Posted on May 17, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

Family Shares Account After Dog Survives Violent Pit Bull Attack; Layla is Currently Recovering

Layla is on the mend after surviving a violent pit bull attack on May 9, 2024.

DogsBite.org - On May 9, we received a request to help a family whose German shorthaired pointer, Layla, was attacked by an off-leash pit bull. The dog grabbed Layla by the chest and shook. She also sustained multiple injuries on her right back side, requiring stitches and draining tubes. She now wears an extra-large recovery cone. Layla turned 5-years old in April. The family set up a "comfy corner for her," and they all slept together on an air mattress to keep her from trying to jump on and off furniture.

Hi Colleen,

Our German Shorthaired Pointer was just attacked by a pit bull today. So many stitches, sutures, and three tubes draining her chest. My wife survived the attack because of her and managed to escape with a minor puncture wound and scratches on her hand.

All she was doing was walking at the front of our neighborhood, when she heard a woman scream, and to my wife's horror, she saw a pit bull charging at her as fast as it possibly could go.

There were several people that saw the entire thing and tried to help break the grip, but it wasn't until a much larger man came and forced his hands into the jaws to pry the mouth off our dog. If you're familiar with this pointer breed, they have very narrow chests. This pit bull grabbed my poor dog by its chest and shook it. My wife said that she won't ever be able to unhear the screams coming from my dog.

The owner, a woman living in a house by herself, unable to properly care for the animal, let her small-framed daughter walk this dog and risk the lives of the members in our community.

I know you've heard these stories before, but I just wanted to get ours out there. Not that our story is particularly unique, but I will say that it is alarming that we have been unable to get law enforcement or animal control to appear at our home to file a report. This happened at 1:00 pm Eastern time today, and it's likely that this dog will have to go on another walk. We're a little shocked that there isn't more urgency, considering the immediate risk that the animal poses to our neighborhood.

We noticed the email thread was much longer than just the recent attack. When we scrolled to the bottom, we saw that our last exchange was 11 years ago. That correspondence was about a Cesar Millan episode, where he helped "rehabilitate" problem pit bulls owned by reformed gang members. One was a "blue-nosed pit bull named Monster" that lived up to his name by jumping on guests and stealing food off the dinner table, according to the description of the show, "Homeboys and Hounds."

At that time, the father shared concerns about Millan advocating "complacency around pit bulls" to his followers, many of whom practiced his dog training advice like a religion. The father owned a pug then, who would not have survived the attack that Layla did. A pit bull shaking a small dog by its chest is nearly always fatal. We reminded the father then, "Cesar says whatever Cesar wants to say," and that he has also been honest about bull breeds in the past, as he was during a 2006 episode.

“Yeah, but this is a different breed … the power that comes behind the bulldog, pit bull, presa canario, the fighting breed. They have an extra boost. They can go into a zone, they don’t feel the pain anymore ... So if you are trying to create submission in a fighting breed, it’s not going to happen. They would rather die than surrender. If you add pain, it only infuriates them ... to them pain is that adrenaline rush, they are looking forward to that, they are addicted to it … That’s why they are such great fighters.” He goes on to say: “Especially with fighting breeds, you’re going to have these explosions over and over because there’s no limits in their brain.” - Season 3, episode 4, The Dog Whisperer

One decade later, he experienced a pit bull attack firsthand, or rather his wife did. "My wife said that she won't ever be able to unhear the screams coming from my dog." Several people witnessed the attack and fortunately, one intervened, "a much larger man came and forced his hands into the jaws to pry the mouth off our dog." One of the witnesses gave them a note: "My husband and I witnessed the off-leash pit bull attack your dog. Please call me if you need anything. I hope your dog is okay." ☹️

layla is recovering after violent pit bull attack

Layla is recovering after a violent pit bull attack that occurred on May 9, 2024.

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: 4-Day Old Newborn Dead After 'Apparent Dog Bite' in Greene County, Tennessee

A 4-day old infant is dead after an "apparent dog bite" on Monday in Greene County, Tennessee.

Infant Dies After Dog Bite
Greenville, TN - A 4-day old infant is dead after an “apparent dog bite,” the Greene County Sheriff's Office said. The infant was taken to Greeneville Community Hospital at about 10:30 am Monday. The newborn was then flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment. The Regional Forensic Center said it could not confirm the cause of death pending the official autopsy results. The sheriff's department is investigating, along with the state's Department of Children's Services.

Scannerfood, a Facebook Page that reports findings from public safety scanner channels, wrote: "Greene Co, Tn - 4 day old baby dies after dog attack Monday Night. Child was flown by helicopter but succumbed to injuries. Incident reportedly occurred 3000 blk of Lonesome Pine Trail. The dog involved was reportedly a Husky." This kicked off an active thread with multiple local commenters. One person states, "My sister lives next door to these people and this dog has killed multiple animals of hers."

According to commenters, the dog previously killed a neighbor's rabbit, killed an animal inside the owner's home; attacked a neighbor's dog; and bit the owner's "step-child, and she failed to report it." Another states the family, "recently moved into the home." Finally, another states: "Other people are saying baby was left alone in bassinet!" While many scenarios are possible, we know that the last one is the most common scenario when a husky fatally attacks a newborn, as we discussed in February.

From 2005 to present day, we've recorded approximately 745 dog bite fatalities. Huskies have been involved in 17 of these deaths. Of these victims, 65% (11 of 17) were infants ≤11 months old and 88% (15) were ages ≤5 years old ... The two most recent wolf-dog hybrid attacks also involved biting an infant or newborn on the head ... Of the 11 husky-inflicted infant deaths, 9 have information about the victim's surroundings. 7 deaths, 78%, involved the infant lying in a bassinet, baby carrier, crib or inside a playpen at the time. 2 deaths, 22%, involved the baby "resting in a bedroom." - DogsBite.org, February 24, 2024

infant dead after apparent dog bite greene county

Rumors circulate on social media after a newborn died after an "apparent dog bite."

Baseline reporting requirements:
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.

Posted on May 10, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

2024 Dog Bite Fatality: Two Children Injured, Mother Found Dead After Dog Attack in Brooks County, Georgia

A 35-year old woman was discovered dead after a dog attack in Brooks County.

Dog Photos Published
UPDATE 05/14/24: The number of dogs involved in the attack, 13, has been confirmed by WALB, who also published images of the dogs. Thomasville Humane Society has secured 11 of the dogs, many of which appear to be related offspring. The location of the dog owner's home is adjacent to where the family resided. The dog owner's home has no fencing. The dog pack appears to live underneath the residence, which is built on cinderblock stilts, allowing for substantial space beneath the home.

WALB interviewed Brooks County Schools Police Chief Casey Cope. “The incidents didn’t occur within our jurisdiction but because the child is one of our students, they are therefore our family. We took it hard across the district from the superintendent down.” Notably, a pair of similar dogs seen in the WALB footage were "broadcast" by the Brooks County Animal Advocates on March 21 as being on a nearby county schools property. "These puppies are at the elementary school in Quitman, Ga."

The dog attack did not occur on the county schools property, but the dogs had allegedly been known to be on the schools property as strays. The dogs severely injured a child attending one of the schools and killed his mother just yards away from the county properties, where the family lived. The dog owner's home is across the street from the middle school property and adjacent to where the family lived. We hope the Williams family obtains a dog bite attorney to examine these complex issues.

Thomasville Humane Statement

Thomasville Humane (TH) released a statement following the attacks. As predicted, the group was called in by authorities to "fill in the gaps" in this case, given the "non-existent animal control services" in the county and their "extensive experience in handling large numbers of animals." The city of Quitman "has only one animal control officer and they are unable to deal with a situation of this type or magnitude," the statement says. One of the dogs was shot by law enforcement before TH arrived.

(Full statement) On Thursday, May 9th, Thomasville Humane (TH) responded to a request from the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office to assist with a tragic dog attack. A 35-year old woman was mauled by dogs in front of her home in Quitman. The 15 dogs residing there were reported to be aggressive and had been left unattended by a neighbor.

While Thomasville Humane no longer performs animal control services, the organization previously served in that capacity for Thomas County for 29 years. Still, often in rural communities with limited, or non-existent animal control services, TH is called on to fill in the gaps, despite the absence of taxpayer funding, given their extensive experience in handling large numbers of animals. Unfortunately, Brooks County does not have a facility to house such animals. The city of Quitman, where the incident occurred, has only one animal control officer and they are unable to deal with a situation of this type or magnitude... - Thomasville Humane, May 13, 2024

brooks county fatal dog attack - photographs of the dogs

Photographs of two of the 13 dogs involved in the Brooks County fatal dog pack attack.

Two similar appearing dogs on the elementary school's property on March 21, 2024.

brooks county fatal dog attack - property map

Map shows dog owner's home, victims' home and Brooks County schools property.

05/10/24: Multi-Victim Attack
Quitman, GA - On Thursday afternoon, two children were injured after being attacked by a dog pack. Their mother was found dead at the scene. Brooks County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 2300 block of Webster Road for a report of dogs attacking children. Arriving deputies encountered multiple aggressive dogs on the property. The children had already been driven to a hospital by a private citizen. Deputies then located the body of their mother, 35-year old Courtney Williams.

WALB reports the attack occurred on Webster Road at a bus stop behind the Brooks County Middle School. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation and is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The victim's sister-in-law announced her death on Facebook. "My brother’s wife Courtney Williams Cox passed away yesterday, the neighbors dogs attacked her and the kids." Her son "didn't get away fast enough." He was "hurt pretty bad," but is doing better now.

(News release) "On Thursday, May 9, 2024, at approximately 4:45 p.m., deputies with the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office responded to 2317 Webster Road, Quitman, Georgia for a complaint of multiples juveniles being attacked by a dog.

When deputies arrived, they encountered several aggressive dogs on the property. It was determined the juveniles had already been transported to a local hospital by a private citizen. Deputies subsequently located the body of Courtney Williams, white female, 35 years of age, in the yard of the residence. The Brooks County Sheriff’s Office then requested the GBI to assist with the death investigation. GBI agents and a crime scene specialist responded to begin processing the scene and conduct interviews.

Evidence collected from scene will undergo further analysis to assist investigators with this case. An autopsy will be performed by the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause and manner of death." - Georgia Bureau of Investigation

The scene of the attack shows a camper inside a park-like area with southern live oak trees. The yellow police tape is strewn to several trees. No fences are seen. It is unknown how near the dogs' owner lived. Residents who spoke to WALB said the county has no animal control agency. A Facebook group, Brooks County Animal Advocates, states its mission is to "establish a county animal shelter that will benefit our community." Many stray and abandoned pit bull-type dogs are seen on the page.

A relative of the victim stated on Facebook, "I tell you my family is going through it, 2 deaths in less than 13 hours apart from each other. My family is still grieving over my aunt that passed away on March 19, 2024. And now my 2 cousins." No information about the dogs' owner was released, or the breeds or number of dogs involved. According to CrimeGrade.org, the location of the multi-victim dog attack in Brooks County, Georgia is designated "Red," indicating a high rate of animal cruelty.

As we prepared this post, Brooks County Animal Advocates posted about this attack. "It is an absolute shame, now more than ever, that Brooks County, Georgia does not have any type of animal control," the group states. "This residence in particular has been on Brooks County and the City Animal Shelter's radar for quite some time. Many community members have notified the County and City shelter, several times, about the dogs at this residence with no effort to fix the problem."1

Relative Posts Child's Injuries

The sister-in-law also posted injuries sustained by the victim's son. Most lacerations have already been sutured, but there remains a gruesome open injury on his right arm. Cox also spoke of a Good Samaritan, a man she calls an "angel," who helped save the children. "The man helped fight the dogs off and managed to get the kids in his truck to hospital. This man, which we don't know his name, is a blessing to my family for without him I don't know what the outcome would have been," she wrote.

Courtney Williams Cox, 35, was found dead after a dog attack in Brooks County, Georgia.

1Most readers already know this, but the location of the attack is outside of Quitman city limits. This problem falls to the county. The Quitman city animal shelter only provides services inside the city. In 2022, a "repeat" hoarder in Brooks County, Richard Jerry Mcleod, was arrested for the second time about 12 miles east of the multi-victim attack location. In that case, Thomasville/Thomas County Humane Society, stepped into help. Chatter on social media is saying that 13 dogs were involved in the multi-victim attack. It's unclear what agency rounded up these 13 dogs and is housing them. That could be a function of GBI too. Because they are leading the investigation, they may have their own resources.

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Colleen Lynn

A Review of Louisville Metro Animal Services Open Data Set: Dog Bite Investigations by Breed, Dog Licenses and Other Activities

A review of Louisville Metro dog bite investigations and dog licensing data.

View All Statistics
Louisville, KY - We examined 1317 dog bite investigations by Louisville Metro Animal Services (LMAS), which required 3258 responses by animal control over a 4-year period from January 1, 2020 to January 13, 2024 to determine the top-biting breeds, sex and reproductive status. On average, each bite investigation required 2.5 responses from animal control officers. Pit bulls comprised 46% (1487) of these responses, over 5 times more than the next closest breed, German shepherds, 9% (297).

We reviewed dog license data from LMAS over the same 4-year period. Of the 52,064 dog licenses, Labrador retrievers were the most licensed breed, 10.3%, followed closely by pit bulls, 9.8%, German shepherds, 5.9%, chihuahaus, 5.3%, and beagles, 5.3%. Combined, the "unknown" and "mixed breed" groups, accounted for 6%. 200 different dog breed groups are represented in the data. There were 16 types of dog license statuses, but "current" and "renewed" statuses comprised 95% of all statuses.

We also examined various activity types by breed. Pit bulls were involved in 46% of calls for illegal dog chaining; 41% of calls requiring an animal control officer to appear in court to testify; 38% of calls involving potentially dangerous dog (PPD) papers being served; and 47% of dog-on-dog attack calls. Only pit bulls consistently had disproportionate representation in comparison to their 9.8% licensing data. Labrador retrievers had lower representation in these areas than their 10.3% licensing data.

How We Examined the Data

For over a decade our nonprofit has examined municipal dog bite statistical data. Every jurisdiction collects data differently and collects different types of data. We reviewed the Louisville open data sets for the Animal Services Activity Log, Animal Licenses, and Animal Services Intake. The activity log is a large data set that includes every call type for every animal type, including wildlife. Thus, we created formulas to capture only dog data, and within that, activity types that also captured dog breed data.

We also had to understand the abbreviations used in the activity log result columns, which are in the open data catalog. Such as COMP, completed, TTC, talk to the complainant, TTM, talk to a minor, TTO, talked to the owner, TTR, talked to the resident, UTMC, unable to make contact, UTC, unable to catch the animal, UTL, unable to locate the animal, PA, patrolled the area, NSA, no such address, GOA, gone on arrival, and many more. The activity log spreadsheet for the 4-year period is 77,705 rows of data.

Louisville Open Data	Data Catalog	Raw Data
Louisville Metro, KY Animal Services Activity Log	Activity Log Catalog	DogsBite.org Raw Data
Louisville Metro, KY Animal License Data	Animal License Catalog	DogsBite.org Raw Data

Dog Bite Investigations - To examine bites by breed, we analyzed the data three different ways: (1) All 3258 sequences of responses corresponding to 1317 unique bite investigations, (2) All responses when a "completed" was designated (1320), and (3) All unique bite investigations (1317). We chose the first data view, thus, some bites were counted more than once, because we wanted to review the bite investigation process and the resources required by LMAS to respond to them over the 4-year period.

Each row of data in the LMAS activity log represents a response type.

Of the 3258 bite investigation responses, 3054 (94%) had "yes" designated for a bite, 201 (6%) had "no," and 3 were blank. We included them all, as each fall within the case type, INVESTIGAT BITE, in the data set. There are 80 different activity types within the data set, including 20 different types of investigations, such as investigating animal abandonment, negligence, and abuse. We excluded all case types except for dog bites to humans, and within that, when dog breed data was known.

Dog Licensing Data - Similar to the dog bite investigation data, we created a new column, "breed group" that grouped breeds according to their primary breed plus their mix. For example, entries of "rottweiler-mix," were grouped into "rottweiler." Several breeds were grouped into a single category. For example, Alaskan husky and Siberian husky were grouped into "husky." American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, and pit bull were grouped into "pit bull."

Of the 16 dog license statuses, "current" and "renewed" comprised 95%. Given the small percentage in the other categories there was no reason to exclude them. The data was initially sorted by animal ID and license status. We then extracted all duplicate animal IDs so that no dogs were counted more than once. We also examined each year, but the breed licensing percentages remained constant. The only category that notably shifted was "unknown," which began at 0% in 2020 and rose to 7% in 2023

Various Activity Types - When breed was known, we examined additional activity types for dogs. INVESTIGAT CHAINING, complaints of illegal dog chaining; XTRA SERVE COURT, when an animal control officer appears in court to testify or represent LMAS, and related criminal complaint duties; XTRA SERVE PDD, serving potentially dangerous dog (PPD) papers and compliance verification; and INVESTIGAT ANI ATTACK, pertaining only to dog-on-dog attacks -- all other animal types excluded.

We also reviewed activity types related to dangerous dogs, such as, ASSIST POLICE, where police requires assistance from an animal control officer; ASSIST ACO, where an animal control officer requires assistance from another AC officer, TRANSPORT HEADTOLAB, where dogs are sent to the health agency for rabies testing, often after a bite investigation; and YARD CHK, a call requiring an animal control officer to inspect a property for various reasons, such as being court ordered.

Top Dog Bite Investigation Breeds

Page 1: Top 6 Bite Investigation Breeds & Reproductive Status - Louisville, Kentucky

Despite only comprising 9.8% of dog licensing data, pit bulls accounted for 46% (1487) of the 3258 bite investigation responses by LMAS over the 4-year period. This is over 5 times higher than the next closest breed, German shepherds, which comprised 5.9% of dog licensing data and accounted for 9% (297) of bite investigation responses. Labrador retrievers comprised 10.3% of dog licensing data, the highest of all dog breeds in Louisville, and accounted for 6% (201) of bite investigation responses.

Pit bulls caused more responses than the other top-biting breeds combined (1487 v. 815) and more than 68 breeds in the "All Others" group (956).

Among the top-biting breeds, two other breeds had irregular representation. Rottweilers represent 0.9% of licensed dogs but accounted for 4% of bite investigation responses, over 4 times higher. Cane corsos represent 0.54% of licensed dogs but accounted for 3% of responses, over 5 times higher. Whereas chihuahuas represent 5.3% of licensed dogs and only accounted for 3% of responses. The non-top biting breeds, comprised of 68 breed groups, accounted for 29% (956) of responses.

Of the 3258 bite investigation responses when breed was known, sex and reproductive status was known in 95% of responses. In the LMAS open data set, male dogs are the chief biters by a 3:1 ratio, 71% male v. 23% female. All 6 top bite investigation breeds show a similar disproportion of male dogs: pit bulls, 65%, German shepherds, 78%, Labrador retrievers, 70%, rottweilers, 85%, and cane corsos, 71%. This is true in other large data sets we have reviewed (New York City and San Francisco).

Gender was known in 95% of bite investigation responses. Male dogs, 71%, were the instigators over 3 times more often than female dogs, 23%.1

Intact male dogs accounted for 44% of bite investigation responses, followed by neutered, 27%, and intact females, 15%. The sexual reproductive status is mixed amongst breeds. Intact pit bulls, German shepherds, rottweilers and cane corsos (of both sexes) instigated 62% to 83% of these responses. Intact Labrador retrievers (of both sexes) instigated 44%. Among the top bite investigation breeds, Labrador retrievers had the highest spay-neuter rate, 54%, and cane corsos had the lowest, 17%.

A Difference in Roaming?

Research has shown that neutering male dogs can reduce roaming.2 We reviewed the reproductive status of two dangerous dog activities: OWNED AGGRESSIVE, when an owned aggressive dog is at large, and STRAY AGGRS, when a stray aggressive dog is at large. When combined, intact males were higher than neutered 33% v. 26%. When only viewing the OWNED AGGRESSIVE activity, the difference is greater; 38% of owned aggressive dogs at large were intact males and 20% were neutered.

louisville metro dog bite investigations - 2020-2023

Louisville Metro dog bite investigations by breed & sex over 4-year period (2020-2023).

Louisville Metro Dog Licensing Data

Page 2: Top Licensed Dog Breeds & License Status - Louisville, Kentucky

We analyzed and compiled the dog license data to provide a baseline for this report. Over the 4-year period, LMAS data showed 52,064 dog licenses with 16 different statuses. The "current" and "renewed" statuses comprised 95% of all statuses. Labrador retrievers were the most licensed breed, 10.3% (5346), followed by pit bulls, 9.8% (5116), German shepherds, 5.9% (3081), chihuahaus, 5.3% (2753), and beagles, 5.3% (2741). Exactly 200 different dog breed groups are represented in the data.

The compliance rate for dog licenses lies between 10% to 30% in most cities. Some jurisdictions carry out a "dog census" for a more accurate dog population and breed count. Critics of using dog licensing data in statistics and comparisons say the compliance rate is too low to reach any conclusions. But understanding 30% of the dog population is better than 0%. There is no evidence that owners of different dog breeds -- beagles, boxers, or pit bulls -- treat the decision to license differently.3

The 4-year period of licensing data we reviewed, January 1, 2020 to January 13, 2024, covers the Covid years. Between 2020 and 2022 there was a 94% increase in dog licenses, according to our method of extracting duplicate records. That appears to be a Covid bump, when some people acquired a pandemic dog. LMAS offers pet licenses in 1 and 3-year increments. 3-year licenses, offered only for altered dogs, increased by 166% from 2020 to 2022, but only accounted for 17% of all licenses.

Unique bite investigations also show a Covid bump, but smaller. Between 2020 and 2022, there was a 24% increase in unique bite investigations.

Between each year, there was little variance among the top-licensed dog breeds. The only category that noticeably shifted was "unknown/unlisted," which started at 0% in 2020 and rose to 7% in 2023. To have started at 0% at the onset of the pandemic, indicates a protocol change. According to Internet Archives, Covid ceased the ability to license a dog in person at a veterinarian office in Louisville or the LMAS shelter. Thus, more people obtained a license online and apparently left the "breed field" blank.4

Louisville metro dog licensing trends - 2020-2023

Louisville Metro dog licensing trends by breed over 4-year period (2020-2023).

Various Activity Types

Page 3: Top Breeds for Various Activity Types - Louisville, Kentucky

In addition to examining dog bite investigations, we reviewed other activity types by breed in the open data set. Those results predictably fell between 38% and 47% representation by pit bulls, a breed that only accounts for 9.8% of licensed dogs. Pit bulls accounted for nearly half, 46%, of illegal dog chaining investigation calls; 41% of calls requiring animal control officers to testify in court; 38% of calls involving potentially dangerous dog (PDD) papers; and 47% of dog-on-dog attack investigation calls.

Most other dog breeds represented in these activity types are proportional with their dog license population numbers, but several stand out. Dogo Argentinos represent 0.01% of licensed dogs but accounted for 10% of PDD responses. Akitas represent 0.17% of licensed dogs, but accounted for 7% of PDD responses. Of the 84 total PDD responses in the 4-year period, which involved 35 unique PDD cases, pit bulls accounted for 32, dogo Argentinos (8), akitas (6) and German shepherds (6).

On average, each PDD case required 2.4 responses by animal control officers. However, some cases involved more. The 8 responses attributed to dogo Argentinos involved a single dogo Argentino (ID A667305). Serving this dog owner PDD papers required 8 responses between 4/21/20 and 4/25/20. The most egregious case involved a single pit bull (ID A668610). Serving this dog owner PDD papers required 19 responses between 4/22/20 and 5/6/20. Both cases occurred during Covid conditions.

Dog-On-Dog Attacks

In the past, we have examined dog-on-dog attack studies from the United Kingdom (40% of attacks attributed to pit bulls), where American pit bull terriers are banned, the Netherlands (56% of attacks attributed to pit bulls), and Sweden (54% of attacks attributed to pit bulls). LMAS data shows that pit bulls accounted for 47% (919) of the dog-on-dog attack calls when breed was known (1957). This is nearly 6 times higher than the next closest breed, German shepherds, attributed to 8% (158).

We also reviewed other activity types related to dangerous dogs. Pit bulls accounted for 41% of calls where police require assistance from an animal control officer; 48% of calls where an animal control officer requires assistance from another AC officer; 64% of "transporting head" calls, where dogs are sent to the health agency for rabies testing, often after a bite investigation; and 46% of yard checks, when an animal control officer inspects a property for various reasons, such as being court ordered.

louisville metro dog-on-dog attacks - 2020-2023

Louisville Metro dog-on-dog attack investigations by breed over 4-year period (2020-2023).

Discussion

According to LMAS dog licensing data, pit bulls are the second most popular breed, comprising 9.8% of the total licensed dogs. In the areas we examined, which pertain to dog bite investigations and dangerous dogs, pit bulls comprised 38% to 64% of activities. Pit bulls consume the lion’s share of animal control resources in these public safety areas. The most popular breed in licensing data, Labrador retrievers, comprised 10.3% of licensed dogs, but only weighed in at 0% to 9% of activities.

We analyzed the bite investigation data in three distinct ways: (1) All 3258 responses corresponding to 1317 unique bite investigations, (2) All responses when a "completed" was designated (1320), and (3) All unique bite investigations (1317). Pit bulls were responsible for 46% of bite investigation responses, 40% of responses that had a "completed" designation, and 41% of unique bite investigations. In each data view, the involvement of pit bulls was over 4 times greater than the next closest dog breed.

No matter which way you view the data, pit bulls are disproportionate public safety "resource consumers" in comparison to their licensing data.

The dogs involved in all three views of LMAS bite investigation data were largely male, ≥70%. This is true in data sets from other cities too. Families wanting to decrease the risk of biting, should consider a spayed female, which were involved in 5 times fewer bite investigation responses than intact males, and 3 times fewer than neutered. The reproductive status among the top bite investigation breeds was mixed. Cane corsos had the highest percentage of intact biters, Labrador retrievers had the lowest.

Both dog licensing and unique bite investigation data show a Covid bump between 2020 and 2022, 94% and 24%, respectively. Unique bite investigations fell 9% in 2023. Animal control responses to bite investigations followed a different pattern. There was a decline in animal control responses over the 4-year period. The 2020 Covid year had the most responses. Between 2020 (913) and 2022 (848), there was a 7% reduction in responses; between 2020 and 2023 (713), there was a 22% reduction.

Of the 11 animal control activity types reviewed,5 the most reoccurring animal ID (A675632) involved 31 responses to one pit bull between 1/4/2020 and 10/18/21. Over half, (19), involved a series of bite investigation responses that began on 4/28/21 and resulted in three violations on 05/23/21. Prior to the bite investigation, the dog had been at large and aggressive 5 times, involving 11 responses, which resulted in multiple citations and impoundment. This combination did not result in a PDD order.

louisville metro dog bite investigations viewed three ways - 2020-2023

Louisville Metro dog bite investigations by breed examined in three ways (2020-2023).6

Historically Speaking

While researching and writing this report over multiple months, Google Alerts, which should send us "newly" published articles, instead delivered to our inbox a 2006 editorial about Louisville debating a controversial dangerous dog ordinance that contained breed-specific pit bull restrictions.7 We recall this debate, as DogsBite.org launched in October 2007. Louisville opted to strip the breed-specific language from the "embattled" ordinance, which finally passed in January and December 2007.

The ordinance created a "differential license," where owners of intact dogs paid a higher licensing fee than owners of altered dogs. Owners of unaltered dogs were also required to have an approved enclosure. LMAS also stated then, "Any unaltered dog which is not licensed or permitted as required in the ordinance, and which is impounded for any reason after the effective date of this ordinance shall not be reclaimed by an owner unless the dog is spayed or neutered by or at the direction of MAS."

Despite removing the breed-specific language due to the browbeating by the Louisville Kennel Club, the club promptly sued Louisville after Ordinance No. 290 passed due to the differential license; the definitions of a "dangerous" and "potentially dangerous" dog; the enclosure requirements for unaltered dogs, the tethering restrictions, and more. The city was sued more than once over Ordinance No. 290 too. Removing the breed-specific language from the ordinance did not guarantee "lawsuit-free."

Neither the ordinance nor litigation prevented where Louisville is today -- the lion’s share of animal control resources being consumed by pit bulls.

Today, when breed is known, an upwards of 5 times more animal control resources are consumed by pit bulls in 11 public safety activities combined than the next closest breed (4625 pit bulls v. 912 German shepherds). Even a modest reduction of the pit bull population would reduce this "load" placed on LMAS resources, but the differential and breeder licensing have not been enough. Should the cane corso population rise, born of "war dog" genetics, they will unevenly add to this "load" as well.

LMAS shelter intake and outcome data reveal even more insights. From January 1, 2020 to March 9, 2024, pit bulls comprised 27% of dogs that entered the shelter, nearly 3 times more than any other dog breed. Pit bulls comprised 41% of dogs confiscated due to a violation; 36% of dogs entering the shelter dead, needing to be properly disposed of; 30% of dogs surrendered by owners; and 34% of dogs returned after being adopted by LMAS. Yet another "load" placed on LMAS resources.

City Officials had Foresight

While some cities were passing breed-specific laws in the early 2000s, Louisville adopted Ordinance No. 290, which was progressive in the South in that era, containing differential licensing, kennel licensing, tethering and more. City officials had foresight. They knew that breeding restrictions lay at the heart of the proliferation of unchecked breeding by unchecked breeders. Anti-chaining restrictions added then also stopped owners from keeping a "yard" of chained pit bulls or any chained pit bulls.

Even with their foresight, they likely slowed, but could not halt the proliferation of non-compliant pit bull breeding. This is why pit bulls still arrive at the LMAS shelter at nearly 3 times the rate than any other dog breed. This occurs even though the impoundment of an unlicensed dog results in mandatory spay and neuter. What else more can a progressive city legally do? We recommend a mandatory pit bull spay and neuter law, exemptions are always made for breeders who show their dogs.

We also recommend an audit of city resources and costs required to manage their pit bull population. It should include: all activity log responses involving pit bulls; police, sheriff, and fire public safety responses to pit bull aggression; the estimated cost of pit bull bite injuries; shelter and bite quarantine kennels occupied by pit bulls; shelter insurance and security costs related to housing dangerous pit bulls; personnel costs; costs incurred to adjudicate court cases instigated by pit bulls and more.

Adopted dogs returned to Louisville animal shelter LMAS

Adopted dogs returned to Louisville Metro animal shelter over 4-year period (2020-2023).

1It was slightly lower in the other two views of the data. All responses when a "completed" was designated, 71% male v. 26% female; and all unique bite investigations, 70.5% male v. 26% female.
2Effects of Castration on Problem Behaviors in Male Dogs with Reference to Age and Duration of Behavior, by Neilson JC, Eckstein RA, Hart BL, JAVMA, 211:180, 1997.
3A 2019 survey carried out by DocuPet to Pet Licensing Organizations (PLOs) across the country states the top reason animal owners do not license their pet is because they do not perceive a value in doing so and/or they lack awareness of the need to license. "80% of respondents believe that residents fail to license their pets because it feels like an unnecessary fee or tax (it doesn’t provide value). 78% due to a lack of awareness of the need to license, 48% believe it is the actual cost of the license that deters registration, and 46% believe it is due to a lack of enforcement."
4The rise of the "unknown/unlisted" breed trend continued post-Covid as well. Between 2020 and 2021 there was a 1256% increase (18 to 244). Between 2022 and 2023 there was an 224% increase (403 to 1304). Of the total 1971 dog licenses with "unknown/unlisted" breed over the 4-year period, 87% (1706), came from just three veterinary medical offices between 2021 and 2023, and most of them, 72% (1232), were issued late-Covid/post-Covid in 2023. CDC announced on May 11, 2023 the end of the Public Health Emergency declaration.
5ASSIST ACO, ASSIST POLICE, INVESTIGAT ANI ATTACK, INVESTIGAT BITE, INVESTIGAT CHAINING, OWNED AGGRESSIVE, STRAY AGGRS, TRANSPORT HEADTOLAB, XTRA SERVE COURT, XTRA SERVE PDD, YARD CHK.
6Roughly 30 unique bite investigations contained multiple dog breeds. Thus, depending upon how the data was sorted "prior to extracting only the unique investigations," the breed results slightly vary in this data view. Pit bulls had the most variance among all top-biting breeds, from 535 (40.6%) low to 550 (41.7%) high, a variance of 15. We opted for a middle of the road sort view, which was 543 (41.2%). German shepherds had variance of 8, (115 to 123), all results =9% when rounded. Labradors had a variance of 0-4 (102 to 106), all results =8% when rounded.
7Pit bulls became part of the 2006 "dangerous dog" ordinance discussion after two people in Louisville -- Hulon Barbour, 60-years old, and Kylee Johnson, 14-months old -- were killed by pit bulls 2-weeks apart in 2005. At that time, the Louisville Kennel Club claimed that pit bulls only comprised 7% of dog bites. City officials disputed that number, stating instead that pit bulls allotted for "nearly one-third of reported attacks." In 2004, just south of Louisville, a chained pet pit bull tore the scalp off 4-year old Emily Stinnett, nearly killing her. When authorities could not find the scalp, they came to the grisly conclusion that the pit bull had probably consumed it. "Since the dog was deceased, we went ahead and opened the dog up and found the missing part of the girl's scalp in the dog's stomach," LaRue County Dep. Sheriff Russell McCoy said then. Emily's attack swiftly gained national attention and set off a national anti-chaining campaign.

DogsBite blog ::

How We Examined the Data

Top Dog Bite Investigation Breeds

Louisville Metro Dog Licensing Data

Various Activity Types

Discussion