Posted on June 23, 2025 by Colleen Lynn

Macro-Level Forces Report: Covid Impacts of 2023 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Capture Rate of Nonprofit

Dog Bite Fatalities Leveled Off in 2023; Nonprofit Capture Rate Rose

DogsBite.org - In October, we published the 2022 Macro-Level Forces Report for U.S. dog bite fatality data. Current data shows that during 2022, the third Covid year, our nonprofit had a 42-victim deficit compared to CDC Wonder underlying cause of death (UCD) data, a 55% difference in the number of deaths. The victim deficit during the fourth Covid year, 2023, is an improvement. CDC Wonder data shows there were 96 dog bite fatalities in 2023. Our nonprofit recorded 63 deaths, a 42% difference.

96 fatal dog attacks in a single year is down slightly from the record high of 98. This is still a 100% increase from 2019 and a 174% increase from 2018.

Prior to the pandemic (2005 to 2019), the largest deficit of unreported deaths our nonprofit had compared to CDC data was 4 each for the years 2005 and 2010. During 2023, there was a deficit of 33 unreported deaths. Without our FOIAs, the deficit would have been 38. The disparity during 2023 signals the first reversal of the deficit trend since the onset of Covid. The average number of citations captured per victim in 2023 fell 31% (15.7) from the pre-Covid baseline year of 2019 (22.7).

A regional breakdown of dog bite fatalities in 2023 shows the Midwest and South had the most unreported deaths. According to CDC Wonder data, 68% (65 of 96) of the victims in 2023 were ≥ 45 years old. Our nonprofit captured 60% (39 of 65), up from 47% in 2022 and 51% in 2021. Historically, the ≥ 50 age group has been underrepresented in media reports. We discussed this disparity in our 2020 discussion notes (Comparing 15-Year Data Sets - DogsBite.org Data and CDC Wonder Data).

2023 dog bite fatalities, census age group

Chart A: U.S. dog bite fatalities during the fourth Covid year, 2023, by Census region and age.

Characteristics of Unreported Fatal Dog Attacks (2005 to 2024)

Since 2011, we have uncovered 39 unreported deaths by FOIAs or other means. Most of them, 64% (25), occurred after March 2020. The most likely unreported fatal dog attack is an adult ≥ 40 years old, 74% (29), killed by a single or pair of pit bulls, 66% (19 of 29), in an urban area, 83% (24 of 29), within a state that prohibits or limits breed restriction laws. Of the 39 total deaths, 72% (28) involved pit bulls, and of that, 64% (18 of 28) involved a single or pair of family pit bulls killing a household member.

72% (28) of the total unreported fatal attacks involved family dogs killing a household member, and 64% (25) involved a single dog attacking.

During 2023, the 5 unreported deaths we uncovered included three adults, ≥ 40 years old and two young children. Two deaths were not discovered until this year. Estela Manteca was identified after a federal lawsuit was filed in Texas. Amya Jeffery was identified after Ohio news organizations released a 4-part investigation into the state's weak dangerous dog laws. Of the 9 total unreported child deaths since 2011, 89% (8 of 9) were killed by a bull breed: pit bull (4), American bulldog (3) and mastiff (1).

dog bite fatalities chart showing covid impact 2005-2023

Chart B: CDC dog bite fatality data compared to DogsBite.org data over 19 years (2005-2023).

Discussion

Initially, Chart B appears to reflect the pandemic kicked off a visible increase in year-to-year deaths. However, the largest increase is from 2018 to 2019, a 37% rise, which occurred pre-Covid. From 2019 to 2020, there was a 29% rise in deaths, from 2020 to 2021, a 31% rise, from 2021 to 2022, a 21% rise, and in 2023, deaths leveled out. Between 2018 to 2023, there was a 174% rise in dog bite fatalities. After Covid-19 macro-forces erupted in 2020, our capture rate declined each year after until 2023.

Currently, provisional data from CDC shows that dog bite fatalities rise to 113 deaths in 2024. Apparently, the leveling off is 2023 is an anomaly.

The chart also shows that between 2005 and 2018, the average number of deaths per year captured by our nonprofit was 33.79, compared to CDC Wonder data of 33.64. The annual number of deaths during that 14-year period gradually increases but otherwise shows slight variation. After four years of Covid conditions, between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2023, the average number of deaths per year captured by our nonprofit rose to 54.75, and CDC Wonder data shot up to 84.25.

Thus, one must ask what trends shifted between 2018 and 2023, when the number of deaths per year rose by 174% (from 35 CDC death data to 96). The number of dog bite fatalities increased during that period much faster than the 14-year period between 2005 to 2018. After years of annual deaths in the 30s range, CDC data suddenly skips deaths in the 50s and 70s ranges. CDC data shows that in 2019, there were 48 deaths; in 2020, 62 deaths; in 2021, 81 deaths, in 2022, 98 deaths, and in 2023, 96.

Pre-Covid Trends

In our nonprofit's data, several trends were seen prior to 2019. Between 2005 to 2018, the ages and genders of victims between the first and third periods (2005-2009 and 2015-2018) show that the percentage of fatal dog attacks involving adults 45-64 years old rose 56%. This was largely driven by females, 45-64 years old, which rose 96%. Male deaths declined overall, but the 45-64 year old male age group rose 20%. During this period, the percentage of fatal attacks involving pit bulls rose 29%.

While the number of "actual" rescue/shelter dogs involved in fatal dog attacks is unobtainable, our data shows the percentage of people killed by rescue dogs jumped from 2.7% during the first period (2005-2009) to 15.9% during the third period (2015-2018), a rise of nearly 500%. Owner-directed fatal dog attacks rose from 10.7% to 17.2% between the two periods, a 61% rise. Those were some trends heading into 2019, which began the steep ladder increase in CDC data from 2019 to 2023.1

Pre- and Post-Covid (2018 to 2023)

Our nonprofit's data established that some trends began prior to the first Covid year, namely the percentage of victims ≥ 45 years old were rising, as well as deadly attacks inflicted by pit bulls and rescue dogs. From 2018 to 2023, the number of fatal dog attacks we captured rose from 36 deaths to 63, a 75% increase. CDC data -- which contains no dog breed, ownership or attack information -- rose from 35 deaths to 96, a 174% increase. CDC data also shows that victims ≥ 45 years old were rising.

Our 18-month investigation into the near tripling of severe injury dog bites in Austin (193%) and San Antonio (169%) during the same period, 2018 to 2023, shows a similar rise. Both cities also showed a significant rise in victims ≥ 40 years older, 433% in Austin and 396% in San Antonio.2-3 Pit bulls were disproportionately involved in these attacks, responsible for 47% of severe injury bites in Austin and 31% in San Antonio. From 2018 and 2023, severe bites inflicted by pit bulls in Austin rose 533%.4

Fatality data we collected pre-Covid showed that attacks by rescue dogs jumped nearly 500% between two periods that ended in 2018. During the more recent period, 2019 to 2023, Austin Animal Center (AAC), which bills itself as a top "no-kill" shelter, recycled over 350 dogs with a moderate or severe bite history back into the community. The city admitted that some of the rehomed biting dogs attacked again, contributing to the 193% rise in severe bite injuries in Austin from 2018 to 2023.5

Rehomed biting and aggression prone dogs from public and private no-kill shelters are contributing to the rise of fatal and severe injury dog attacks.

All four areas of dog bite data -- CDC fatalities, our recorded fatalities and analysis of severe injury dog bites in Austin and San Antonio -- show a disproportionate rise of victims in the ≥ 45 age group. This is true when rate is measured too, per population 10 million, in CDC data. In Chart C, all four age groups in CDC data rise between the two periods (2012-2017 and 2018-2023), but combined into two groups, victims ≥ 45 years old, largely driven by females, is rising faster than victims ≤ 44 years old.

CDC rate of dog bite fatalities by age group 2006-2023

Chart C: CDC data shows rate of dog bite fatalities by age group, per population 10 million, divided into 3 year sets (2006-2023). Also shows rate of male/female ≥ 45 years old.

Covid 2023 Conditions

The CDC Museum Covid Timeline ends in July 2022. In May of 2023, the WHO declared an end to the public health emergency. But "long Covid" and post-Covid conditions persisted. Nationwide, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, "from a jobs and growth standpoint, the economy was essentially healed by the end of 2023."6 The toll of Covid by the end of 2023 was on track to reach $14 trillion dollars, according to the USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service.7

Possible Covid conditions contributing to the disparity of 33 unreported dog bite fatalities in 2023 continues to be the eroding landscape of the news industry. Media companies slashed over 20,000 jobs in 2023, of which nearly 2,700 were in the news industry. This is higher than news media job losses in 2022 and 2021. There are now more "news deserts" -- counties without a local news outlet -- than ever. Up until Covid, we primarily relied upon news reports to document dog bite fatalities.

As our victim deficit shows in comparison to CDC data, relying on news reports to gage an accurate dog bite fatality count is no longer viable.

In 2023, Google had not started using the "AI Overview," which stops traffic referrals to websites, including news publishers. The overview launched in May 2024. Between 2022 and 2025, major news publishers lost up to half of their referrals from Google. Industry leaders are now bracing for when "traffic from Google will drop toward zero." Google isn't a search engine today, it's an answer engine. "Generative AI is now rewiring how the Internet is used all together," states the Wall Street Journal.

Summary

During 2023, there was a 31% (15.7) reduction in the number of citations per victim compared to the pre-Covid baseline (22.7). The deficit of unreported fatal dog attacks fell to 33 deaths. CDC data shows that dog bite fatalities leveled off in 2023, dropping to 96 deaths from 98 deaths in 2022. This is still a 100% increase from 2019 and a 174% increase from 2018. Victims ≥ 45 years old accounted for the most unreported dog bite fatalities, and most attacks occurred in the South and Midwest regions.

Provisional CDC data for fatal dog maulings in 2024 shows there were at least 113 fatal attacks. It will be months before that number is finalized.

There was a significant increase of fatal dog attacks during the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 Covid years, but the growth began in 2019. The largest rise occurred between 2018 and 2019, with a 37% rise in dog bite fatalities. What drove that growth likely continued through the Covid years, combined with being impacted by Covid conditions, along with new research showing a "sustained effect" post-Covid:8 the rate of fatal and severe injury dog bites rose considerably after Covid restrictions ended.

After examining pre- and post-Covid data between 2018 to 2023, including CDC fatality data, our fatality data and analysis of severe injury dog bites in Austin and San Antonio, several trends emerged. (1) Fatal and severe injury dog bites increased in frequency, (2) there was a disproportionate rise of victims ≥ 45 years old, (3) data showed that pit bulls were the chief perpetrators of fatal and severe bites, and (4) rehomed biting dogs from shelters contributed to the rise of these serious injuries.

4 data sources show steep rise in fatal and severe dog bites post-Covid lockdowns

Chart D: Four different data sources show a steep rise in fatal and severe dog bite injuries post-Covid lockdowns (2023), compared to pre-Covid conditions (2018).

1Since the publication of the revised pre-Covid data (2005-2018) in 2024, we shifted our 20-year age groups from one format (10-29, 30-49, 50-69, 70+) to another (0-24, 25-44, 45-64, 65+) to align with CDC age groups.
2Dog Bites by Severity and Age Groups (2012-2023) (PDF), Austin Animal Center, DogsBite.org.
3Dog Bites by Severity and Age Groups (2012-2023) (PDF), San Antonio Animal Care Services, DogsBite.org.
4Severe Bites: Top-Biting Dog Breeds & Severity (2012-2023) (PDF), Austin Animal Center, DogsBite.org.
5Proposed Changes Related to the Austin Animal Services Office, City of Austin Council Work Session, Page 10. January 30, 2024.
6Chart Book: Tracking the Recovery From the Pandemic Recession, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, April 3, 2024 (cbpp.org).
7COVID-19’s Total Cost to the U.S. Economy Will Reach $14 Trillion by End of 2023, By Jakub Hlávka, PhD, Adam Rose, PhD, USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service, May 16, 2023 (schaeffer.usc.edu).
8Dog Bites Are Increasing in Frequency and Severity - A Sustained Effect Following the COVID-19 Pandemic, by O'Hara N, J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg., 2024 Aug:95:21-23.

Macro-level forces reports:
Macro-Level Forces Report: Covid Impacts of 2022 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Capture Rate of Nonprofit
Macro-Level Forces Report: Covid Impacts of 2021 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Capture Rate of Nonprofit
Macro-Level Forces Report: Covid Impacts of 2020 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Capture Rate of Nonprofit

Posted on May 30, 2025 by Colleen Lynn

Rising Dog Maulings in Two Central Texas Cities (2018-2023): What Public Safety Policy Got Wrong—and How to Fix It

Austin and San Antonio Severe Injury Dog Bite Data Pre- and Post-Covid

Austin, TX - Since 2022, we have been reporting a steep rise in dog bite fatalities in CDC Wonder data during the Covid and post-Covid years. In October, we published our 2022 Macro-Level Forces Report. We discussed the rise in the total number of deaths to 98 -- the highest ever recorded in CDC Wonder data -- and a 180% rise since 2018 (from 35 deaths to 98). Our hypothesis quickly became that if Covid-era dog bite fatalities have almost tripled since 2018 then severe injury dog bites have too.

98 fatal dog attacks in a single year are the most ever recorded by CDC data. This is a 104% increase from 2019 and a 180% increase from 2018.

In 2024, we obtained dog bite injury severity data over a 12-year period (2012-2023) from two Central Texas cities, Austin, where DogsBite.org is located, and San Antonio. By January 2024, news reports showed that severe bites had nearly tripled in both cities since 2018. Over the course of 2024, we spent months examining this data to see if specific trends stood out. Several do, including: the rising number of victims ≥ 40-years old, the breed of dog involved, and no-kill animal shelter polices.

"Sustained Effect"

Last August, the first paper was published showing that dog bite injuries are increasing in frequency and severity, demonstrating a "sustained effect" post-Covid. The UK study analyzed dog bite injuries in a plastic surgery department at a trauma center before and after Covid lockdowns, 2018 and 2022, respectively. The study showed that dog bites have increased in frequency and severity with a clear increase in "deeper tissue injuries, tissue loss and muscle, nerve, vascular or bone involvement."

The increasing frequency and severity of dog bite injuries from 2018 to 2023 is also reflected in the Central Texas dog bite data that we obtained.

Data from Austin and San Antonio are also ripe to be examined because they both collect injury severity data (Minor, Moderate and Severe), which is rare among cities. We examined the years 2012 through 2023 of both cities with an emphasis on 2018 to 2023, which shows the "sustained effect" post-Covid. In the Austin data set, we examined injury severity, age of victims, the top-biting breeds, and multi-dog bites. In the San Antonio data set, we examined injury severity and age of victims.

Austin Dog Bite Data (2012-2023)

Background

In September 2023, the city released an audit of the Austin Animal Center (AAC), which bills itself as one of the top "no-kill" shelters in the country. The audit states the "Council-mandated" live release rate of 95% has come at the expense of animals under AAC's care and negates AAC's ability to serve as an open-intake shelter for the community. AAC is routinely over-capacity and closes intake of new animals due to overcrowding and failing to euthanize for behavior, which affects public safety.

In January 2024, AAC released data about the steep rise in Severe Bite Injuries (SBI) -- from 2018 to 2023, SBIs nearly tripled.1 AAC also reiterated the audit's data showing that AAC adopted or transferred out 352 dogs with a "Moderate" or "Severe" bite history since 2019. "Unfortunately, AAC has experienced several instances where a dog with a known significant bite history has caused severe injury to members of the public after the dog was released," states the January report.2,3

The SBI data from AAC and the data from the audit -- showing that AAC has recycled hundreds of dogs with moderate and severe bite histories back into the city -- resulted in the city adopting the Ian Dunbar Bite Scale, which evaluates bite severity from Level 1 to 6, Level 6 being death. Dogs that have inflicted a Level 4 bite or higher can no longer be adopted to the public and "may be euthanized" without making them available to a rescue group. The city adopted this policy in February 2024.

Prior to adopting the Dunbar Bite Scale, AAC was subject to a "Right to Rescue" ordinance passed in October 2019, pushed by extreme "no-kill" activists to stop AAC from performing most "behavior euthanasia" for public safety purposes.4 Seven months earlier, in March 2019, no-kill zealots pushed the city to pass a 95% "save rate" resolution, above the arbitrary 90% "save rate."5 Thus, by the end of 2023, AAC had recycled hundreds of biting dogs back into the city and SBIs had nearly tripled.

Coinciding Timeframe

The timeframe of these no-kill shelter policies coincides with the sharp rise of SBIs in Austin. The volume of serious bite dogs AAC adopted or transferred back into the community, 352, also coincides with the sharp rise of SBIs in Austin during this period. The city admitted that some of the biting dogs bit again and contributed to the 193% rise in severe bite injuries from 2018 to 2023. No-kill policies enacted in 2019 directly correlate to the increasing frequency of severe bite injuries in the city.

"Dogs that have a bite history of level 4 or higher on the Dunbar bite scale may be euthanized without making them available ... This recommendation is borne from a public safety perspective, namely the number of known bite dogs that have caused the public severe injuries after having been released from the AAC." - City of Austin Council Work Session, January 30, 2024

Austin Animal Center adopted out dogs with bite history 2019 to 2023

The Austin City Auditor's report showed that AAC adopted or transferred out 352 dogs with moderate or severe bite histories over the 5-year period of 2019 to 2023.

Austin Dog Bites: Severity & Age Groups

From 2018 to 2023 (nonfiscal), SBIs increased 193% (45/132) in Austin. By comparison, minor injury bites -- the most frequent injury level -- fell by 27% (1463/1062), and moderate injury bites -- the second most frequent -- only rose by 49% (326/485). The chart shows that severe and moderate bites rose the most during the Covid years of 2021 to 2023. Among age groups, severe injury bites rose the most in ≥ 40 years old, 433%, followed by, 1-9 years old, a 275% rise, and 10-39 years, a 117% rise.

Page 2 of the Severity & Age Group report, which extends the charts back to 2012, shows the rise of severe bite injury victims ≥ 40 years old began in 2019, before the pandemic. Within this subset, 40-49 years rose the most over the 12-year period, nearly doubling in the number of severe bites between the two 6-year periods (2012-2017 to 2018-2023) from 39 to 77, a 97% rise. Followed by ≥ 70-years, which also had a nearly a doubling of incidents between the two periods from 12 to 22, an 83% rise.

Download: Report: Austin Dog Bites - Injury Severity & Age Groups (2012-2023)

Austin, Texas: Severe injury dog bite data by age group 2018 to 2023

Dog bite injuries by severity and age group (2012-2023) before, during and after Covid, emphasizing the rise in severe injury dog bites in the city of Austin between 2018 to 2023.

Austin Dog Bites: Top-Biting Breeds & Severity

The Biting Breeds & Severity report shows the top-biting breeds of (1) all severity levels and (2) severe bite injuries alone between 2012 and 2023.6 Among all severity levels, pit bulls were responsible for 22% (4888/21911), over twice as high as any other dog breed. Among severe bite injuries, pit bulls were responsible for 42% (357/842), over 4 times higher than any other dog breed. Among the years we are primarily focused on, 2018-2023, severe bites inflicted by pit bulls rose 533%, from 12 to 76.

Thus, the near tripling of severe bites in Austin from 2018 to 2023 points to pit bulls as the chief perpetrator, responsible for 47% (234/494), combined with the total number of dogs with significant bite histories that AAC recycled back into the city, and the "sustained effect" post-Covid. Among severe bites inflicted by the other top-biting breeds over the 12-year period, there is little variance. As Chart G shows, there is an explosion of severe bite injuries inflicted by pit bulls from 2018 to 2023.

Page 2 of the Biting Breeds & Severity report shows the top 10 biting breeds for each severity level over the 12-year period. Pit bulls inflicted 42% of severe bites, over 4 times more than the next breed, Labrador retrievers, 10%, and German shepherds, 5%. Pit bulls inflicted 27% of moderate bites, over 2 times more than the next breed, Labradors, 12%, and German shepherds, 8%. Pit bulls inflicted 20% of minor bites, over 1.75 times more than the next breed, Labradors, 11%, and Chihuahuas, 10%.7

Download: Report: Austin Dog Bites - Top-Biting Dog Breeds & Severity (2012-2023)

Austin, Texas: Severe injury dog bite data by breed 2018 to 2023

Top-biting breeds of severe injures by year (2012-2023), emphasizing the rise in severe dog bite injuries by the top-biting breeds in the city of Austin between 2018 to 2023.

Austin Dog Bites: Multi-Dog Bites & Severity

We also examined if bites involving multiple dogs ("multi-dog bite") significantly added to the rise of SBI events from 2018 to 2023. For example, in 2022 a 41-year old Austin man was killed by 6 pit bulls. This was recorded as 6 severe bites. From 2012 to 2017, multi-dog bites comprised 29% of all severe bite injuries. This fell to 24% from 2018 to 2023. Severe multi-dog bites involving pit bulls comprised 37% during the 2012 to 2017 period. During the second period, 2018 to 2023, that rose to 70%.

From 2018 to 2023, pit bulls were disproportionately involved in severe bite injuries, 47% (234/494), and severe multi-dog bite injuries, 70% (85/121).

If only unique SBIs are counted -- meaning the Austin fatality would count as 1 SBI event instead of 6 -- unique severe bites from 2018 to 2023 still nearly tripled. Instead of rising 193% (from 45 to 132), unique SBIs rose 190% (from 41 to 119). As Chart K illustrates, multi-dog bites are always a portion of severe bites, but that portion actually fell slightly during the 2018 to 2023 period. Severe injury bites involving multiple dogs did not abnormally impact the overall rise of SBI events from 2018 to 2023.8

This is also true in our dog bite fatality data, perhaps because owning a pair of dogs is common. Yet, there has been a sharp rise in deaths involving 3 or more dogs -- from 5 deaths in 2018 to 22 in 2023, a 340% rise. While all dog bite fatalities have risen annually since 2018 -- from 36 deaths in our data to 61, a 69% rise -- deaths are rising slower than attacks involving ≥ 3 dogs.9 Austin data only tracked if "multiple dogs" were involved, not the "actual number" of dogs, so we could not measure this factor.

Download: Report: Austin Dog Bites - Multi-Dog Bites & Severe Bites (2012-2023)

Austin, Texas: Multi-dog bites and severe injury dog bite data by breed 2018 to 2023

Severe injury multi-dog bites and unique bites (2012-2023), emphasizing the influence of multi-dog bites on all severe injury bites in the city of Austin between 2018 to 2023.

Austin Dog Bites: Summary

Over the 6-year period of 2018 to 2023, minor bites fell in Austin by 27%, moderate bite injuries rose by 49%, and severe bites rose by 193% -- indicating a disproportionate increase in severe bites. Victims 40 years and older had the greatest increase in severe bites, 433%, especially those aged 40-49 and 70 and older. Over the 12-year period, pit bulls were responsible for 42% of severe bites, over 4 times more than any other breed. From 2018 to 2023, severe bites inflicted by pit bulls surged 533%.

Multi-dog attacks involving severe injuries did not distort these results. From 2018 to 2023, unique severe bites rose 190%, similar to the escalation in all severe bites, which rose 193%. This period directly correlates with the 95% save rate mandate and a "Right to Rescue" no-kill ordinance, both adopted in 2019, which led to AAC recycling hundreds of biting dogs back into the city. In 2024, the city adopted the Dunbar Bite Scale to stop rehoming dogs with a Level 4 or higher bite history.

San Antonio Dog Bite Data (2012-2023)

Background

After a series of five brutal dog attacks in 2023, including the fatal pit bull maulings of Ramon Najera, 81, and Paul Striegl, 47, local media began scrutinizing San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) data, including dog bite severity data, owner citations, repeat offenders, and more. This is when it became known that both San Antonio and Austin sustained a near tripling of severe injury bites from 2018 to 2023, but only a minor difference or a reduction in the number of minor and moderate bites.

The death of Najera resulted in criminal charges, the owners pleading guilty and a punishment phase proceeding. Christian Moreno and Abilene Schnieder, a married couple, were each sentenced to lengthy prison terms in connection to his death, 18 and 15 years, respectively. Najera's wife then filed a federal lawsuit against San Antonio, alleging the city's "misfeasance, and gross misconduct" for failing to declare the couple's dogs dangerous after inflicting three attacks prior to killing her husband.

After Najera's death, the city launched a strategic plan to increase responsiveness to bites and dangerous dog investigations. By the end of fiscal 2024, increases in budget and staffing led to a critical call response rate of 81%, up from 46%; dangerous dog compliance rose to 82% from 55%; and criminal citations increased 221%. Today, any dog picked up by ACS is subject to spay or neuter to reduce roaming dogs, and victims can sign a dangerous dog affidavit under a pseudonym program.

Despite these improvements, severe bite injuries have increased 54% so far this year. When asked why, ACS Director Jon Gary said, "We don't know."10

San Antonio operates on a similar dog bite injury scale as Austin. The three severity levels in San Antonio are Mild, Moderate, and Severe. We did not obtain breed data because it is already known from 2017 data that pit bulls inflicted 47% of severe bites in San Antonio, over 3 times more than any other breed. In 2023 data, pit bulls inflicted at least 31% of injuries resulting in "hospitalization or death" -- a separate severity designation11 -- which is over 4 times more than any other dog breed.

We also did not obtain records of bite dogs adopted from the city shelter. What is known is that ACS had an 88% "save rate" in 2022, and an 81% rate in 2023, both fall short of the 90% requirement for no-kill. In 2024, under the new leadership of Gary, the save rate rose to 87%, apparently due to a new incentive for rescue partners to pull animals from the shelter at $200 per animal, up from $84. Maintaining a 90% save rate is a priority for San Antonio, but their public safety priority is higher.

San Antonio Dog Bites: Severity & Age Groups

From 2018 to 2023 (fiscal), severe bite injuries rose 169% in San Antonio. By comparison, mild injury bites -- the most frequent -- fell by 2% (1750/1708), and moderate injury bites -- the second most frequent -- only rose by 18% (710/835). The chart shows that severe and moderate bites rose the most during the Covid years of 2021 to 2023. Among age groups, severe injury bites rose the most in ≥ 40 years old, 396%, similar to Austin, followed by 10-39 years, a 138% rise, and 1-9 years old, a 117% rise.

Page 2 of the Severity & Age Group report, which extends the charts back to 2012, shows the rise of severe bite injury victims ≥ 40 years old began in 2020, the first year of the pandemic. Within this subset, ≥ 70 years rose the most over the 12-year period, more than doubling in the number of severe bites between the two 6-year periods (2012-2017 to 2018-2023) from 29 to 71, a 145% rise. Followed by 60-69-years, where SBIs also more than doubled between the periods from 30 to 61, a 103% rise.

Download: Report: San Antonio Dog Bites - Injury Severity & Age Groups (2012-2023)

San Antonio, Texas: Severe injury dog bite data by age group 2018 to 2023

Dog bite injuries by severity and age group (2012-2023) before, during and after Covid, emphasizing the rise in severe injury dog bites in San Antonio between 2018 to 2023.

San Antonio Dog Bites: Summary

The similar trends in San Antonio and Austin cannot be ignored. Each experienced a sharp rise in the number of severe bites, 169% and 193% respectively. Each also experienced a sharp rise in the number of victims ≥ 40 years old, 396% and 433% respectively. Among the ≥ 40 age groups, the ≥ 70 age group rose the most in San Antonio, and the 40-49 age group rose the most in Austin. According to Census data, San Antonio has a higher number of people ages ≥ 65, 13.1% versus 10.1%.

After five brutal dog attacks in 2023, the city committed to a strategic plan to increase dangerous dog investigations and owner compliance. The results have been encouraging. Key public safety metrics have sharply risen, and the fine for a first offense for owning a biting dog is now $1,000. To combat the city's "enduring roaming dog" problem, any dog ACS finds roaming will be spay or neutered before being released to its owner. But an alarming increase in severe bite injuries continues to persist.

Summary & Discussion

Injury & Breed Data

In two Central Texas cities, Austin and San Antonio, Severe Bite Injuries (SBI) nearly tripled between 2018 and 2023. Moderate injury bites grew more modestly, 49% and 18%, respectively, and minor injury bites fell, -27% and -2% respectively. In both jurisdictions, dog bite victims in the ≥ 40 years age group increased dramatically, 433% in Austin and 396% in San Antonio. The top-biting breed in both cities -- pit bulls -- disproportionately inflicted the greatest number of severe and fatal bite injuries.

In Austin, severe injury bites inflicted by pit bulls shot up 533% from 2018 to 2023. No other breeds had a significant rise. In 2023 alone, pit bulls inflicted 58% of severe and life-threatening bites in Austin, over 9 times more than any other dog breed. In San Antonio, pit bulls inflicted 31% of injuries resulting hospitalization or death during 2023, over 4 times more than any other breed. In both cities, a single breed of dog, pit bulls, heavily contributed to the near tripling of SBIs over the last 6 years.

No-Kill Policies

In Austin, at least two no-kill shelter polices adopted in 2019, the "Council mandated" live release rate of 95% and the "Right to Rescue" ordinance, contributed to the rise in SBIs between 2018 to 2023. Over the same period, AAC recycled hundreds of high-risk dogs with bite histories back into the city. By the end of 2023, SBIs had nearly tripled. A course correction included the city adopting the Dunbar Bite Scale. Dogs with a Level 4 bite history or higher can no longer be adopted to the public.

We also know that in Austin, dog owners became more tolerant of keeping dogs that lack bite inhibition in their homes. From 2012 to 2017, 81 severe injury bites occurred on properties where the "same" dog had another recorded bite by AAC. From 2018 to 2023, that number more than doubled to 173, a 114% rise. Also, during the first period, 390 moderate injury bites occurred on properties where the "same" dog had another recorded bite history by AAC. That rose to 624 in the second period, a 60% rise.12

Severe Bites Keep Rising

In San Antonio, despite implementing a strategic plan to increase responsiveness to bites and dangerous dog investigations and achieving strong results between fiscal years 2023 and 2024, it was announced in May that severe bites increased 54% from the same period in fiscal 2024. Bites of all severity levels rose 11% -- indicating, again, a disproportionate increase in severe bites. If this rise continues at a 54% increase through the end of fiscal 2025, this will result in a 314% rise since 2018.

The surge in severe bites in San Antonio may be linked to more families keeping a biting dog, and more owners who lack the know-how and resources to manage a biting dog. The ACS director hypothesized the rise in severe bites might be linked to a rise in the number of free-roaming dogs. In our nonprofit's research, Covid exacerbated the free-roaming dog problem across the country, as spay and neuter services were slowed or halted and animal control agencies only responded to high priority calls.

National and International Trends

The 2024 UK paper, which is the first to show that dog bite injuries are increasing in frequency and severity following the pandemic, identified the trend as a "sustained effect" post Covid. Their analysis showed a 47% increase in dog bites after lockdowns ended compared to before, and a significant increase in the need for operative management. Covid changed various aspects of society, including patterns of human-animal interactions. More people became dog owners during this period as well.

On a state-level, two states have released comprehensive pre- and post-Covid dog bite injury data for emergency room visits. In California, the number of ER visits for dog bites increased 12% from 2021 to 2022. Additional data from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information shows that from 2018 to 2023, the number of ER visits for dog bites increased from 42277 to 54682, a 29% rise. 2023 marks the highest number of ER visits for dog bites in California in the last 19 years.

Data from the Florida Department of Health shows an even higher rise. From 2021 to 2022, the number of ER visits for dog bites increased 19%. From 2018 to 2023, the number of these ER visits increased from 24001 to 32557, a 36% rise. 2023 also marked the highest number of ER visits for dog bites in Florida in the last 19 years. The rate of these ER visits differ between the two states. In 2023, the rate of ER visits for dog bites in Florida was 179 per population 100,000. In California, the rate was 139.5.

Nationally, the number of U.S. households that own a dog is growing, the American Veterinary Medical Association reports. Our research indicates public tolerance for keeping a biting dog is also growing. According to a national no-kill organization, 57% of U.S. shelters achieved a 90% or higher save rate in 2022.13 Many no-kill shelters practice "managed intake," and avoid behavior-based euthanasia. These dogs are then recycled back into the community, just like AAC had been doing before the audit.

Mitigation Strategies

A powerful method of unbiased inspection is an audit. In Austin, the auditor's office underwent an extensive examination of AAC data that led to the discovery that AAC had placed over 350 dogs with moderate and severe bite histories into the city since 2019, contributing to a steep rise of severe bite Injuries. As a result, the city adopted the Dunbar Bite Scale, an objective injury scale, stating that dogs with a bite history of Level 4 or higher cannot be adopted to the public and may be euthanized.

Another mitigation strategy is for state legislators to enact a mandatory bite disclosure law, forcing animal releasing agencies to disclose the animal's bite history to the adopter -- California and Virginia already have. The combination of a bite disclosure law and a city adopting the Dunbar Bite Scale is even better. When Austin adopted the scale, the terms "provoked" and "unprovoked" were removed from the ordinance, because the city decided "to move to an objective measure of bite severity."

Owners with a biting dog must candidly consider its "management," because the best predictor of a bite is a previous bite. The degree of injury in each new bite often escalates. Can the biting dog and its legal liability be "managed" or not? If the answer is no, or is cost prohibitive, what is the next step? Prior to no-kill sheltering policies, responsible owner management of a serious biting dog was to surrender it to the local pound for euthanasia. Many no kill shelters turn away these owners today.

The Last Word

By Attorney Kenneth M. Phillips

After reviewing our report, the nation's most prominent dog bite attorney and the author of dogbitelaw.com offers additional findings and conclusions by providing the last word.

There are many reasons why more people are being seriously injured by dogs today, but the primary cause is the growing number of pit bulls in the United States. Although pit bulls make up only about 6% of the nation’s dog population, they are responsible for a disproportionate number of severe and fatal attacks.

When I refer to a pit bull, I include not just the American Pit Bull Terrier, but all breeds and mixes with the same fighting-dog background and behavioral traits—such as the Bully, Staffy, Amstaff, Blue Nose, and Red Nose. These dogs share a common genetic heritage and physical characteristics that make them more likely to inflict serious injuries when they attack.

Meticulous research supports this conclusion. For example, Colleen Lynn's analysis of dog bite records in Austin, Texas, revealed a 533% increase in severe attacks by pit bulls. In my own legal practice, which is exclusively focused on dog bite cases, pit bulls are involved in the vast majority of the catastrophic injuries and deaths. When I review a fatal attack, the dog responsible is almost always a pit bull.

The rise in pit bull ownership in the USA has brought with it more attacks, more physical trauma, longer recovery times, and higher medical expenses. Numerous hospitals and researchers have documented this trend. One dramatic statistic is that pit bulls are currently responsible for approximately 75% of fatal dog attacks in the United States.

Shelters and rescues have contributed to the crisis by rehoming large numbers of pit bulls. Families who come to a shelter looking for a safe, friendly pet are often misled into adopting a dog with a history of aggression. I’ve recovered millions of dollars for clients injured in such cases—only to see the same shelter continue placing aggressive dogs into other homes. This is why I have called for all states to adopt a “Truth in Pet Adoption Law” that would require shelters and rescues to disclose a dog’s bite history in writing before adoption. No reasonable parent would knowingly bring a dangerous dog into their home.

No-kill shelter policies have made matters worse. Nearly every day in my practice, I receive calls from adopters, fosters, shelter workers or volunteers who have been bitten by dogs that should have been euthanized. All across the country, aggressive dogs—especially pit bulls—are being returned to the same neighborhoods where they previously injured people.

The pit bull advocacy movement has added to the problem by promoting the idea that these dogs are simply intelligent, friendly, loyal, and misunderstood. But advocates often fail to mention that when pit bulls attack, their victims are frequently their own owners, their owner's family members, or visiting children. This incomplete narrative leads to real harm:

People adopt pit bulls without understanding the risks

Owners of small dogs do not take steps to protect them

Pit bull owners fail to protect themselves or their families

People and pets suffer maulings that could have been prevented

A recent attack in Manhattan highlights another serious issue: the failure of law enforcement to act. In that case, a Chihuahua named Penny was mauled outside a sidewalk café. The NYPD refused to take action, falsely claiming it lacked the authority to impound two clearly dangerous pit bulls owned by irresponsible individuals. When animal control laws are ignored, people and pets suffer avoidable injuries.

Are all pit bulls alike? No. But every pit bull poses a level of risk that is simply too high for the average household. The only effective way to reduce that risk is to reduce the number of pit bulls overall. Public shelters and rescues should stop or greatly reduce the rehoming of pit bulls. Breeders should stop producing them.

The focus should not be on the breed’s image, but on public safety. And that means fewer pit bulls in our communities.

Kenneth M. Phillips
dogbitelaw.com

Chart Key: Rising Dog Maulings in two Central Texas Cities, Austin & San Antonio (2018-2023)

Download report files:
Report: Austin Dog Bites - Injury Severity & Age Groups (2012-2023)
Report: Austin Dog Bites - Top-Biting Dog Breeds & Severity (2012-2023)
Report: Austin Dog Bites - Multi-Dog Bites & Severe Bites (2012-2023)
Report: San Antonio Dog Bites - Injury Severity & Age Groups (2012-2023)
See: Full news release

1Proposed Changes Related to the Austin Animal Services Office, City of Austin Council Work Session, January 30, 2024 (services.austintexas.gov).
2Previously, the City Auditor's audit of the Austin Animal Center (AAC) showed that 479 dogs with moderate or severe bite histories were adopted by AAC over the 4.5 fiscal year period of 2019 to midway 2023. In January 2025, this was revised and is noted in the revised version of the audit -- "January 2025 correction to the audit of the Austin Animal Center: In December 2024, our office identified inaccuracies in Exhibit 3 titled, “AAC regularly adopts and transfers animals with moderate and severe bite histories.” As a result, we revisited the methodology and updated the exhibit. The revised numbers continue to support our conclusion in the report that the Austin Animal Center regularly adopted and transferred animals with moderate and severe bite histories."
3The Del Rio case provides even more details. On Christmas day 2021, two children were delivering Christmas cookies to their next-door neighbor "when Stanley, who the neighbor had adopted from AAC in August 2020, 'escaped and barreled toward and into Noelle,' leaving her with a concussion, broken arm, and puncture wounds and lacerations to her head." According to the lawsuit, "Stanley had been repeatedly aggressive while housed at AAC and was twice involved in biting incidents in early 2020." The Del Rios argued "the City was not entitled to governmental immunity because its 'operation of its [NKP] is not animal control, is ultrahazardous, and is proprietary.'" | Stephani Del Rio and Andrew Del Rio, as Next Friends of “Noelle” and “Luke,” Minors, Appellants v. The City of Austin, Appellee, Court of Appeals of Texas, Austin, Case No. 03-24-00344-CV, Decided: January 31, 2025 (caselaw.findlaw.com).
4Ordinance No. 20191017-025, October 17, 2019, City of Austin, Texas (municode.com).
5Resolution No. 20190328-034, March 28, 2019, City of Austin, Texas (austintexas.gov).
6The “Breed Group” was determined using these rules (1) Breeds listed under two or more names (“Alaskan husky” and “Siberian husky”) were combined into one breed, (2) Breeds with multiple size distinctions (“giant” and “miniature”) were combined into one breed, and (3) Breeds with coat distinctions (“Chihuahua long coat” and “Chihuahua short coat”) were combined into one breed. Other examples include: (a) The “Australian cattle dog” breed group combines: Australian cattle dog and Queensland heeler. (b) The “Pit Bull” breed group combines: American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire, and pit bull.
7Austin does not have licensing data. The city ended its Pet Licensing Program in 2008. There is no way to gauge dog breed populations. We reported this in 2012: Dog Bites Increase 35% in Austin After the Adoption of 'No-Kill' Policy.
8The unique SBIs are actually higher too. Our method of extracting all duplicate victim IDs did not account for the uncommon victim who sustained two severe bites in separate attacks. We manually located 6 victims. Half (3) were volunteers at APA or AAC; one victim was severely bitten by her own pit bull twice; one victim was severely bitten by two different dogs a year apart; and one victim was a child severely bitten by the same family dog on two occasions.
9U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities Report (2018-2023), May 2025, Dogsbite.org.
10Garrett Brnger, "Animal bite reports up in San Antonio, ACS director says," KSAT, May 19, 2025 (ksat.com).
11Mariza Mendoza, "San Antonio's dog bite crisis: Over 3,000 cases reported, pit bull look-alikes top the list," News 4 San Antonio, October 31, 2023 (news4sanantonio.com).
12In some of the repeat-biting dog households, two or more bites occurred in one incident involving different victims (a single dog attacked more than one person in the home). 7% (83/1268) of repeat-biting dogs with a Moderate or Severe bite record occurred at the facilities of AAC, Austin Pets Alive, or Austin Humane Society. We did not exclude them.
13Best Friends Animal Society’s Annual Report on U.S. Pet Sheltering Reveals No-Kill Shelters at All-Time High, Despite 378,000 Pets Killed Nationally, Best Friends Animal Society, May 31, 2023 (bestfriends.org).

Posted on May 6, 2025 by Colleen Lynn

Quincy Man Co-Authors Documentary Short After Surviving Near Fatal Pit Bull Attack; Retraces Steps & Discusses Legal Issues

Moneyback Joe is a documentary short about surviving a vicious pit bull attack.

Quincy, IL - On March 17, 2024, three pit bulls viciously attacked Jerod Welker, 36, as he walked through a park. The dogs ripped off his clothes, tore off part of his scalp, and inflicted lacerations and crush injuries all over his body. The documentary short starts with dramatic police bodycam footage as officers arrive at the scene. They find Welker lying face down in the grass, naked, and covered in wounds. Dr. Dan Liesen later states, "It looked like you were whipped with some type of Roman whip."

The names of the three attacking pit bulls, all female, were, "Moneyback Joe," the title of this documentary short, "Bailey" and "Basely."

Welker was transported to Blessing Hospital, where he was hospitalized for five days and spent three days on a ventilator. In the documentary, Welker retraces what happed on the day of the attack. He interviews Dr. Liesen and the ER practitioner, who treated his injuries. "We were really worried about your left arm," Dr. Liesen said, and if it was getting enough blood flow. "We were deciding whether or not to open your arm up to allow the fluid to weep out," so that you could keep your left arm.

The ER practitioner, LJ Helmke, said it was the worst dog attack he had ever witnessed. "To see somebody come in with, like I said, the hundreds of lacerations that you had from multiple dogs, it catches you off guard," he said. "We prepare ourselves for car accidents and stabbings and shootings," but dog attacks are typically one bite. "This was a whole different category of animal attack," he said. "I mean, where do you look first?" he asked, referring to which injury to treat first.

Excerpts: Dan Liesen, MD

"When we evaluated you, you were just mauled from head to toe. The attack appeared to occur where most of the injuries were kind of on the skin and then into the deep soft tissues. Skin lacerations simply in and of themselves usually don't cause life-threatening problems if you're getting bit, but when you have a crush injury associated with it, now you're injuring all of the soft tissues underneath of it. You're causing this inflammation and swelling everywhere in the body, and you're damaging the tissues as well.

* * *

"So, the skin over your head, where your hair attached into, that scalp was just multiple lacerations. We were really worried about your left arm. We thought that it might have created enough swelling that you weren't getting enough blood flow to your arm in order for it to live. So, we were deciding whether or not to open your arm up to allow the fluid to weep out, so you were going to keep your left arm. It's just all that crush injury to the soft tissues in your arm. It looked like you were whipped with some type of Roman whip. It was just top to bottom.

* * *

"I would say this, if somebody didn't see him and removed the animals that were attacking him, he would not have been alive much longer, maybe it was less than 20 minutes would be my guess because they were going to finish him off.

In my mind, and just from what I understand from the incident, if he didn't come in, in short order he was not going to be alive. He was going to lose his airway within probably 15 to 20 minutes and then then you would have died."

Excerpts: LJ Helmke, NP

"It was definitely the worst animal attack I have ever witnessed. To see somebody come in with, like I said, the hundreds of lacerations that you had from multiple dogs, it catches you off guard. Because you don't think about these things. These aren't a one bite kind of injury. These are massive life-threatening injuries that can really end your life pretty quick if not intervened.

* * *

"We prepare ourselves for car accidents and stabbings and shootings, but animal attacks are, usually they're smaller children that were messing with the family dog and the dog snipped and cut the child's cheek. This was a whole different category of animal attack. I mean this was very distracting ... I mean, where do you look first?"

Harsh Legal Realities

Welker also interviewed State's Attorney Gary Farha. It is a grim dialog, given that there are few laws in Illinois to hold owners of vicious dogs criminally liable. This is due to pit bull lobbying forces, namely Ledy Vankavage. In 2003, these forces pushed through legislation that prohibits municipalities from enacting restricted breed laws,1 made it more arduous to declare a dog "vicious" or "dangerous" and solidified that a previous classification of either is required for the owner to face a felony penalty.2

The owner was charged with dogs running at large. "It's not a criminal act. It's a quasi-criminal action, where there's no chance of going to jail for that type of ordinance violation," Farha said. Yet, had this same off-property attack occurred in Texas or another state with a felony dog attack statute, charges might have applied. Farha believes these types of attacks need to be strict liability. "We're not saying you can't own an animal like this, but if something happens," you're going to be on the line, he said.

Farha also discussed violent breeds. "As we proceed into the future, I don't know what's going to happen. You fear that we're just going to get more and more violent breeds of animals. We have more and more extreme people," he said. This is an astute observation. The XL and XXL bully -- the largest pit bull breed variant -- is today's most extreme breed. Built from fighting bloodlines, weighing up to 130 pounds, and having inflicted enough fatal attacks the UK government banned them.

Excerpts: State's Attorney Gary Farha

"Dogs running at large. That was an ordinance violation. It's basically the dogs not being on a leash or are outside their yard. It's not a criminal act. It's a quasi-criminal action, where there's no chance of going to jail for that type of ordinance violation. Fine only. There are some things that could happen to the animal if it bites. In your case, the three animals were euthanized by the consent of the owners.

* * *

"My hopes would be that some legislator would take this case, and it takes three or four years sometimes to get a bill enacted but that somebody would do something to make it easier for prosecutors to deal with that. Because I do think, like I was saying, these type of cases need to be strict liability. We're not saying you can't own an animal like this, but if something happens, you have to understand you're going to be on the line.

* * *

"As we proceed into the future, I don't know what's going to happen. You fear that we're just going to get more and more violent breeds of animals. We have more and more extreme people. We have more and more mental health issues. I think that all that factors into getting more exotic pets, more dangerous pets, more dangerous breeds. I think that inherently means we're going to get more human beings injured.

Welker next spoke to Sally Westerhoff of the Quincy Humane Society. "Before this happened," Welker said, "I didn't know very much about pit bulls or what to look out for with dogs. I'm really glad it didn't happen to one of my kids." Westerhoff replied, "We had a very serious situation, and it seems like once the animals are euthanized, 'problem solved.' Well, it's not," she said. "We need to figure out how do we prevent that going forward rather than waiting for the result of just the animal being euthanized."

This past January, Westerhoff and Vankavage lobbied the Illinois legislature to pass HB 1603, which prohibits "a landlord or lessor from refusing to rent to, deny housing to, or impose conditions on a lessee or tenant based on the breed of a dog." The bill stalled in the House Rules Committee on April 11. There were 180 proponents, mainly pit bull defenders -- including, Zach Mackowiak, lobbying on behalf of USA TODAY -- and 125 opponents, primarily landlords and property management groups.

Given the solid pit bull defender lobbying block in Illinois, of which no animal activist (like Westerhoff) would break from, there is little chance that a criminal law after a "first attack" by a loose dog that inflicts serious or fatal injuries could pass. There is one reason why: the law would disproportionately affect pit bull owners because pit bulls disproportionately inflict these attacks. The pit bull block would fiercely fight the bill. In the case of Welker, the dogs' owner was given two citations, each for $250.3

Clothes Held as "Evidence"

Towards the end of the video, Welker sees the clothing he wore when the dogs attacked him for the first time. He holds up a big plastic see-through sack he retrieved from the Quincy Police Department. Inside, each article of clothing is wrapped and sealed with yellow evidence tape. He opens each article on camera. His sweatshirt is blood-stained; his sweatpants are ripped to shreds. Seeing his clothes, he said, "It does bring up feelings. I've never actually screamed for my life before, but I did then."

He said he'd like to understand the deeper meaning behind the attack. He may never know, "but I am left to think about it now," he said. Welker plans to meditate to try to get as close to the meaning as he can. One obvious meaning is that he survived; many would not have. Moreover, he appears to have physically healed faster than most victims after one year. Welker also contracted rhabdomyolysis, which is a rare muscle damage condition caused by the extensive crush injuries he sustained.

Excerpts: Jerod Welker

"They pull me down to the ground and they're starting to just like pull my clothes off and rip into my clothes. I was yelling. 'Somebody please help me I'm going to die' I was yelling something like that over and over as loud as I could for a while.

"I eventually decided I was going to try to get up. So, I got up. I think I had like my underwear and my sweatpants like kind of pulled down my legs, and I still had my shoes on of course, so I tried to really quickly get my sweatpants and underwear and shoes off and went running down the hill -- like full speed -- and they start they were following me."

* * *

"I think this might have been where they got part of my ear off ... I remember they were really on me. I had my face really in the ground ... I was like kind of eating the ground because I don't want them to get on my face.

* * *

"When I got up and opened my eyes, everything looked white, like literally white. So, I could see in front of me, but like everything had thick white tint to it. I've never experienced that before. I don't know what that is. I feel like I am just going to sound crazy."4

Additional Discussion

Welker, who co-authored the documentary short with Andrew Sheeley, created a powerful account of a victim reencountering a vicious dog attack after physically healing from it. Having to watch and edit the police bodycam video -- perhaps dozens of times -- would mean reliving the attack and his vulnerability each time. By interviewing the medical practitioners, the audience learns of the severity of his injuries through the authoritative lens of the two people who treated him. This is very compelling.

Reencountering the clothing he wore when the dogs attacked him was also forceful. Even though no criminal charges applied to the attack, police bagged and sealed his bloody clothing as evidence and held them in lockup. Police had treated the scene of the attack as a potential crime scene. So, it must have been a cruel irony for Welker to pull each clothing article out of the "evidence bag" knowing that the brutal attack he endured was nothing more than a "civil" issue. No crime had been committed.

This disturbing irony is perfectly reflected in the sullen face of former Adams County State's Attorney Gary Farha during his interview. We call this expression, "Defeated Prosecutor Syndrome." When a prosecutor's face shows a "a particular grimness, even ashen quality, upon realizing there are no legal options to criminally charge the owner of a pit bull after his dog savagely" kills or injures a person. Because "it’s hard to bring charges without prior adjudication of these animals as dangerous animals."

Most serious criminal dog attack charges require the owner (1) having knowledge of the dog's vicious propensities, and/or (2) demonstrated recklessness or a negligence. State laws like Illinois, which require the dog to be previously adjudicated as "vicious" or "dangerous" prior to criminal charges, are futile. As Welker's case shows, the dogs were declared "vicious" afterward and the owner euthanized all three dogs to avoid the "vicious" dog requirements. Thus, reinforcing the vicious dog owner loop.

Farha states, "these type of cases need to be strict liability," referring to criminal liability after a vicious attack by a loose dog causing serious bodily injury or death. On this website, we frequently use the term "strict liability" when referring to civil liability. But strict liability also exists in criminal law. Dog bite attorney Kenneth Phillips, and the author of dogbitelaw.com explains: "Technically speaking, strict liability offenses are crimes that do not require proof of the defendant's mental state (mens rea)."

"Although we might not know it by its name, every one of us is already familiar with criminal strict liability. We see it all around us every day," Phillips said. Examples include criminal laws against drunk driving and selling alcohol to a minor. "It doesn’t matter how good your intentions were," Phillips said, or "how hard you tried to keep this from happening." Criminal strict liability laws are aimed at conduct that’s intolerable, he said. "Do it and there are no excuses. Do it and you go to jail. That's strict."

Left: Jerod Welker, Dr. Dan Liesen, and Former Adams County State's Attorney Gary Farha.

From Moneyback Joe, a documentary short about recovering from a vicious pit bull attack.

1Part of what propelled the lobbying forces was the January 2003 fatal mauling of Anna Cieslewicz, who was attacked and killed by two pit bulls while jogging in Dan Ryan Woods forest preserve in Chicago..
2Declaring a dog "dangerous" under the 2003 bill, HB 0184, increased the burden of proof level from no specified level to "clear and convincing evidence." Declaring a dog "vicious" under HB 0184 required the animal control or law enforcement agency to "make a detailed report recommending a finding that the dog is a vicious dog and (1) give the report to the State's Attorney's Office and the owner. (2) The complaint must be filed in a circuit court in the "name of the People of the State of Illinois to deem a dog to be a vicious dog," and (3) "The petitioner must prove the dog is a vicious dog by clear and convincing evidence." In the previous version of the Act, numbers 1-3 were not required. It only required an investigation by animal control or law enforcement agency, and a declaration in writing the dog to be a "vicious" dog as defined in the Act. Also in the previous Act, a determination by a court was an option, not mandatory.
3In 2006, HB 4367 attempted to overturn parts of the 2003 Act. The bill would: (1) "establish the Vicious Dog Attack Victim Relief Fund Program to reimburse victims and their families for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages resulting from serious physical injuries caused by a vicious dog attack," and (2) "provides that if an owned animal is found to be a "vicious animal", the owner shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony." In other words, if a first attack by a dog results in serious or fatal injuries, meeting the definition of a "vicious" dog, the owner would face a Class 4 felony. HB 4367, introduced during the 94th General Assembly, never got a hearing. The bill was DOA -- dead on arrival.
4We do not know what caused everything to turn white, but it is indicative of a "white out." This can be caused by standing up too fast, overexertion, becoming dehydrated, and/or physical stress. Yet another cause, apparently, is the life-saving measure of "standing up" after being dragged to the ground and repeatedly mauled by three pit bulls. After getting up, he didn't make it too far before the dogs caught him, taking him down again. He told Muddy River News, at that point, “I gave up on yelling for help. It seemed like the more I did that, the more fierce the dogs would get with me. And also, I was really exhausted. I was starting to accept that really, this is going to be it. I was just accepting that I was probably going to die. Maybe that’s why by the time the police got there, (the dogs were) circling me.”

Posted on May 6, 2025 by Colleen Lynn

"Criminal Strict Liability" – Explained Simply

What is “Criminal Strict Liability”?

Although we might not know it by its name, every one of us is already familiar with criminal strict liability. We see it all around us every day. Examples include the criminal laws against --

Having sex with a minor (statutory rape).
Drunk driving.
Selling spoiled food.
Selling alcohol to a minor.
Violating workplace safety standards.

These are all strict liability crimes. They focus on just one thing: the illegal act itself. Do that thing, go to jail. A criminal strict liability law says --

It doesn’t matter how good your intentions were.
We are not interested in what you thought you were doing when you did this.
It makes no difference how hard you tried to keep this from happening.

Criminal strict liability laws are aimed at conduct that’s intolerable. Do it and there are no excuses. Do it and you go to jail.

That’s strict.

Strict Liability Criminal Statutes in the United States

Most crimes require a combination of act plus mental state. For example, if a person does something that causes a human to die, the crime could be first degree murder if it was planned ahead of time, second degree murder if it resulted from reckless disregard of the possibility that death could result, or simple homicide if it happened because of negligence.

That’s not true of strict liability crimes. Technically speaking, strict liability offenses are crimes that do not require proof of the defendant’s mental state (mens rea). Society is not interested in what you were thinking, what you intended, etc. It doesn't even matter whether you knew there was a law against doing what you did.

The "Criminal Strict Liability" definition and examples were written by dog bite attorney Kenneth Phillips of dogbitelaw.com. As a wonderful courtesy, we have permission from Phillips to publish this definition on our website. "Strict liability" is a concept that more commonly relates to civil law.

In 2022, two pit bulls killed 88-year old Mary Gehring and injured a young boy in Golden, Colorado. Prosecutors charged the owners with owning a dangerous dog causing death, a class 5 felony. Under the Colorado Revised Statute 18-9-204.5, Unlawful Ownership of a Dangerous Dog, is a strict liability crime. Both owners, Kayla Mooney and Victor Bentley, pleaded guilty. Other than this case, we do not believe we have seen a "criminal strict liability" felony statute applicable to a fatal dog mauling.

In Michigan and Washington, felony dog attack statutes have been tested by prosecutors who inferred the legislative intent was a strict liability offense because the statute was silent on criminal intent. In both cases, appellate courts rejected: People of Mi v. Janes and State v. Bash. The dissenters in Bash wrote: "The majority attempts to convert this into a 'second bite' statute, but Mr. Walt Freser was killed by the attack of the dogs. Surely the majority did not wish to make this a 'second death' statute."

Related articles:
03/24/25: The "Vicious Dog Owner Loop" – Explained Simply by Dog Bite Law

DogsBite blog ::