If you are interested in some really disturbing figures on dog bites in our country, you need to check out https://www.dogsbite.org/ that has some statistics on bad dog behavior. According to the site, an authority on the subject matter, there are roughly 4.5 million dog bites injuries. Adding to this with a little detail, in 2015 dog bites:
- Caused approximately 28,000 surgeries to reconstruct the bodies of their victims,
- Accounted for more and a third of homeowner’s insurance claim dollars and,
- Residents that own more than one dog are five times as likely to have a dog bite occurrence.
You might ask, which breeds are the biggest offenders? If you’ve seen any news story about dog bites, you will not be surprised to learn the that Pit Bull is the leading offender. The term Pit Bull describes a family of breeds that are very similar such as the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Bull Terrier and a few others. These breeds are physically very similar with a medium sized muscular build but very different personalities ranging from loyal and intelligent in some with unpredictable aggressiveness in others. Between 2005 and 2016, these breeds making up the Pit Bull group, accounted for nearly 65% of all fatal dog bite incidents. Bad dog behavior is not limited to Pitt Bulls.
The chart below illustrates, by breed, the distribution of dog bites. The data shows that following Pitt Bulls are Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Malamutes and Huskies which possess similar traits of size and strength, territorial sense and loyalty to their owners. Their size and strength also makes them a real threat when they attack people and in particular those less equipped to defend themselves like kids and older adults.
Of the small dog breeds, the dachshund is the most likely biter and while small dogs very seldom cause fatalities, their bites can be very painful puncture wounds and can still cause tissue damage, blood loss and infection.
According to the Humane Society, the best way to avoid getting attacked by a dog include:
- Do not approach or touch a dog you do not know.
- If the dog’s body language has a tense stare or body, if the ears are engaged or the tail stiffened, stay away. This is dog for “I’m not sure about you and may need to do something”.
- Don’t turn around and run, this actually encourage the dog to pursue you.
- Avoid eye contact and rapid motion and,
- If a dog starts an attach, try to get an object like a jacket or a handbag between the dog and you.
Most dogs are just really good pets and friendly. Just be smart and safe and if bitten, call us to see if you need to take an action.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident and injured, you have our deepest concern and sympathy. Contact us at Accident Law Group to get a complete assessment of your case. We built our firm to help you build fight and win your case and make sure the rights you have under the law are protected.
Accident Law Group makes our very best effort to make sure that the news or informational sources that we report about or reference are correct and accurate. We can’t guarantee that every detail is complete or accurate. Our information is gathered by sources which we do not control. If any inaccuracy or error is found, we will do our best to correct any errant information as soon as possible.
