Biting Dogs

Five million people are bitten annually. Eight hundred thousand people needing medical
attention with one thousand admitted to the hospital emergency costing over $1 billion per
year in medical costs. Twenty six attacks resulted in deaths per year. (See also murdering
dogs)

The median age of patients is fifteen years with boys ages 5-9 most common. Over half of
children are bitten in the face. A majority of biting incidents happen at home or in a
familiar place. The statistics for the U.S. Postal service is 2,851 mail carriers were bitten
by dogs in 2006. There are no statistics found for the psychological trauma due to dog
attacks experienced by both victims and witnesses, but photographs of victim's wounds
are enough to give us nightmares. Both physical and psychological scars are long lasting.

Postal Worker Stories: "One day while delivering mail a lady came out on the porch with her dog
to get the mail from me. The dog started barking so I stopped in my tracks waiting for the lady to
put the dog back in the house. She said to me, "Don't worry, my dog doesn't bite." About the time
she finished saying this the dog turned and took a bite out of her leg. I had to hand the mail to her
and walk away quickly before she saw me laughing."

For excellent information on dog aggression and the law see: www.dogbitelaw.com

What YOU can do:
1) Report aggressive dogs to police or animal control.
2) Be aware of prevention tips. www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/biteprevention.htm
3) Educate your children regarding dog dangers. Teach them never to approach an
unknown dog and to be cautious and respectful around dogs they do know.
4) Lobby for stronger laws that protect citizens from biting dogs and bad owners.
5) Bad dog owners: don't be stupid enough to leave your dogs alone with your babies.

The Centers for Disease Control studies dog bite incidents, including the types of dogs most
likely to bite. The order of high risk breeds are: Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, German Shepherds,
Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, Doberman Pinschers, Chows, Great Danes, Saint Bernards,
Akitas. Dogs that have not been spayed or neutered are three times more likely to bite.

Currently, the only remedy authorities can figure out is prevention training - put the
responsibility on the victims rather than the dog owners and their animals. Some states have
"first bite rule" which basically lets the bad dog owners and dogs off the hook - they are not
legally liable if the dog has no history of biting. This ordinance was written in the 1800s. It
would be nice if legal authorities were functioning in our own era.

Vicious or aggressive dogs are usually allowed in city limits as long as they are on a leash or
confined in a pen. How many times have you heard stories about the dog who broke its
chain? Gnawed through its rope? Dug out of its kennel or fenced yard? Not acceptable.
Vicious dogs are a menace to the community and should not be allowed within city limits.
As Matthew Ridgeway of Victims of Domestic Animal Attacks and Noise (VODAAN)
recently observed, "We all know that we don't keep bears for pets because of their
danger to us. A dog in my view is a small bear."

Is there a reason an animal capable of biting, maiming, and killing with these kinds of
statistics is living among us as pets? The most common reaction heard from bad dog
owners AFTER their dog has bitten someone is, "My dog doesn't bite." You could have
blood spurting out of a body part, with the dog still attached, and they would still say, "My
dog doesn't bite."