Dog Bite Statistics


There are approximately 4.7 million dog bites per year in the U.S. and about 800,000 of those dog bites require medical attention. Most of these injuries are to children. The majority of injuries to children occur in the face, head and neck areas. Dog bites are a greater health problem for children than measles, mumps, and whooping cough combined. The majority of dog bites occur in the vicinity of the dog owner's property. Dogs who have not been neutered are more than 2.6 times more likely to bite than neutered dogs. Male dogs are 6.2 times more likely to bite than female dogs.

(Source: Center for Disease Control)

Dog bites have increased 37-percent in the last 10 years. Nearly 4.5 million dog bites occur each year. About 334,000 victims receive their medical care in an emergency room, at a cost of over $100 million per year. 46.1-percent of these cases were categorized as "urgent" when triaged in the emergency room. Dog bite treatment payments are higher than average emergency room visit costs due to the ragged nature of many lacerations, infection risk and the large number of bites that require rabies treatment. For each dog bite fatality there are about 670 hospitalizations, 16,000 emergency room visits and 21,000 other medical visits and 187,000 non-medically treated bites. Children are the most frequent victims. Children are most frequently bitten in the face, neck, and head area. (They often incur serious facial damage that requires plastic surgery). Boys ages five to nine are at the highest risk. Dog bites accounted for more emergency room visits than playground injuries; for more visits than injuries from bikes, mopeds, ATV's, inline skating, skateboards-combined. Most dog bites were reported to have occurred in or near the owners home 334,000 new dog bite cases treated in ER's each year (this number does not include follow-up visits).

(Source: Center for Violence and Injury Control, Allegheny University of the Health Sciences)


In one study 75 percent of the dogs had not been involved in a previous bite or attack. 77 percent of the dogs were male. 68 percent of the dogs were unneutered males. Only 50 percent of the dogs had been vaccinated for rabies, in the cases where the dog could be identified.

(Source: Texas Department of Health Study)

Dog attacks cost society about $1 billion each year. Homeowner claims paid in dog bite cases cost insurance companies about $250 million each year. The cost of liability claims from dog bites has tripled in the last nine years, and is growing at about two-percent per year. The National Association of Independent Insurers (NAII) supports mandatory spay/neuter laws to make dogs less aggressive and reduce attacks. State Farm Insurance alone processes more than 14,000 dog bite claims each year, and pays more than $80 million in liability claims. Some insurance companies are refusing to insure owners of certain breeds. State Farm Insurance has instead of redlining, created an education program for pet owners and parents. Many dog bite victims receive no assistance, however, as many owners of dangerous dogs carry no insurance.

(Source: Insurance Information Institute)

The United States Postal Service created Dog Bite Prevention Week in 1997 to fight dog attacks to postal workers. Dogs bite about 7,000 USPS mail carriers each year. The United States Postal Service advocates spaying and neutering of dogs, obedience training and leash law enforcement to protect its mail carriers.
 

Kraft & Associates

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Please direct general business inquiries to:
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nmaki@kraftlaw.com