who suggested that the city adopt an ordinance prohibiting the oft-maligned dogs from the city ... In the almost 20 years since it was adopted, Antigo has had no attacks, no maulings, and no dogs killed by pit bulls or other dogs...
July 7, 2014
Pit bull attacks leave lasting wounds, devastate families
Eric Veronikis | The Patriot-News | Colleen Lynn, founder and president of DogsBite.org, said Blouch's statement minimizes human life. The nonprofit started tracking vital human fatality statistics, along with 18 other factors, because the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention stopped tracking the data in depth in 1998, Lynn said...
June 20, 2014
The Problem With Pit Bulls
Charlotte Alter | Time | "Why do herding dogs herd? Why do pointing dogs point? They don’t learn that behavior, that’s selective behavior," says Colleen Lynn, president and founder of DogsBite.org, a national dog-bite-victims group dedicated to reducing dog attacks. "Pit bulls were specifically bred to go into that pit with incredible aggression and fight"...
May 29, 2013
Boy, 8, injured in attack by three pit bulldogs in Burke
Jessica Cooley | The Lufkin News | "He went to Memorial first and then on to Texas Children’s by ambulance," Roy said. "I know people say these dogs are so gentle and so sweet but if you do your research, you can see why pit bulls get the media attention they do." According to DogsBite.org, during the nine year period from 2005 to 2013...
April 27, 2014
A dogged breed
Wesley Muller | Enterprise-Journal | Colleen Lynn, an advocate for dog bite victims and founder of DogsBite.org, a website that compiles data on matters relating to dog attacks, says an animal’s genetics should not be completely discounted when it comes to decision-making regarding dog attacks. "They’re told all these myths, and they’re putting themselves...
April 10, 2014
Simpson County pit bull attack reignites ban debate
Dustin Barnes and Terricha Bradley-Phillips | The Clarion-Ledger | On March 31, 3-year-old Christopher Malone died after being mauled by two pit bulls in Holmes County ... Pit bulls account for the majority of fatal animal attacks in the country, according to data compiled by DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group that advocates...
April 3, 2014
Strict laws for dangerous dogs
Jeff Zeringue | The Daily Iberian | Because of this breeding, according to DogsBite.org, pit bulls have "enormous jaw strength" and attack using a "hold and shake" method. "They tend to attack the deep muscles, to hold on, to shake and to cause ripping of tissues," the website states. "Pit bull attacks were compared to shark attacks"...
April 1, 2014
Pit bulls attack 3 before being shot
Pauline Repard | U-T San Diego | The dogs all died after the barrage of gunfire on Petal Drive, near Dillard Street, about 8:30 a.m. ... Statistics compiled by DogsBite.org show that pit bulls were responsible for 25 of the 32 fatal dog bites in the United States last year. Bull mastiffs and German shepherds were each blamed for killing two people...
March 29, 2014
Railey: Why let these dogs keep maiming and killing?
John Railey | Winston-Salem Journal | Pit bulls killed 176 people from 2005 to 2013 and accounted for 62 percent of fatal dog attacks nationwide, according to the website DogsBite.org. The latest fatal attack came Tuesday in Louisiana, where a 4-year-old girl was killed by her family’s pit bull. Anecdotally, many of us know that pit bulls are trouble...
March 27, 2014
Pit bull attack unprovoked
Jordan Gribble | HoumaToday.com | Sudden attacks are a hallmark of pit bulls, said Colleen Lynn, founder and president of DogsBite.org, a nonprofit group that raises awareness about dangerous dogs, focusing particularly on pit bulls. "Unlike other dog breeds, pit bulls will attack without warning signals. It will always look like the attack is sudden ...
March 17, 2014
LETTER: Pit bulls still a problem
Pame Ashley Letter to the Editor | The Gasden Times | Pit bulls killed my dog. He suffered. I knew nothing of fighting breed dogs. I found DogsBite.org with links to hundreds of attacks. I wrote a commentary posted in The Gadsden Times armed only with the knowledge of my dog’s tortured death and DogsBite.org. I am part of a group organizing to demand laws protecting ...
March 13, 2014
Legislation would halt bans on dog breeds
Jeff Fox | Examiner | "From a city standpoint, we believe locally elected officials (should) have local control," said City Manager Robert Heacock. Dogsbite.org finds 47 Missouri cities that ban pit bulls -- a few also ban Rottweilers and Doberman pinschers...Dogsbite.org also says pit bulls accounted for 25 of the 32 fatal dog-bite attacks in the U.S. in 2013...
March 11, 2014
Attitudes and laws against pit bulls soften
Bill Draper | Associated Press | Colleen Lynn, founder of DogsBite.org, pointed to a friend-of-the-court brief her organization submitted in a 2012 case in which the Maryland Court of Appeals declared pit bulls "inherently dangerous." "Appellate courts agree with us. Doctors and surgeons agree with us. That is credibility right there," Lynn said...
January 31, 2014
BITTEN: Pit bulls and public safety
Jim Mathey Letter to the Editor | CDAPress.com | On Friday, Jan. 17, an experienced female Coeur d’Alene letter carrier was attacked and severely mauled by a pit bull while attempting front door mail service ... According to DogsBite.org, pit bulls are six percent of the dog population, but account for 78 percent of attack fatalities nationally. Twenty-five deaths...
January 20, 2014
DogsBite.org Releases Annual Dog Bite Fatality Statistics; Pit Bull Fatalities Rise in 2013 and Other Annual Trends
DogsBite.org News Release | On January 20, DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, releases 2013 dog bite fatality statistics. Of the 32 U.S. fatal dog attacks that occurred in 2013, pit bulls contributed to 78% (25) despite comprising an estimated 6% of the total U.S. dog population. This is a 28% rise from 2012...
January 16, 2014
Dog-bite victims speak out against bill to end breed discrimination
Ashley Stewart | Seattle Times | Colleen Lynn, part of Dogsbite.org, an advocacy group for dog bite victims, submitted written testimony to the hearing, "Cities need to be able to respond when they have a problem and this handcuffs them on an issue as basic as animal control," said Lynn, who was attacked by a dog in 2007. Appleton said that though the bill would...
January 10, 2014
Police push for pit-bull restrictions
Damian Mann | Mail Tribune | According to the website DogsBite.org, of the 251 fatal dog attacks in the U.S. from 2005 to 2012, 60 percent, or 151, were caused by pit bulls. Police Chief Tim George said he wants a local ordinance that will prevent attacks rather than existing laws that deal with the situation after the attack. George said officers have been bitten by pit bulls...
January 6, 2014
Police: 1 dead, 2 injured from dog attack in southeast Houston
Yang Wang | Houston Chronicle | Two pit bulls mauled a homeless woman to death and injured two men in southeast Houston ... Dog attacks killed 32 people in the U.S. in 2013. Pit bulls or pit-bull mixes were blamed for 25 of those deaths, according to DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victim group dedicated to raising awareness of the public health and safety issue.
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