Category Archives: Special Reports

A collection of Special Reports for dog bite fatality statistics, severe injury statistics, unreported fatal attacks, pit bull identification and more.

Posted on by

2018 U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Statistics - DogsBite.org

Fatal Dog Attack Statistics DogsBite.org recorded 36 fatal dog attacks in 2018. Pit bulls contributed to 72% (26) of these deaths -- over 8 times more than the next closest breed, "mixed-breed," with 3 deaths. Nine different dog breeds contributed to lethal attacks in 2018. Two deaths were unreported, but were captured through our records requests. The last time the CDC collected "breed" data about dogs involved in fatal human attacks was 1998. Pit bulls have killed over 37… [Read full blog post]

2019 Dog Bite Prevention Week: Protect Your Postal Carrier from Damaging Dog Bites, Highlights of Recent Carrier Attacks

Observing 2019 National Dog Bite Prevention Week®1 Read a brief history of National Dog Bite Prevention Week and how, over the years, various co-sponsors of the annual event have utilized this safety week to push their national agendas. Last year, 5,714 Postal Service employees were victimized by dogs, down from 6,244 in 2017. Learn about the cities with the most attacks and view the 2018 Postal Service dog attack map. We highlight two recent postal carrier dog maulings: a b… [Read full blog post]

Unmasking a Con: How a Sudden Pit Bull Activist Parleyed Role into Top Job at No-Kill Humane Society in El Paso

Luke Westerman, a Self-Appointed "Animal Welfare Expert" Luke Westerman, 37, is facing 19 felony counts of securities law violations and theft. Westerman Pleads Guilty UPDATE 10/04/21: On October 4, 2021, Jeffery Luke Westerman pleaded guilty to 19 securities-related fraud and theft charges during a hearing in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. Westerman is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18. The prosecution and defense jointly recommended to the Court… [Read full blog post]
Posted on by

Why Breed Matters in Service Dogs and Why Pit Bull Service Dogs are a Bad Idea

DogsBite.org - After Delta Air Lines issued a new policy on June 20, limiting emotional support dogs to one per person and banning pit bulls as service and support dogs, we reviewed top service dog organizations and their selected breed types. These dog breeds are overwhelmingly Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, Labrador-golden mixes and standard poodles. Primarily, pit bull "breed advocate" groups, one who failed miserably, are pushing "pit bull service dogs.… [Read full blog post]