From time-to-time, DogsBite.org is requested by a municipality to create an interim year fatality report, such as this. What stands out thus far is the high percentage of pit bull killings (61%), that only one person over the age of 2 was killed by a breed other than a pit bull and that 100% of off-property attacks have been attributed to pit bulls. The high rate of infant fatalities (1-years old and younger) across a variety of breeds stands out as well.
- 18 US fatal dog attacks have occurred so far in 2008. Pit bull type dogs were responsible for 61% (11). Pit bulls make up approximately 5% of the US dog population.
- Only one person over the age of 2 has been killed by a breed other than a pit bull this year; a 74-year old woman was fatally mauled by her two dogs (Australian shepherd-mix and a golden retriever-mix).
- 67% of the attacks occurred to children (11 years and under). Half of these incidents occurred to ages 1 and younger. 33% of all fatalities occurred to adults (21 years and older).
- 39% of fatal attacks in involved multiple dogs; 11% involved chained dogs.
- 72% of the attacks occurred on owner property and 28% off owner property. Of the off-property attacks, 100% (5) were attributed to pit bulls.
- 39% of the victims were female; 61% of the victims were male. Of the male victims, nearly half (8) were 11 years and younger.
- The states of Texas, Alaska and New York each suffered two fatalities.
Related article:
2008 US Dog Bite Fatalities
Good job DBO! This is the only place on the net that maintains this information that the dog breeding community would rather fade from memory.
Rough analysis from the past three years shows that 83 Americans have been killed by dogs since January 2006:
The leaders are
Pit Bulls 48 deaths (57.8%)
Rottweillers 12 deaths (14.4%)
Rest of the canine world: 23 deaths * (27.8%).
* 2 Deaths were attributed to wolf-hybrids which are not considered domesticated dogs in most places. They were included in the 23 deaths from the remaining breeds.