Dog Bite Statistics

Dog attack information and statistics page

This page is here to provide information on dog bite injuries and fatal dog attacks in Pennsylvania and in the United States.

Fatal Dog Attacks – US

A report of dog attack fatalities performed by dogbite.org demonstrates the exceptionally dangerous nature of pit bulls. According to the report, pit bulls make up between 2 and 9% of the total US dog population. The report recorded 88 fatal dog attacks between 2006 and 2008 in the US. Of these fatal dog attacks, 52, or 59% of the fatalities were the result of pit bull attacks. The disparity between the number of pit bulls in the US and the number of pit bull fatal attacks shows that pit bulls are inherently more dangerous than other dogs. The dogbite.org report indicated that Rottweiler were responsible for the second highest number of fatal dog attacks. The high incidence of fatal pit bull attacks and fatal Rottweiler attacks as reported by dogbite.org is consistent with the statistics reported in the Centers for Disease Control statistics as set forth below.

**Statistics on Fatal Dog Bite Attacks – 1979 – 1998**
Purebred Dogs	Number of Fatal Attacks
Pit Bull	66
Rottweiler	39
German Shepherd	17
Husky	15
Malamute	12
Doberman Pinscher	9
Chow Chow	8
Great Dane	7
Saint Bernard	7
Crossbred Dogs
Wolf-Dog hybrid	14
Mixed Breed	12
German Shepherd Mix	10
Pit bull Mix	10
Husky Mix	6
Rottweiler Mix	5
Malamute Mix	3
Chow Chow Mix	3
Doberman Mix	1
Saint Bernard Mix	1
Great Dane Mix	1

According to the dogbite.org report, there is an unusual variant in the fatalities caused by pit bulls as compared to other dogs. Pit bulls caused fatal injuries to a much higher percentage of adults in comparison to other dogs. This may be due to the nature of the interactions between pit bulls and adults, the nature of interactions between pit bulls and children, or perhaps a reduced frequency of pit bull interactions with children as compared to their interactions with adults.

Pennsylvania Statistics on dog bite injuries

Statistics on dog bite injuries in Pennsylvania can be found at the Pennsylvania Department of Health website. According to the report, compiled in 1999 and reporting dog bite injuries in 1995, there were 469 dog bite attacks resulting in inpatient treatment in Pennsylvania.

Children under the age of nine accounted for 31% of those hospitalized due to dog bite injuries. The incidence of dog bite injuries peaked in July and August. The leading type of injury from dog bites was open wounds and the most frequent area of the body injured was the face and head. Dog bite injuries requiring hospitalization averaged lengths of stays in the hospital of 3 days.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 4.5 million people suffer dog bite injuries every year. Approximately 885,000 of those injured by dogs require medical treatment. In 2006, over 31,000 people required reconstructive surgery for their dog bite injuries. Among children and adults, having a dog in the household is associated with a higher incidence of dog bites. As the number of dogs in the home increases, so does the incidence of dog bites. Adults with two or more dogs in the household are five times more likely to be bitten than those living without dogs at home.

The Department of Health study provides the following advice for preventing dog bite injuries:

Realistically evaluate environment and lifestyle and consult with a professional (e.g., veterinarian, animal behaviorist, or responsible breeder) to determine suitable breeds of dogs for pet consideration.
Dogs with histories of aggression are inappropriate in households with children.
Be sensitive to cues that a child is fearful or apprehensive about a dog and, if so, delay acquiring a dog.
Spend time with a dog before buying or adopting it.
Use caution when bringing a dog or puppy into the home with an infant or a toddler.
Spay/neuter virtually all dogs to reduce aggression. Dogs which have not been spayed or neutered can be up to three times more likely to bite than those which have been spayed or neutered.
Never leave infants or young children alone with any dog.
Properly socialize and train any dog entering the household.
Teach the dog submissive behaviors (e.g., rolling over).
Immediately seek professional advice (e.g., veterinarian, animal behaviorist, or responsible breeder if the dog develops aggressive or undesirable behaviors.
Do not play aggressive games with your dog (e.g., tug-of-war, wrestling).
Play and teach cooperative games and skills such as fetching or shaking a paw.
Teach children basic safety around dogs and review regularly:
- Never approach an unfamiliar dog.
- Never run from a dog and scream.
- Remain motionless when approached by an unfamiliar dog (e.g., be still like a tree.
- If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still (e.g., be still like a log.
- Never play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.
- Immediately report stray dogs, or dogs displaying unusual behavior to an adult.
- Avoid direct eye contact with a dog. Do not disturb a dog who is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
- Do not pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.
- If bitten, immediately report the bite to an adult.

Contact a dog bite attorney today at 724-774-0999

From offices in Center Township, Aliquippa, law offices of Palmieri & Matvey, P.C. serves the personal injury and estate administration needs of Western and Southwestern Pennsylvania including the communities of Aliquippa, Center Twp, Beaver, Ambridge, Baden, Beaver Falls, Bridgewater, Chippewa Twp, Conway, Coraopolis, Cranberry Twp, Economy, Ellwood City, Freedom, Harmony, Hopewell, Leetsdale, Midland, Monaca, Moon Twp, New Brighton, New Castle, Patterson Twp, Pittsburgh, Rochester, Shippingport and Vanport; as well as Beaver County, Allegheny County, Washington County, Butler County and Lawrence County and other areas of Western PA.