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View a list of news reports that cite our dog bite fatality statistical data and other quotations from DogsBite.org, including: Forbes, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, The Toronto Star and more.
May 11, 2021
Fire sparks police search for father of baby killed by dog
Dave Collins | AP News | A baby was fatally mauled by the family’s dog in Connecticut, leaving relatives grieving and first responders shaken, police officials said Tuesday ... From 2005 to 2019, dogs killed 521 Americans, an average of 37 per year, and two-thirds of the fatal attacks involved pit bulls, according to DogsBite.org, a nonprofit group that tracks dog bites...
May 3, 2021
Scott Underwood column: Don't underestimate danger of dogs
Scott Underwood | The Herald Bulletin | According to the neighbors and police, the dogs had never caused problems before. But we do know this: Children are often the target of dog attacks. And the attacking dogs are often pit bulls. According to dogsbite.org, from 2005 through 2019, 521 Americans died from dog attacks. Pit bulls were responsible for 346...
April 29, 2021
North Carolina girl dies in dog attack; mother severely injured
Scott Underwood | The Herald Bulletin | The Tuesday attack happened when Heather and Jayden were helping take care of two pit bulls while the owners ... According to dogsbite.org, from 2005 through 2019, 521 Americans died from dog attacks. Pit bulls were responsible for 346 of the deaths. Historically, children ages 0-4 are the age group most often victimized.
April 28, 2021
7-year-old girl dies after dog attack in Garner, mother remains hospitalized
Mark Schultz and Ashad Hajela | The News & Observer | According to dogsbite.org, a public education website about dangerous dog breeds, there have been at least seven fatal dog bites this year so far nationwide. Last year, there were at least 46. Between 2005 and 2019, pit bulls accounted for two-thirds of the deaths reported in the United States, according to the website.
January 20, 2021
Man Mauled by Three Pit Bulls At Kentucky Park Left 'Pretty Chewed Up'
Jason Murdock | Newsweek | Kentucky man has said he was left "pretty chewed up" after being surrounded and attacked by three pit bull dogs while out walking ... According to DogsBite, a victims' organization that is dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, pit bulls contributed to 66 percent (346) of the 521 Americans who were killed in canine attacks...
January 20, 2021
Pit bulls in recent Tortosa mauling had attacked before
Jay Taylor | inMaricopa.com | Pit bulls have many devoted fans but plenty of other people, including Clark, see them as dangerous dogs, though not always that way ... In 2019, the most recent year for which statistics are available, there were 48 dog bite-related fatalities in the United States, according to DogsBite.org, a public education website about dangerous dogs...
December 14, 2020
14-year-old boy killed Thursday by dog at Otter Tail County breeder identified
Echo Press | According to dogsbite.org, in 2019, the were 48 dog-bite related fatalities in the U.S. Of those deaths, 77% involved pit bulls or Rottweilers. Only two of those deaths resulted from attacks involving German shepherds. Between 2005 to 2019, only 22 of 521 total dog-bite related fatalities resulted from German shepherds attacks...
December 11, 2020
Northwestern Minnesota boy found dead, apparently attacked by family dog
Forum News Service | A 14-year-old boy found dead Thursday appeared to have been killed by the family dog in rural Battle Lake, according to the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office ... A website called DogsBite.org keeps track of fatal dog attacks in the United States and information on the page indicates that so far in 2020 there have been more than...
November 20, 2020
Florida Man Mauled to Death by Roaming Pack of Stray Dogs
Jason Murdock | Newsweek | In July this year, DogsBite, a national victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, said it had recorded a total of 48 fatal dog attacks ... "In 2019 canines killed 48 Americans, the highest annual count on record. Several other new records were also set in 2019: victims in the 30-49 age group outnumbered...
November 7, 2020
Breed-specific dog laws prohibited in Connecticut
Eric Bedner | Journal Inquirer | While pit bulls are responsible for more fatal attacks each year compared to other breeds, there are conflicting opinions about whether the breed is inherently more violent ... According to DogsBite.org, a website created by activist Colleen Lynn, at least 433 U.S. citizens were killed by dogs between 2005 and 2017...
October 26, 2020
Family's dog turns ‘vicious' and kills infant as parents slept, Virginia police say
Mark Price | The News & Observer | An infant was attacked and killed by a family dog early Monday as both the child's parents slept, according to police in Hampton on the Virginia coast ... There were 48 "dog bite-related fatalities" in the U.S. in 2019, reports Dogbite.org. The fatalities included 13 children, 10 of whom "were ages 0-2 years old," the site says.
October 26, 2020
Baby Mauled to Death by Parent's Pet German Shepherd
David Child | Newsweek | An infant in Virginia was mauled to death by its parents' pet dog on Monday, local police said ... Throughout the wider U.S., at least 38 other people were also killed by canines this year, according to DogsBite.org, a public education website that tallies reported attacks by dogs. The National Center for Biotechnology Information...
September 6, 2020
Thousands of pit bulls run the streets, and many end up as pets
Andrew Boryga and Eileen Kelley | Sun-Sentinel | In August, two rescued pit bulls found their way into the homes of two Broward families. One of the dogs attacked two young children, scarring their faces. Another mauled an 84-year-old woman to death ... Colleen Lynn, who runs a nonprofit dog bite victims group Dogsbite.org, has spent the last decade conducting research...
August 31, 2020
Letter: Independence should keep its ban on pit bulls
Dr. Elizabeth Baker | The Examiner | According to a comprehensive study, pit bulls account for at least 65% of all fatalities from dog attacks in the United States. (dogsbite.org, May 2018, "U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities: Breeds of Dogs Involved, Age Groups and Other Factors over a 13-Year Period"). This study also indicates that there is an extremely small number...
August 26, 2020
International Dog Day 2020: 6 most dangerous dog breeds in the world
DNA India | American Pit Bulls are one of the most dangerous dogs and have been banned by many countries in the world. This medium-sized, intelligent, short-haired dog, is one of the most dangerous ... According to a data by DogsBite.org, in the 13-year period of 2005 to 2017, canines killed 433 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 66% (284) of these deaths...
July 16, 2020
Nonprofit Releases 2019 Dog Bite Fatality Statistics - Attacks and Adult Victims Rise and Trends from the 15-Year Data Set
DogsBite.org News Release | Austin, TX, July 16, 2020 --(PR.com)-- DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, releases 2019 U.S. dog bite fatality statistics. Last year, canines inflicted 48 deadly human attacks, the most recorded in a single year. There were over 2.5 times as many victims ≥ 10 years old (35) than child victims...
June 17, 2020
Henderson Will Consider Stronger Dog Ordinance
Karl Jeter | Teche Today | Police Chief Leroy Guidry is asking the town council to consider amending the existing dog control ordinance ... The non-profit organization DogsBite.org publishes records of reported dog bite incidents across the country. According to their data, in the 14-year period of 2005 through 2018, dogs killed 471 Americans. Pit bulls or pit bull mixes...
May 14, 2020
Chicago woman found mauled by her own dogs and it wasn't a French bulldog
Cheryl Hanna | Pet Rescue Report | A Chicago woman was found mauled to death in her home last Saturday by at least one of her three dogs ... DogsBite.org firmly dispels media headlines stating a "French bulldog perpetrating this attack." There is also no factual information to prove Blue Bear had been a fighting dog nor rumors he had been mistreated ...
May 11, 2020
Man Kills U.S. Postal Service Mail Carrier After Vicious Dog Warnings Issued
Phyllis M. Daugherty | CityWatch | Angela Summers, 45, was shot in the chest just before 4 p.m. on April 27 on North Denny Street in east Indianapolis, according to an affidavit by U.S. Postal Service Inspector ... DogsBite.org reminds us, "Cushingberry-Mays literally threw his entire life way by killing Summers in cold blood over a dispute that began with a dog"...
April 16, 2020
Pit Bull Euthanized After Mauling Texas Woman, Killing Her
Lorenz Duchamps | NTD | A Texas woman who was hospitalized late last month with critical injuries following an attack by a stray dog she took into her home several days before the attack died on April 12 ... In a 13-year analysis, DogsBite.org says that of 433 fatal dog attacks in the United States, pit bulls contributed to 66 percent, or 284 deaths...
April 13, 2020
Armando Coronado arrested after Goleta dog attack
Greg Buff | The Legal Advocate | 24-year-old Armando Coronado, age 24, of Goleta was arrested after two dogs broke through a fence and viciously attacked a neighbor on Sunday ... According to DogBite.org, there were 36 dog bite-related fatalities in the U.S. in 2018. Pit bulls make up about 7% of the total U.S. dog population. During the 14-year period...
February 26, 2020
Pit bull population overwhelming shelters, contributing to attacks
Joe Dana | 12 News Phoenix | The I-Team analyzed county dog bite records that reveal pit bulls contribute to hundreds of more incidents annually compared to other breeds ... Nationally, the nonprofit DogsBite.org tracks reports of dog attacks in the U.S. and estimates that over a 14-year period between 2005 and 2018, canines killed 471 Americans...
February 19, 2020
Plainfield man dies after dog attack injuries
Brian Stanley | Bugle Newspapers | A Plainfield man died after being attacked by a family pit bull earlier this month. Devin J. White, 25, died late on Feb. 10 at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, according to Plainfield Police ... Data provided by DogsBite.org indicates pit bulls were responsible for two-thirds of the 471 fatal dog attack nationwide from 2005 to 2018...
February 10, 2020
Letter: As I See It: Stressing the danger of pit bulls
Larry Giantonio | Daily News of Newburyport | The pit bull owners who try to defend these dogs are not in touch with reality ... bloodhounds follow scents, retrievers retrieve, pointers point when they find the pheasant that has been gunned down, and pit bulls attack, maul, and kill ... just a few of the headlines, stories, and pictures from just three days on DogsBite.org...
January 16, 2020
Breed Ban Advocates Say Pit Bull Population Will Explode If Ban Lifted In Denver
Jeff Todd | CBS Denver | As a Denver City Councilmember looks to repeals the decades-old breed ban on pit bulls, advocates for the ban are warning the city of unintended consequences ... "You lift that ban and the breed of these dogs is going to explode," said Colleen Lynn, the founder of Dogsbite.org ... pit bulls as a breed represent 66% of human deaths...
January 15, 2020
Data shows where fatal dog attacks occurred in the Houston area over the last 20 years
Rebecca Hennes | Houston Chronicle | Texas and Houston are ranked as some of the worst areas for dog bites and fatal dog attacks in the nation ... Approximately 36 fatal dog attacks were reported nationwide in 2018, according to the nonprofit public education website DogBites.org. Between 2005 and 2017, the nonprofit recorded 433 deaths caused by dogs...
January 10, 2020
Pit bull killed after man found dead in Rockcastle County, KY
Mike Stunson and Karla Ward | Lexington Herald Leader | Police charged a woman late Friday with murder after she allegedly let her pit bull attack a man who died ... A 2019 report from DogsBite.org showed pit bulls were attributed to 66 percent of dog bite fatalities from 2005 to 2017. Pit bulls were responsible for 311 of the 471 deaths, the report showed...
December 30, 2019
CA Hits Record High in Fatal Dog Attacks in 2019 -- Are Animal Control Policies Protecting Us?
Phyllis M. Daugherty | CityWatch | CBS2 also found the OC shelter drugged dozens of dogs, supposedly to calm them. Bernstein commented, "The worst possible scenario is if you had a bite dog that is being sedated to fool a prospective adopter" ... Colleen Lynn, founder of DogsBite.org states that "Extremely poor shelter policies contributed to four deaths in 2019"...
November 10, 2019
TOTAL BULL? Aurora looks at ending breed ban, allowing forbidden 'pit bulls' back in
Quincy Snowdon | The Sentinel | Among the proposed changes is nixing the city's divisive ban on pit bulls ... Colleen Lynn, founder of the Texas-based website dogsbite.org, which advocates for pit bull-specific legislation and bans, disagreed ... "I don't know why you would like to become like the rest of the U.S. where these injuries are staggering and growing" ...
November 5, 2019
Bay City police investigate what led to woman being killed by her pit bulls
Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com | Police are continuing to investigate what led to a Bay City woman being mauled to death by one or more dogs ... Dogbites.org, a nonprofit based in Austin, Texas, released a study in 2018 regarding fatal dog attacks on humans in the U.S. The study reports that from 2005 through 2017, dogs killed at least 433 Americans...
November 4, 2019
Pit bull attacks we can't forget, Shaquille O'Neal helps a victim
Phyllis M. Daugherty | CityWatch | Katy Todesco would be 16 years old now if a Pit Bull-mix in Simi Valley, CA, just north of Los Angeles, had not stolen her life ... Colleen Lynn of DogsBite.org writes, The Simi Valley police did not release information about Katya Todesco until six days after she was attacked and three days after she was pronounced...
October 31, 2019
Hazel Park family had pit bull less than a day before deadly attack on boy
Frank Witsil | Detroit Free Press | The mom turned her back on her sweet, 4-year-old boy just for a moment. And that, police said, is when Bolo, the pit bull, pounced ... DogsBite.org urges people to avoid startling a sleeping dog, or disturbing a dog while it is sleeping, petting a dog without letting it see you, putting your face near a dog, and turning...
October 24, 2019
Rally held for pit bull victim awareness day
Ann Emmerich | WILX | "After my own attack, I wanted to make my community safer. Even if I could only make it one step closer to a safer community. That is an important distinction and also the reason why most of us are here today. We are seeking common sense legislation to protect public safety," said Colleen Lynn, founder of Dogsbite.org...
October 16, 2019
Prince George's County takes step towards dropping pit bull ban
Scott Broom | WUSA9 | "There are at least 10 peer-reviewed dog bite studies published in medical science journals since 2009 that show a higher frequency of pit bull injuries than all other breeds of dogs in retrospective reviews of level I trauma centers," concludes a review of studies by DogsBite.org. "Pit bull bites were implicated in half of all surgeries..."
October 7, 2019
Ford government rethinking Ontario's ban on pit bulls
Rob Ferguson | The Toronto Star | Attorney General Doug Downey's office confirmed that "the government is considering all options with regards to the Dog Owners' Liability Act and breed-specific legislation" ... The Texas-based website DogsBite.org says it has tracked more than 370 fatal attacks by pit bulls in the United States since 1998...
September 19, 2019
Letter: Equal Opportunity Triumphs Over Safety with New Dog Ordinance
Beverly Johnson | The Star-Herald | It took an extreme level of investigative journalism to fully expose the tentacles of this lobby and the energy and funding it applies to generate propaganda opposing BSLs. La Presse, a Canadian newspaper, accomplished this task, however. The expose is documented on DogsBite.org. One participant in the lobby...
September 6, 2019
Dog Escapes, Mauls Another Dog to Death in Newton
Jenna Fisher | Patch.com | An advocacy group started by a woman who was attacked by a pit bull, found on average nearly two-thirds of all fatal dog attacks in the U.S. are because of pit bulls. The victim advocacy group DogsBite.org, which supports banning the breed altogether, also said it found that last year pit bulls, rottweilers and mastiff-type guard dogs...
July 17, 2019
Commentary: Aggressive dogs
Marshall A. Mays | The WS Chronicle | The facts are that during a 13-year period from 2005 to 2017, dogs killed 433 Americans. Pit bulls accounted for 284 of these deaths. Dogs have been selected to have certain traits. The manner in which dogs communicate with each other and with people is probably influenced by the desired trait a dog is selected to manifest...
July 16, 2019
360° Perspective: Breed-Specific Legislation
Elizabeth Watts | KOAA | Dogsbite.org says from 2005 to 2018 canines killed 471 Americans. Pit bulls making up 66 percent of the deaths. They support the ban saying it's a proactive policy that can help. They also support other methods like spay and neuter and prohibiting felons from ownership. Some Coloradons support the ban...
July 11, 2019
Pit Bulls That Killed Woman's Dog Captured, Owner Arrested and Charged
Zachary Stieber | NTD | In a 13-year analysis, the website says that of 433 fatal dog attacks in the United States, pit bulls contributed to 66 percent or 284 deaths. Rottweilers, the second on the list, inflicted 10 percent of attacks that resulted in human mortality, the report says. German shepherds accounted for 4.6 percent of fatal attacks. Mixed-breed dogs...
July 9, 2019
Aurora councilman wants to eliminate the city's pit bull ban, but not everyone agrees
Tom Mustin | The Denver Channel | Dogsbite.org cited hospital research studies that showed a higher rate and severity of injuries coming from pit bulls than any other dog breed. Earlyne Winters is not surprised. She says she and her three Schnauzers support the current ban on pit bulls. "They would be dessert for the pit bulls..."
June 17, 2019
Pit Bull Attack Victims - Who Speaks for Them?
Phyllis M. Daugherty | CityWatch | Why isn't the safety of law-abiding humans and their pets equally, or more, important to politicians? ... U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities: Breeds of Dogs Involved, Age Groups and Other Factors: Statistical information gathered by DogsBite.org is verifiable through news reports and other criteria. A Fatality Citations section documents...
May 13, 2019
Opinion: Why it matters pit bull was involved in St. Lucie Humane Society dog attack
Gil Smart | Treasure Coast Newspapers | It's been several days since Christine Liquori died and we still don't know much about the dog that killed her ... Dogsbite.org, which tracks cases of dog bite/maulings, reports that in the 14-year period from 2005 to 2018, dogs killed 471 Americans -- and pit bulls contributed to 66 percent (311) of those deaths...
May 10, 2019
Nonprofit Releases 2018 Dog Bite Fatality Statistics and Trends from the 14-Year Data Set (2005 to 2018)
DogsBite.org News Release | Austin, TX, May 10, 2018 --(PR.com)-- DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, releases 2018 U.S. dog bite fatality statistics. Last year, dogs inflicted 36 deadly attacks. Pit bulls inflicted 72% (26) of these deaths, over 8 times more than the next closest breed, "mixed-breeds," with 3 deaths...
March 24, 2019
Texas Woman Mauled to Death by Pet Pit Bulls
Tom Ozimek | The Epoch Times | A Texas woman has died after being mauled by her two pet pit bulls at an Irving veterinary facility, according to police ... DogsBite.org's fatality report identified breeds of dogs involved in U.S. attacks between 2005 and 2017, with pit bulls being implicated in 66 percent of all fatal attacks. Studies linking breed types to numbers...
February 1, 2019
Baby-sitting Cape woman receives 4 years in prison in toddler death
Mark Bliss | Southeast Missourian | A Cape Girardeau woman has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the dog-mauling death of a 13-month-old girl she was baby-sitting ... Colleen Lynn, founder of DogBites.org, a public education website about dangerous dogs, chiefly pit bulls, told the Southeast Missourian...
January 23, 2019
Schlaginhaufen: Advice on aggressive dogs was wrong
Melanie Schlaginhaufen | The Roanoke Times | I noted the Nov. 6 Megan Maxwell article, "Overzealous playful pets," was renamed "Not all dog bites are aggressive" in your online version, and had a disclaimer at the end of the article. As as dog trainer for more than 35 years ... You can find information on other victims as well as tips on dog/child safety at www.dogsbite.org...
January 18, 2019
‘All we want is justice,' brother says after pit bulls kill Joshua Tree woman
Brian Rokos | The Press-Enterprise | A 70-year-old resident of Joshua Tree died Wednesday, Jan. 16, when she was mauled by four dogs that belonged to people she was trying to evict from her property, and the victim's brother ... Dogsbite.org, a website highly critical of vicious dogs and their owners, says pit bulls killed 284 people in the U.S. from 2005 to 2017...
December 20, 2018
'Not just a breed issue': Wrightstown pit bull owners fight vicious dog ordinance
Haley BeMiller | Green Bay Press-Gazette | Animal rights activists and others are divided over policies that single out particular breeds — often pit bulls. Proponents of these laws point to the severity of their bites and contend they're more dangerous. According to DogsBite.org, pit bulls were responsible for nearly 66 percent of fatal dog attacks from 2005 to 2017...
October 17, 2018
Are pit bulls a dangerous breed?
Chris Mullen | WUSA9 | After a tragic incident in SE Washington, D.C. over the weekend, a husband is mourning the loss of his wife after their family pet attacked her. Police say the dog was a pit bull. The Humane Rescue Alliance says it's a mixed breed ... Finding pit bull facts is a challenge ... But there is one website that does attempt to track the data: dogsbite.org...
October 16, 2018
Siskiyou County woman dies in September dog attack
Jim Schultz | Redding Record Searchlight | A 74-year-old Mount Shasta area woman died early last month after being attacked by her family's pet dog, the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office confirmed Tuesday ... Citing a sheriff's office report it obtained, a nonprofit group which operates the website, DogBites.org, that lists dog attacks throughout the nation...
September 13, 2018
America's Most Dangerous Dog Breeds [Infographic]
Niall McCarthy | Forbes | These days, dog attacks still regularly make news headlines and according to more recent research conducted by a national victims' group dedicated to increasing awareness of the problem, the breeds responsible have not changed too much. DogsBite.org's 13-year fatality report identified breeds of dogs involved in U.S. attacks...
September 6, 2018
Pit bull mauls new owner to death TWO WEEKS after adoption
Jennifer Dzikowski | CrimeOnline | A Maryland woman died Monday after officials say she was mauled to death by a pit bull she had adopted only two weeks prior ... According to Dogsbite.org, an organization that tracks canine-related fatalities, between 2005 and 2017, "pit bulls killed 284 Americans, about one citizen every 16.7 days."
August 30, 2018
Group wants to end breed-specific dog bans in area communities
Kimberly Barker | The Joplin Globe | In 2007, Colleen Lynn was jogging in her hometown of Seattle when she passed a leashed pit bull with its owner ... Her organization cites a study indicating that dogs killed 433 Americans from 2005 to 2017, and nearly 66 percent of those fatalities were caused by pit bulls and more than 10 percent...
August 2, 2018
Five Pit Bulls Maul Philadelphia Toddler to Death
Shane Croucher | Newsweek | According to dogsbite.org, on average nearly two-thirds of all fatal dog attacks in the U.S. are committed by pit bulls. In the 13 years to 2017, pit bulls were responsible for 65.6 percent of fatal dog attacks, or 284 in nominal terms. In second place were rottweilers at 10.4 percent, responsible for 45 deadly attacks...
August 2, 2018
Dangerous Animal Ordinance Discussed in Forest City
AJ Taylor | KIOW | According to DogsBite.org, a 13 year study was done regarding the correlation between dog bites and resulting deaths. According to the survey which spanned from 2005 to 2017, there were 284 deaths or 65.6% that resulted from pit bull attacks. Rottweilers were second with 10.4% or 45 deaths. The remaining 108 deaths involved...
July 7, 2018
Editorial: Pit bull danger all too real
Herald Staff | Boston Herald | Unfortunately, the breed is not conducive to living in populated areas. Too often, a sweet pit bull turns into a vicious pit bull. Yes, other breeds bite as well, but pit bulls are far more destructive than the competition. According to dogsbite.org, "During the 13-year period of 2005 to 2017, canines killed 433 Americans. Two dog breeds..."
July 4, 2018
Opinion: Before you vote, read about severe pit bull attacks
Julie Wall | Springfield News-Leader | Before voting on the amended pit bull ordinance, please visit NationalPitBullVictimAwareness.org and DogsBite.org. These websites track the daily severe pit bull attacks on people and pets nationwide. Read about the many families who have regretted bringing a pit bull-type dog into their home because of an unprovoked...
June 29, 2018
Looking back at pitbull attacks
Amandala | Pit bulls can be very dangerous animals. According to dogbite.org, 39 Americans died last year due to dog bites, and 29 of these bites (74%) were from pit bulls. During a 13-year period (2005-2017), 433 Americans were killed by dogs; 284 of these attacks were by pitbulls. Belize has seen a number of attacks by pit bulls. A look at past news articles...
June 19, 2018
Our Views: Pit bulls deserve their bad reputation
Editorial board | Gazette Extra | They are a dangerous breed, and blaming owners alone for vicious attacks by pit bulls does a disservice to public safety. Pit bulls account for the vast majority of fatal dog attacks, causing 71 percent of fatalities between 2011 and 2017, according to the victims group, DogsBite.org. That's up from 56 percent between 2005 and 2010...
May 31, 2018
Miami Baby Mauled to Death by Pit Bull While Sitting in Bouncy Chair
Ewan Palmer | Newsweek | An 8-month-old baby girl has died after being mauled by a pit bull at her grandmother's home in Florida ... According to dogsbite.org, on average nearly two thirds of all fatal dog attacks in the U.S. are committed by pit bulls. The advocacy group also claim that between 2005 and 2017, 27% (116) of all fatal dog attack victims...
May 30, 2018
Baby girl, 9 months old, killed by pit bull while she sat in a bouncy chair
Carli Teproff, David J. Neal and David Smiley | Miami Herald | Miramar police say Liana, who liked to watch cartoons and eat sweet potatoes, was killed by a pit bull ... Nationally, an average of 33 people are killed each year in canine attacks in the United States, according to dogsbite.org, a victims' advocacy site that culls media reports and public records...
May 16, 2018
Why do pit bulls attack? The answer is complicated
Wesley Muller, John Fitzhugh And Anita Lee | Sun Herald | Pit bulls make headlines when they attack humans because the injuries they inflict are typically severe and sometimes fatal ... Colleen Lynn, founder of DogsBite.org, said people often adopt dogs from rescue groups that have little or no information on the history of the dogs ... Mioton and Lynn agreed its irresponsible...
May 10, 2018
Dogged by discrimination: Regionwide effort targets problem dogs and owners, not breeds
Bob Kasarda | NWI Times | DogsBite.org, of Austin, Texas, claims pit bulls are responsible for 66 percent of the 433 people in this country who have died from dog attacks between 2005 and 2017. "It's reasonable for local governments to place restrictions on a class of dogs that statistically cause more harm to humans, especially children, when they attack," said Colleen Lynn...
May 3, 2018
Nonprofit Releases Multi-Year Report: U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities Over a 13-Year Period; Breeds of Dogs Involved, Age Groups and Other Factors
DogsBite.org News Release | Austin, TX, May 3, 2018 -- DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, releases a multi-year U.S. dog bite fatality report. From January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2017, canines killed at least 433 people. The majority of these victims were ages 10 and older. The 9-page report examines...
April 23, 2018
'Ban Pit Bulls' Flyers Alarm LA Pro-Pit Bull Activists
Phyllis M. Daugherty | CityWatch | The flyers advise, "In 2017, pit bulls killed 38 humans, 13,000 dogs, 5,000 cats, 20,000 farm animals," and "Pit bulls were originally bred to kill bulls and bears" ... He interviewed Colleen Lynn, a Pit Bull-attack victim herself, who now heads Dogsbite.org, and publishes statistics from dog-bite reports nationwide. She was not surprised...
April 15, 2018
Editorial: Unleash efforts to regulate pit bulls
Herald Staff | Boston Herald | And that is just a snapshot of a few local pit bull attacks. Nationally, a "pit bull attack" Google search will yield a tsunami of results. When are we going to stop pretending? ... The statistics prove that the breed is just too dangerous. According to dogsbite.org, "39 U.S. dog bite-related fatalities occurred in 2017 ... pit bulls contributed to 74 percent..."
April 4, 2018
Woman who almost lost hands in pit bull attack: ‘Don't blame the breed'
Melissa Hipolit | WTVR | Dr. Cotterell took an artery from Thomas' leg to replace the damaged arteries in her arms ... Cotterell said most of the serious dog bite wounds they see at the hospital are caused by pit bulls. According to the numbers on the website dogsbite.org, roughly two-thirds of people who died due to the dog bites between 2005 and 2017, were bitten by pit bulls...
March 17, 2018
Boyle column: Pit bull attack gets personal this time
John Boyle | Citizen Times | These days, I see it all happening in slow motion, again and again. But when it occurred, the attack came so quickly and furiously that both my wife and I were simply stunned ... The statistics, which pit bulls lovers ignore or discount, do not lie. Here are just a few, compiled by Dogsbite.org (visit their website for documentation and citations)...
February 28, 2018
Nonprofit Releases 2017 Dog Bite Fatality Statistics and Trends from 13-Year Fatality Data Set (2005 to 2017)
DogsBite.org News Release | Austin, TX, February 28, 2018 --(PR.com)-- DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, releases 2017 U.S. dog bite fatality statistics. Last year, dogs inflicted 39 deadly attacks. Pit bulls accounted for 74% (29) of these deaths, the highest annual death count on record for the breed...
February 4, 2018
Are pit bulls man's best friend or too dangerous?
Zach Barrett | News-Press Now | There has been a longstanding wariness by the public regarding pit bull breeds, but the issue arose again recently when a controversial ad was released discouraging the adoption of pit bulls ... Colleen Lynn created the website Dogbites.org in 2007, and it features dog bite stories and statistics. Lynn believes that the owners of pit bulls...
January 28, 2018
Across metro Denver, pit bull bans have been on the books for years. Now, one community might change that.
John Aguilar | Denver Post | Castle Rock this week will wade into an issue that has vexed metro Denver for decades — should the town lift its ban on pit bulls ... Colleen Lynn, founder of DogsBite.org and the victim of a pit bull attack, said it's not a question of whether other breeds bite too. It's a matter of how much more severe a pit bull's bite is, she said...
January 12, 2018
Death By Dog: 7 People Who Have Been Mauled In The Last Year
Sowmya Krishnamurthy | Oxygen | The dog is known as man's best friend but millions bite their owners and other people each year. CNN reported in 2016 that about 4.5 million dog bites occur each year. Sometimes these attacks can turn fatal. According to DogsBite.org, there were 31 fatal dog attacks in 2016. Pit bulls contributed to 71% of these attacks...
January 2, 2018
Dog Fans Got One Child-Biter Spared; Now They Want the Next One Saved, Too
Jim Schutze | Dallas Observer | By agreeing to spare one dog that had attacked a child, the city weakened its moral and legal authority ... For the other side of that story, I urge you to visit the website of a group called DogsBite.org ... The site posts videos used as courtroom evidence in Canada to show that rehabilitation of vicious pit bulls is a myth...
November 28, 2017
Sergeant Bluff City Council defines options on pit bull ban, defers decision
Ian Richardson | Sioux City Journal | Sergeant Bluff City Council members heard mixed views Tuesday on whether the city's pit bull ban should be kept ... many in the department support keeping the ban, pointing to a statistic on the website DogsBite.org that states pit bulls have accounted for approximately 64-65 percent of dog bite fatalities...
November 1, 2017
The dangerous dog debate
Scott Nolen | AVMA.org | Around 7 p.m. on June 17, 2007, Colleen Lynn was making her way through her Beacon Hill neighborhood in Seattle on a final training run for an upcoming half-marathon. Ahead, a woman walking a dog on a leash stepped off the sidewalk and onto the parking strip with the dog so Lynn could pass. But, as Lynn neared...
October 27, 2017
She's an 'awesome, awesome dog'. And a pit bull mix. Want to adopt her?
Deke Farrow | The Modesto Bee | DogsBite.org is a nonprofit "dedicated to putting the safety of humans before dogs." It runs a "public education website about dangerous dog breeds, chiefly pit bulls." Citing news reports and other criteria, the site reports that "in the 12-year period of 2005 through 2016, canines killed 392 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to...
October 26, 2017
NightSide – The Pit Bull Debate Continues
Dan Rea, Nightside | WBZ | After the tragic killing of a seven-year-old boy over the weekend, members of the Lowell City Council voted last night to look into possible ways for the city to put extra restrictions on pit bulls. Lowell City Councilor Rodney Elliot joins Dan in studio ... also Colleen Lynn, founder of DogBites.org, talks about what the data shows...
October 24, 2017
Time For a B.C. Ban on Pit Bulls
Bill Tieleman | The Tyee | So far this year, fatality reports compiled by advocacy group DogsBite.org show pit bull or mixed-pit bull breeds contributed to 19 deaths. Between 2005 and 2016 there were 392 dog attack fatalities in the U.S., with 65 per cent per cent, or 254 of them, involving pit bulls, the group reports. That's why October 28 is Pit Bull Victim Awareness Day...
October 23, 2017
'It's my baby. It's my baby': Two pit bulls fatally maul 7-year-old boy in Mass., authorities say
Travis M. Andrews | The Washington Post | They're also banned from all military bases in the United States for being a "dangerous dog breed." From 2005 to 2015, pit bull attacks caused 232 deaths, which accounted for 64 percent of all deaths caused by dog bites during that decade, according to the nonprofit organization DogsBite.org. But some argue...
September 17, 2017
Pit bull advocates inundate council inbox before public hearing on breed ban
Alissa Zhu | Springfield News-Leader | A volunteer from an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit called DogsBite.org forwarded an article from a plastic surgeon that talked about the severity of pit bull bites. "The very existence of a non-profit organization to provide comfort and support to children mauled by dogs speaks volumes about a growing public health issue,"...
August 29, 2017
Nature or nurture: Debate over pit bulls growing on social media
Emily DeFeciani | WRGB | Colleen Lynn, President of the nonprofit website DogsBite.org, warns against deciding on a pit bull for a family pet. She calls them "zero margin of error dogs," with a bite that means life or death. "It's designed to inflict maximum damage, and they will continue attacking until death or intervention," she said. Lynn's organization advocates...
July 20, 2017
'Potentially dangerous' pit bull banned from Redondo Beach
David Rosenfeld | Daily Breeze News | A Redondo Beach pit bull deemed potentially dangerous after attacking two dogs in the neighborhood three times has been banned from the city, but its owners are fighting the decision ... Pit bulls and rottweilers also accounted for 76 percent of all fatal attacks reported over a 12-year period from 2005-16, according to DogsBite.org...
June 13, 2017
Police chief, city issue public statement on pit bull ban
Brent Shatto - Estherville Police Chief, Estherville News | It is a fair statement to say that pit bulls are a breed apart and their bark is not worse than the bite. Most canine breeds will give warning before attacking either by barking or growling ... The national statistics on www.DogsBite.org speak volumes. While pit bulls make up only 6 percent of all dogs in the US...
June 3, 2017
After fatal pit bull attack, when will we do something about this vicious breed?
Kerry Dougherty | The Virginian-Pilot | Last week, a Virginia Beach woman, just three months away from her 91st birthday, died ... By the time rescue workers arrived, the woman's intestines were on the floor, Linda told me. Her mother's arms were mangled ... Nationally, about 30 to 40 people die every year from dog attack. DogsBite.org, a nonprofit that tracks dog attacks...
May 13, 2017
Boyle column: Sorry, but some dog breeds are dangerous
John Boyle | Citizen Times | I've written several articles in the past about the dangers of aggressive dogs, particularly pit bulls, and regular readers know I'm not a fan of the breed. Here's why: In 2016, the United States saw 31 dog bite-related fatalities, and pit bulls contributed to 71 percent of the deaths, while making up just 6 percent of the total U.S. dog population...
May 9, 2017
Preliminary Report: Heart attack killed man injured by dogs
Mitch Sneed | The Outlook | Family members have been told that preliminary autopsy results show a heart attack was the likely cause of a Dadeville man's death ... Colleen Lynn, founder and president of dogsbite.org said that hearing that a heart attack may have occurred in this incident often happens in incidents involving dogs. "Thankfully there will be an autopsy...
April 26, 2017
Dayton dog mauling death fuels pit bull debate
Cornelius Frolik | Dayton Daily News | The mauling death of a Dayton man on Tuesday has rekindled the debate about if pit bulls pose more of a threat ...
Canines may partly be a product of their environment, but pit bulls were bred to fight and are capable of inflicting much more severe injuries than other types of dogs when they attack, said Colleen Lynn, founder of Dogsbite.org...
April 2, 2017
New Breed of Police Dogs: Pit Bulls
Tawnell D. Hobbs | The Wall Street Journal | But pit bulls, which are banned in some big cities, such as Denver, or under restrictions in others, have their opponents. "It's how they attack that make them so dangerous," said Colleen Lynn, a victim of a pit bull attack who runs DogsBite.org, and who opposes using pit bulls as police dogs. "Most dogs bite and release..."
March 24, 2017
Pit bull debate renewed after baby killed by family dog
Scott Broom | WUSA | The President of Calvert County's Board of Commissioners says he's in favor of exploring ways to restrict pit bull dog ownership in after an 8-month-old child was killed by his family's dog Thursday ... There were 31 fatal US dog attacks in 2016, according to DogsBite.org, which tracks incidents nationally. Seventy-one percent were linked to pit bulls...
March 24, 2017
'Almost Unspeakable': Maryland Community Mourns After Baby Killed in Dog Attack
Chris Gordon | NBC Washington | "This is one of the worst tragedies that our community has suffered in such a long time. It's almost unspeakable. It's a very, very close, tight-knit community," said Calvert County Commissioner Tom Hejl said ... According to dogsbite.org, there were 31 dog-related deaths nationwide in 2016. Twenty-two of those deaths...
March 16, 2017
More on Pits and the Pit Bull Cult
Gene Lyons | Arkansas Times | Reality being that pit bulls are responsible for the vast majority of fatal human attacks in the U.S. It doesn't matter if I'm an old man who will die soon, as several pit cultists told me ... The website DogsBite.org "recorded 31 fatal dog attacks in 2016. Pit bulls contributed to 71 percent (22) of these deaths, just over 7 times more..."
March 15, 2017
Pit bull ban will remain in Liberal
Elly Grimm | Leader & Times | "There are a number of cities across the country that ban pit bulls, and one of the things I want you to pay attention to in making your decision is the in-house statistics and national statistics. In one of the pie charts provided, titled 'DogsBite.org,' that is data extracted from throughout the country in a period of study from 2005 to 2015...
February 21, 2017
Nonprofit Releases 2016 Dog Bite Fatality Statistics and Trends from 12-Year Dog Bite Fatality Data Set (2005 to 2016)
DogsBite.org News Release | Austin, TX, February 21, 2017 -- DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, releases 2016 U.S. dog bite fatality statistics. Last year, dogs inflicted 31 deadly attacks. Pit bulls accounted for 71% (22) of these deaths, just over 7 times more than the next closest dog breed...
February 21, 2017
Is it time to ban pit bulls?
Priscilla DeGregory, Natalie Musumeci and Danika Fears | New York Post | Nasty, snarling menaces -- or loyal, lovable dogs? ... "They were selectively bred to execute the killing bite -- to attack without warning," said Colleen Lynn, who runs DogsBite.org. "No growl, bark, or direct stare, and they will continue until death. Those are the three keys that make them more dangerous..."
February 13, 2017
Lake should restrict or scrutinize pit bull adoptions
Lauren Ritchie | Orlando Sentinel | Big changes are in store for the Lake County Animal Shelter, which slowly is making a switch to what's called a "no-kill" facility ... Unfortunately, that's going to be a tough job in a county whose shelter often is bursting at the seams with pit bulls and mixes, the dogs responsible for 64 percent of deaths by mauling...
February 3, 2017
'Not adoptable' pit bull bites man in face at Lake shelter
Jason Ruiter | Orlando Sentinel | Despite being called "aggressive" and "not adoptable," a 52-pound pit bull named Pluto on Thursday bit the face of a man considering adopting the dog during a visit to the Lake County Animal Services shelter, according to records and county officials ... In 2015, pit bulls were responsible for 28 of 34 dog bite-related deaths...
January 18, 2017
Owner of dogs who killed 1 child, critically injured another charged with involuntary manslaughter
Jonathan Andrews and Rebekka Schramm | CBS 46 | According to the CDC, more than 4 million dog bite incidents occur each year. Of those attacks, 800,000 people will have to go to the hospital and half of those are children. According to dogsbite.org, a non-profit group that tracks dog attacks, more than 300 people were killed by dogs in the years 2005 through 2015...
January 11, 2017
Pima animal shelter dropping dog breed labels on cages
Kim Smith | Green Valley News | The next time you rescue a dog from the Pima Animal Care Center you'll have to guess what breed you're adopting. The animal shelter will no longer label dogs by breed ... "A lot of people can ID pit bulls. They're all over the Internet, they get promoted a lot," Lynn said. "People go to shelters and pick them out..."
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