When we talk about dogs, we can’t avoid the not-so-nice part that refers to the statistics of dog attacks on people. Many people avoid dogs for fear of attack, but is that fear really justified? Do you know how likely it is that something will happen to you because of a dog attack?
Due to the large number of dogs in America, there are many attacks and many of them, unfortunately, end fatally. However, statistics show that there are fewer attacks due to better human behavior, which results in better behavior of dogs.
To find out what percentage of attacks occur in America, which dog species are potential attackers, and many other responses, continue reading our article.
TOP 5 DOG ATTACKS ON HUMANS STATISTICS (EDITOR’S PICK)
- Approximately 4.5 million dog bites.
- Only 800,000 people that got attacked by dogs needed medical care.
- In the last 16 years, Pitbulls contributed around 67% of fatal attacks.
- Chances that you will die from a dog attack are 1 in 112,400.
- During the global pandemic, there was an increase in 300% of dog bites injuries.
12 DOG ATTACK STATISTICS ON HUMANS
1. Approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur in the United States each year.
Center For Disease Control (CDC) made research and revealed there are approximately 4.5 million dog bites every year in the United States. In 2019. The U.S. had approximately 328.2 million people, which means that dogs will bite 1 out of 73 people.
Source: www.caninejournal.com
2. Every 75 seconds in the United States dog bite humans.
Dog bite in the United States happens every 75 seconds, which represent a huge number of bites. According to general dog statistics, the U.S. has the largest number of dogs per capita, which revealed why dog bites will happen more often than in other countries.
Source: www.coloradoinjurylaw.com
3. Only 800,000 people that got attacked by dogs needed medical care.
According to research, from the 4,5 million dog bites that happen every year in the United States, only 800,000 people asked for medical help because of injuries. That means approximately 18% of people required medical help.
Source: www.caninejournal.com
4. Around 9,500 people are hospitalized because of dog bites each year
Compared to the number of 800,000 people that needed medical help, only 9,500 needed to be hospitalized because of a series of injuries. This is only 2 % and only a minimum number of them have been fatal.
Source: www.coloradoinjurylaw.com
5. From the period of 2005 to 2020. canines killed 568 Americans.
In the last 16 years, from 2005. , there have been 568 deaths because of dog attacks in the United States. 25 % of fatal dog attacks. Research said 25 % of those attacks were inflicted by different breeds that have been on chains.
Source: www.caninejournal.com
6. In the last 16 years, Pitbulls contributed around 67% of fatal attacks in the United States
According to dog attack statistics by breed, Pitbulls are responsible for around 67 % of fatalities because of attacks and injuries. From 2010 to June 2021, Pitbulls were responsible for 185 fatal dog bites from 430.
Another 41 attacks were some Pitbull mixes, and mostly had 60 % pit bull in their bloodlines, as well as some rottweiler or german Shepard.
Source: www.coloradoinjurylaw.com
7. 32% of all fatal attacks were on children from 0-4 years
The highest percentage of all fatal dog attacks was on children younger than 4 years, around 32 %. Only 5 % of the attacks were on 50-54-year-old humans. These statistics were no surprise as we know how small children don’t know how to protect themselves.
Source: www.coloradoinjurylaw.com
8. From all attacks by a dog, around 5,700 were U.S. Postal Service employees
It is not unusual to hear that a Postal Service employee is attacked by a dog. There is research from 2018 which reported 5,714 attacks on Postal Service employees. Compared to the year before, there was 500 less than in 2017.
Source: www.caninejournal.com
9. Chances that you will die from a dog attack are 1 in 112,400
There are many types of research that confirmed that the chance to die from a dog attack is very low, 1 in 112,400 humans will die from injuries.
Comparing it with other possibilities of death, human is more at risk to die from a cataclysmic storm about 1 in 66,335, in contact with hornets, wasps, and bees (1 in 63,225), space and air transport accidents (1 in 9,821), firearm discharge (1 in 6,905), choking from inhalation or ingestion of food ( 1 in 3,461), heart disease and cancer (1 in 7).
Source: www.coloradoinjurylaw.com
10. California is the state with the most fatal dog bites in the last 16 years
According to fatal dog bites statistics, from 2010 to June 2021, there were 48 deaths in California. Texas has 47, Floria 31, North Carolina 22, and in 5th place in Ohio with 21.
Source: www.coloradoinjurylaw.com
11. From 2019 to 2020. according to claim statistics, there was $796.8 million paid from insurance.
In the last 2 years, research on dog bite claims shows that insurance paid out $796.8 for dog-related injuries. The average cost per claim was around $44,760. Because California is on the top list of the states with the most fatal dog attack, there was most of the claims, about 2,3900 in 2019.
Source: www.coloradoinjurylaw.com
12. During the global pandemic, there was an increase in 300% of dog bites injuries.
According to research, during the global pandemic because of the Covid-19 virus, dog bite statistics increase about 300%. More people stayed at home which resulted in a lot more stress, which accumulated on dogs, as well.
Source: www.coloradoinjurylaw.com
To Sum Up
According to dog attacks on humans statistics from previous years, we can conclude that a person is very unlikely to die from a dog attack. The highest percentage of attacks comes from Pitbulls, but that does not mean that other dogs cannot attack, as well. Since children under 4 have the highest percentage of fatal dog attacks, it is important to be aware that they are not left unattended in the presence of dogs.
