by Mike Shannon
The below info-graphic (thanks to Ultimate Home Life) summarizes 2015’s dog bite-related statistics in numbers, aiming to raise awareness about how big of a problem this has become and motivate people to stand up and take responsibility to curb it before it goes out of hand.
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I think one statistic was left out: even according to the authors of the dog bite stats only one in three bites is actually reported. The 4.5 million people bit by dogs is only reported bites. Most aren’t reported because they are not that serious or because they occur within a family or between friends. So the real number of people bit by dogs yearly is likely three times higher or more.
How about the number of bites, or fatalities per 100K dogs of each breed? Because PBTs are so popular now, you might find that many other breeds rank higher (worse).
We have that data, which is easily calculated from the dog attack totals and breed population numbers included in our most recent annual update of “Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada, 1982-present,” accessible at Record 33 fatal pit bull attacks & 459 disfigurements in 2015. The current percentage of each breed of dog was determined from surveying 56,390,700 classified ads listing dogs for sale and adoption at web sites during July 2015. Similar surveys were done in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.
Approximately one pit bull in 1,540 will disfigure a person in any given year; one pit bull in 13,125 will kill a person. Amortized over a 10-year dog lifespan, one pit bull in 154 will disfigure a person; one pit bull in 1,313 will kill someone.
By comparison, among other molosser breeds, including Rottweilers, Presa Canarios, Cane Corsos, mastiffs, Dogo Argentinos, Fila Brasieros, Sharpeis, boxers, and their mixes, one molosser dog in 3,730 will disfigure a person; one in 12,816 will kill a person. Amortized over a 10-year dog lifespan, one molosser breed dog in 373, exclusive of pit bulls, will disfigure a person; one in 1,219 will kill a person.
Among the “wolf-like” breeds, broadly defined to include Akitas, German shepherds, huskies, Karelian bear dogs, Malamutes, Malinois, Shiba Inus, and wolf hybrids, one in 9,040 will disfigure a person; one in 30,333 will kill a person. Amortized over a 10-year dog lifespan, one “wolf like” dog in 904 will disfigure a person; one in 3,033 will kill a person.
Among all other dog breeds, one in 24,648 will disfigure a person; one in 129,630 will kill a person. Amortized over a 10-year dog lifespan, one non-pit, non-molosser, non-“wolf life” dog in 2,465 will disfigure a person; one in 12,963 will kill a person.
Thank you, that is good information.
What are the approximate stats on a pit bull that will maul or kill an animal? Or a pit bull that will maul or kill an animal and/or a human?
It would be rough estimations, of course. Its a way of gauging the mayhem that pit bulls cause. They don’t just kill people. They kill and maim livestock, and beloved pets too.
Based on the three years’ worth of data summarized in “Pit bulls killed 24,000 other dogs & 13,000 cats in 2015,” approximately one pit bull in 105-110 kills another pet, an equine, or a hoofed livestock animal in any given year. Amortized over a ten-year lifespan, the odds that a pit bull will at some point kill another pet, equine, or hoofed livestock are 100%. Of course some pit bulls live 10 years and never kill another animal, but many others live only two or three years and kill multiple times.
I think a different term should be introduced or added when referring to injury by dogs. The word “bite” is too weak and fails to include what the worst dogs are doing. “Dog inflicted injuries” more accurately addresses the problem without being too weak or strong and covers it all. People and animals aren’t suffering from just a bite anymore.
Very informative, and KaD is undoubtedly right as well.
A brave graphic, especially when it’s posted on UltimateHomeLife.com, a mainstream site that also contains pit bull apologist material. They will get savaged in the comments, but let’s hope they know that others appreciate this information getting out there.
I would really like to see additional breakdowns of maulings and death via dog by race and income.
It is possible that measured over several years, the poorest and the most disadvantaged are more likely to mauled or killed by dogs.
That way, when pit bull apologists claim that BSL is ‘racist’ against dogs, there might be an interesting and concrete rebuttal.
If its what is going on, it might eventually involve people working in different areas of governmental administration. Just an idea…
I would love to see the stats on the OTHER breeds besides pit bulls that were involved in the other 4499967 bites that occurred last year! More German shepherds and cattle dog breeds enter the shelter on bite quarantine, than any other breed. Dachshunds and Chihuahuas are also big bite risks… but no one says anything about these breeds…
We track fatalities and disfigurements. The complete data since 1982 is included in our most recent annual update of “Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada, 1982-present,” accessible at Record 33 fatal pit bull attacks & 459 disfigurements in 2015. The claim above that “More German shepherds and cattle dog breeds enter the shelter on bite quarantine, than any other breed” has not been true in more than 25 years. Pit bulls have led in fatalities and disfigurements in every year since 1982, and in bite impoundments at least since 2003. Dachshunds and Chihuahuas combined have been involved in seven disfigurements and one fatality since 1982; pit bulls in 2,889 disfigurements and 353 fatalities, as of this morning.
What year were you looking at… the last five years, particularly last year and the current year, shelters are literally GIVING AWAY Pits and Chihuahuas due to overcrowding… which IMO is the most irresponsible as releasing Zika-infected mosquitos into a high population area or Sarin gas in a subway tunnel. This is a breed/type of dog with over 400 years of breeding to attack without provocation or warning and to stay on the attack even when the target is dead.