10+ Dog Bite Statistics For 2023 (Casualities & Breeds)

Dog Bite Statistics - BringJacksonHome

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In the United States, there are approximately 89 million dogs, and 4.5 million dog bites occur annually, with children receiving at least half of those bites.

There is a huge number of people visiting emergency rooms who are dying because of a fatal dog bite. 

People are still not aware of how they can save themselves from severely getting injured by a dog. Hence, about an estimated 885000 people were in need of critical medical care as per a study between 2001 to 2003.

We shared a few Dog Bite Statistics to understand the fluctuating numbers of dog fatalities in the U.S.A. over the years.

So, without any further ado, let’s get into the details.

Top Dog Bite Statistics: Overview

Dog bites pose a significant health concern to our society and local communities. 

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, over 4.5 million individuals in the United States are bitten by dogs every year, and over 800,000 of them need medical attention (CDC). 

Children make up at least half of those who are a bit. But to understand these facts in deep, additional information regarding dog bites is provided below:

1. Probability of Dying from a Dog Bite 

The probable number of people dying from a Dog Bite is less than people dying from heart disease, Falling, Lightning, car accidents, or sometimes a bee or mosquito sting.

Probability of Dying from a Dog Bite 

Dog attacks or bites are not often deadly, as only 1 in 118,776 people die from a Dog Bite. 

Source: www.mkplawgroup.com

2. Number of Dogs as Domestic Pets

The number of dogs kept as domestic pets in the U.S.A. is about 89.7 Million. According to the total population of the U.S.A., it will be one dog for each individual in the U.S.A.

Number of Dogs as domestic pets

Source: www.mkplawgroup.com

3. Severely Suffered

The number of individuals who suffer from dog bites annually. This is the last and most quoted count from a 1994 CDC report. 

Severely suffered

More recently, a randomized survey carried out between 2001 and 2003 found that approximately 4.521 million people experienced dog bites annually.

Source: pubmed.gov

4. Dog Bite Victims That need critical Medical Care totaled 885,000.

In contrast to what was seen in the 1994 survey, there was a considerable (47%) drop in the incidence of dog bites among children, notably among boys and among those aged 0–4 years. 

Dog bite victims that need critical medical care

In contrast, the incidence of dog bites among adults remained mostly stable.

An estimated 45,21 300 people have been bitten annually between 2001 and 2003. 

885,000 of them (or 19%) needed medical attention. Children to have a dog bite treated medically.

Dog bites continue to be a hazard for public health in the US, impacting 1.5% of the population yearly.

Despite the fact that a comparison to comparable data from 1994 reveals that kid bite rates are declining, there still seems to be a need for efficient preventative initiatives.

Source: pubmed.gov

5. Visits to Emergency Rooms because of Dog Bites for the Ages of 5 to 9 

The most recent 2018 annual count of emergency room visits for dog bites was 344202.

Dog Bites for the Ages of 5 to 9 

Children between the ages of 5 and 9 were mostly affected by it, as the number of children affected was 31,552.

Source: cdc.gov

6. 26% of Dog Bite fatalities of Children between 0-2

Based on a 13-year period, victims of deadly dog attacks were most often children between the ages of 0 and 2. Hence, the highest fatality rate revolves around the Age of infants.

dog bite fatalities of children between 0-2

This study from DogsBite.org is a survey of reported US dog fatalities from the 13-year duration of studies. (2005-2017).

Source: dogsbite.org

7. 900+ Emergency Room Visits Because of dog bite

 The Journal Of pediatrics calculated the number of dog bites in the period of 2019-2020, which was acquired from a study. 

 Emergency room visits because of dog bite

According to that, the average rate of everyday emergencies room has gone over 900 cases because of fatal Dog Bites in the U.S.A.  

Source: Science Direct

8. Dog Bite Casualties by The breeds that bite most often 

Most breeds over 45 are most likely to bite humans fatally. We’ve included the top 10 dog breeds from the category of deadly biters.

Plus the number of deaths that occurred and the total percentage of biting incidents.

BreedDeaths% of Total
Pit Bull28465.6%
Rottweiler4510.4%
German Shepard204.6%
Mixed-Breed173.9%
American Bulldog153.5%
Mastiff or Bull Mastiff143.2%
Husky133.0%
Unknown breed112.5%
Labrador 92.1%
Boxer71.6%

9. Where do critical dog bites arise the most? 

According to the study, Texas and California experience fatal dog attacks at a substantially higher rate than any other state.

However, other states also have their fair share of fatal injuries by Dog Bites along with Texas and California. 

So, to understand the number of dog bite cases arising in different states in the U.S.A., let’s check out the chart below. 

This chart includes fatalities by state and the number of attacks from the year 2010 to June 2021.

1. The Most Number of Fatalities Were recorded in the following states

States in the United StatesFatalities
California48
Texas47
Florida31
North Carolina22
Ohio21
Georgia20
Oklahoma14
South Carolina14
Michigan13
Arizona10

2. The least number of fatalities were recorded in the following states

States in the United StatesFatalities
Chicago1
Colorado1
Dist. Of Columbia1
Porter, Texas1
Rhode Island1
Wyoming1
Alaska2
Delaware2
Hawaii2
Kansas2

Source: PetComments.com, en.wikipedia.org, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

10. Dog Bite casualties according to Age and gender

There were 430 fatalities in the U.S.A, according to a study on dog bite fatalities from 2010 to 2021.

Hence, out of those 430, the following chart displays the average number of fatalities by different age groups and genders.

Age GroupsNumber of FatalitiesFemaleMale
0 to 4 1376176
5 to 9  42933
10 t0 14725
15 to 19211
20 to 24752
25 to 291037
30 to 341284
35 to 391082
40 to 4416106
45 to 4921129
50 to 54231310
55 to 59221210
60 to 64241410
65 to 6920137
70 to 7418144
Over 75553520
Unspecified4N/AN/A

Sources: Pet Comments.com , en.wikipedia.org , ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How to protect yourself from dog bites?

The dog owner or the experiences the dog has had can often foretell a dog’s behavior. Also, numerous pets have experienced some form of cruelty or neglect, and these are the dog breeds that bite or fight.

That’s why we keep emphasizing how crucial it is always to use caution when near pets you don’t know.

For starters, avoid making eye contact with an aggressive dog, and keep calm. Plus, avoid inciting canines to attack.

Dogs are more likely to attack when they are frightened, ill, or hurt. So, getting in touch with someone who can give them the attention they need rather than approaching or moving them is better.

Lastly, fortunately, municipal governments frequently impose limits to protect citizens.

We have also covered the detailed article on lost dog statistics.

Related read;

Final Verdict: Dog Bite Statistics (2023)

Even while there are risks associated with owning a dog as a “family pet,” just 0.0004% of dog attacks in the US, where there are more than 89 million dogs, result in fatalities. 

As we saw, the majority of victims are babies and young children.

Dogs are terrestrial, so keep your dog on a leash at night or if your child might be left unsupervised if you are bringing a baby or young child home.

The elderly and infants are the age group most frequently targeted by fatal dog attacks. Keep your dogs indoors if you have senior visitors.

Also, never attempt to break up a dog fight between two dogs; you can get bitten.

Hopefully, you have grasped the facts and figures related to the Dog Bite Statistics. Hence, if you’ve liked the information given above and found it helpful, leave feedback in the comments below. 

FAQs

Five safest dog breeds you can rely on?

These are the safest dog breeds you can rely on to be calm
Labrador,
Golden retriever,
Irish setter,
Beagle,
Border Collie.

Which specific dog breed bites the most and is ranked #1?

Pit Bull is said to be the most dangerous dog breed when it comes to biting fatally.

Which region has the highest number of dog fatalities?

California has the highest number of fatalities than other regions.

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