Facts About Dog Bites

Dogs make wonderful companions and pets, but the fact of the matter is that some dogs bite. Dogs that are aggressive, untrained, unsocialized, ill or injured and even provoked may attack and bite at any time. Sometimes the bites aren't bad and cause little to no damage at all; however, sometimes the bites cause severe damage and can even be deadly. Learning the facts about dog bites helps make you a more responsible dog owner and will help you to prevent you and your dog from becoming one of those dog bite statistics.

  1. Neutered Dogs

    • The American Veterinary Medical Association states that dogs that have been neutered are three times less likely to bite than dogs that have not been neutered.

    Yearly Statistics

    • Over 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs in the United States each year, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Nearly 800,000 of these victims in the United States require medical attention. Of those, 386,000 require emergency treatment, and about 12 die.

    Children

    • Children between the ages of 5 to 9 years old are at the greatest risk of being bitten by a dog. These children are also at the greatest risk of being severely injured by the dog's bite. Younger children (ages 4 and under) are most often bitten in the head or neck area.

    Seniors

    • People ages 70 years and above make up 10 percent of dog bite cases yearly. These people make up 20 percent of dog bite fatalities.

    Prevention

    • Dog bites are preventable if the dog is trained and socialized properly, and if the owner is responsible enough to train the dog and follow dog laws.

    Most Frequent Victims

    • According to the Humane Society, small children, senior citizens and postal service carriers are the most frequent dog bite victims, in that order.

    Cost

    • In 2001, dog bites cost the insurance industry approximately $1 billion in home owner's liability policy payments, due to dog bites on home owners' properties.

    Bite Factors

    • A dog's tendency to bite depends on factors such as heredity, early life experience, socialization and training, health and the victim's behavior.

    Summertime

    • Dog bites occur most often in the warmer months, from June through August, when dogs and humans have the most time to come into contact with one another.

    Dog to Bite Ratio

    • One dog in 55 will bite a human and cause a serious injury within the course of a year, according to a study done by retired California State University professor Robert Plum.