Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories behind the Statistics
It is difficult to find accurate bite statistics. Some of the reasons are listed below.
“Pit bull type dogs” are sometimes blamed for attacks that occur by other breeds
The circumstances surrounding the attacks is not included
The conditions in which the dogs were kept prior to the attack are not included
Unless it was a fatality, the severity of the bite is often not included
In writing about researching her book, Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics, Karen Delise, Director of Research for the National Canine Research Council, wrote “My study of fatal attacks occurring over the past five decades has identified the poor ownership/management practices involved in the overwhelming majority of these incidents: owners obtaining dogs, and maintaining them as resident dogs outside of the household for purposes other than as family pets (i.e. guarding/ protection, fighting, intimidation/status); owners failing to humanely contain, control and maintain their dogs (chained dogs, loose roaming dogs, cases of abuse/neglect); owners failing to knowledgably supervise interaction between children and dogs; and owners failing to spay or neuter resident dogs not used for competition, show, or in a responsible breeding program”(1).
Delise also said that she found that in the many cases, those filing the reports, including animal control officers, police officers and others, were not sure the breed of the dog that had attacked. Also, the breed of dog most often blamed for fatal attacks has changed throughout the years.
For that reason alone, dog bite statistics about a certain breed cannot be taken as fact, because those reporting the incident admit that they are often not sure of the breed involved.
Still, even to take the bite statistics at face value means, as mentioned above, that pit bulls are to blame for an average of 3 fatalities per year. Taking into consideration there are at least 10 million pit bulls in the country, it is impossible to draw a
“Pit bull type dogs” are sometimes blamed for attacks that occur by other breeds
The circumstances surrounding the attacks is not included
The conditions in which the dogs were kept prior to the attack are not included
Unless it was a fatality, the severity of the bite is often not included
In writing about researching her book, Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics, Karen Delise, Director of Research for the National Canine Research Council, wrote “My study of fatal attacks occurring over the past five decades has identified the poor ownership/management practices involved in the overwhelming majority of these incidents: owners obtaining dogs, and maintaining them as resident dogs outside of the household for purposes other than as family pets (i.e. guarding/ protection, fighting, intimidation/status); owners failing to humanely contain, control and maintain their dogs (chained dogs, loose roaming dogs, cases of abuse/neglect); owners failing to knowledgably supervise interaction between children and dogs; and owners failing to spay or neuter resident dogs not used for competition, show, or in a responsible breeding program”(1).
Delise also said that she found that in the many cases, those filing the reports, including animal control officers, police officers and others, were not sure the breed of the dog that had attacked. Also, the breed of dog most often blamed for fatal attacks has changed throughout the years.
For that reason alone, dog bite statistics about a certain breed cannot be taken as fact, because those reporting the incident admit that they are often not sure of the breed involved.
Still, even to take the bite statistics at face value means, as mentioned above, that pit bulls are to blame for an average of 3 fatalities per year. Taking into consideration there are at least 10 million pit bulls in the country, it is impossible to draw a