Posted on January 18, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

2014 Dog Bite Fatality: 4-Year Old Girl Killed by Family Pit Bulls in Bloomington

Mother Recounts Attack
UPDATE 04/29/14: On April 29, 2014, Roxanne Miller Hartrich, Kara's mother, provided a written account of the vicious attack that killed her daughter to DaxtonsFriends.com. She describes how that day, Kara's 4th birthday, had beautifully begun. When she walked out the door that morning, headed for work, it would be the last time she ever saw her daughter alive again. As she hurried home from work and pulled into her subdivision, she noticed a "red glow" over her street corner.

Kara Hartrich – Bloomington, Illinois – killed by the family pit bull on her 4th birthday
By Roxanne Miller Hartrich

...I got off work a little early that day and decided that she needed a few more presents that just couldnt wait to be bought, and then i headed home, my husband called me and wanted to know why brutus was outside when he got home i said i didnt know i was on my way home and would be there soon...and then my nightmare began...I pulled into the entrance of my subdivision, and noticed a red glow over the street corner, i remember wondering what on earth could be going on, on my quiet little subdivision full of daycares and minivans...As I rounded the corner I could see the street was blocked off, full of firetrucks, police, and families standing outside -- i still wondered what was going on, I was flagged and told to pull over, I then looked up and saw that it was my house they were all at, my yard was taped in crime scene ribbon, full of police officers, fire personnel, lots of noise and commotion, i was met by police officers, my husband covered in blood...

Read account in full » | Related news article »

01/30/14: Family Dogs Euthanized
McLean County authorities have euthanized all three family pit bulls seized in connection to the death of a 4-year old girl. Kara Hartrich died of massive blood loss due to multiple dog bite injuries after being attacked by at least two of the family's pit bulls. McLean County officials put all three dogs down, two unneutered males and one female, after the state-mandated 10-day rabies quarantine period, according to McLean County Health Department spokeswoman Kera Brossette.

McLean County State’s Attorney Jason Chambers said that no charges would be filed as a result of the deadly attack. "Sometimes, if we know there is a dangerous dog involved, because of a prior documented history to attacks, then we can make an argument of criminal wrongdoing," Chambers said. "In this circumstance, the dog(s) involved did not have a prior documented history of bites," he said. As is true in numerous severe maulings and fatal attacks inflicted by pit bulls.

Learn about Illinois state issues regarding this fatality: Pit Bull Attacks and Dogfighting in Illinois

01/20/14: Died on 4th Birthday
Kara Elizabeth Hartrich, 4, of Bloomington died on her fourth birthday, according to her obituary. She was pronounced dead on January 17, 2014 after suffering massive blood loss and multiple dog bites to her head, neck and arms after being attacked by at least two of her family's three pit bulls. Kara was born on January 17, 2010, according to her obituary. An online fundraiser set up at Youcaring.com raised over $15,000 to help her family pay for funeral costs and related expenses.

01/18/14: Fatality Victim Identified
The 4-year old girl killed by one or more family dogs in her Bloomington home has been identified as Kara Hartrich. McLean County Coroner Beth Kimmerling said an autopsy done Saturday revealed that Kara Hartrich died from massive blood loss and multiple bites to her head, neck and arms. She was pronounced dead at 5:50 pm on Friday at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal. McLean County Animal Control department seized all three of her family's pit bulls.

Pantagraph.com reports additional details, including that she was attacked by at least two of the family's three pit bulls. All three dogs are adults; two unaltered males and one female. Authorities believe the two male pit bulls are responsible for the attack. At the time of the attack, the child's grandmother was babysitting Kara and her 2-year old sister. The grandmother tried to separate the dogs from Kara, but the animals turned on her. She then tried to protect the 2-year old child.

The family lives in a subdivision with streets named after the Monopoly game. Kara's street, Parker Avenue, is a street filled with two-story houses with fenced yards, swing-sets and minivans, according to Pantagraph.com. Seems like the ideal setting of a safe family neighborhood, except for her family's choice in dog breed, which kills more people that all other breeds combined. Kara's mother described her as a "happy little girl" and now she is making funeral arrangements for her.

Images of the family's three pit bulls from the father's public Facebook page (Jan. 18, 2014).

Hartrich family pit bull prior to the pit bull mauling death of Kara Hartrich

01/18/14: Autopsy Underway
Bloomington, IL - Late Friday afternoon, Bloomington Police responded to a call regarding an unresponsive child in the 2000 block of Parker Avenue. Upon arrival, rescue personnel discovered an unresponsive 4-year old girl with multiple dog bite injuries at the family home, according to McLean County Coroner Beth Kimmerling. The child was transported to Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal where she was pronounced dead by Emergency Department Staff.

An autopsy is tentatively scheduled for Saturday morning, according to Kimmerling. “Early information suggests that the 4-year old was at home with a younger sibling and a grandparent when the incident occurred,” Kimmerling said. The family owns three dogs, described by their owners as pit bulls. McLean County Animal Control took the animals into custody. It is expected that the child's identity, along with preliminary autopsy results, will be released Saturday.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Illinois Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

2014 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Dies After Pit Bull Attack in Southeast Houston

Christina Bell and flowers left where she was killed by two pit bulls.

Dog Owners Charged
UPDATE 07/01/14: In an unexpected development, Harris County prosecutors are charging both dog owners in connection to the death of Christina Bell, who was viciously killed by at least two pit bulls in early January. Timothy Dewayne Coleman, 33, and Tiara Deshawn Thomas, 26, who owned at least one of the attacking pit bulls, are being charged under the state felony dog attack law. Click2Houston reports that Coleman and Thomas were taken into custody this afternoon.

Vicious dog attacks which result in seriously bodily injury or death will not be tolerated. - Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson

Anderson goes onto state: "We have evidence that the dog had killed another dog. And has been involved against two other attacks against people. So, this is a case where frankly, we're going to make an example of these two owners." It's about time too. Harris County leads all Texas counties in fatal dog attacks. Since January 2005, there have been seven fatal dog maulings in Harris County. This is the first one to our knowledge that has resulted in felony charges in the county.1

Also, in late June, the Houston Chronicle published an update about the criminal investigation and stated that Christina's husband, Benjamin Bell, filed a negligence lawsuit in February. The lawsuit accuses Thomas, the Glenwood Village Condominiums Association and James Nguyen, Thomas' landlord, of failing to secure or control a dog, failing to warn of its "dangerous propensities" and failing to comply with the city's leash laws. Bell is seeking damages of at least $1 million.

01/07/14: Cause of Death Released
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has identified the victim as Christina Burleson, 43, who was also known as Christina Bell. The agency determined "blunt and sharp force injuries of the neck and upper extremities" as the preliminary cause of death. The female pit bull captured by authorities shortly after the attack was "covered in blood" later determined to match the deceased woman, according to Christopher Newport, a spokesman for the BARC animal shelter.

A second pit bull was seized Sunday afternoon when officials located a woman who claimed both dogs. The owner was cited for allowing the two dogs to run at large. After four puppies were found in her apartment, she was also cited for not having current rabies vaccinations or pet licenses for any of the six dogs and for violating the city's animal "care and keeping" regulation. Police and the Harris County District Attorney's Office will determine whether to pursue criminal charges.

01/06/14: Mauling Victim Identified
Authorities have identified the woman mauled to death by several loose pit bulls. Christine Bell was killed by the animals early Sunday morning. The dogs also attacked two other people. Houston animal control officials now have both female pit bulls in custody, which belong to the same owner. Only one of these dogs is believed to have been involved in the attack. The dog's owner was not home when KTRK visited, but predictably, pit bull puppies were home.

Authorities are still looking for additional pit bulls involved in the attack.

Christine Bell and her husband, known as B.B., were longtime members of the Servants of Christ United Methodist Church at Park Place. The pastor, Will Reed, knows the couple well. He told KTRK that he remembered the last time he spoke to Christine. "I actually went by that intersection Friday afternoon and saw her and spoke to her and said, 'Stay safe,'" Pastor Reed said. Though homeless for years, Reed said the couple got married in the church and recently got an apartment.

01/05/14: New Details Released
News continues to be released and updated about the first deadly pit bull mauling of the new year. At around 2 am Sunday morning, a woman in her 40s died after being attacked by up to three loose pit bulls in southeast Houston. The animals also attacked two other people. Authorities say the three victims were attacked by at least two female pit bulls. The dogs are estimated to be about 1-year old and 30 pounds, according to the City of Houston Animal Control manager.

Osby Pineles,2 21, who lives in the neighborhood, tried to pull the dogs off the woman. Pineles said she was already dead when he arrived. He said that one dog appeared to be eating her when he approached the body. The two female pit bulls then attacked him. Pineles was bitten on his legs and arms. The third victim, a female, was taken to Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital for treatment. Authorities captured one pit bull and are still searching for at least one more.

The Click2Houston coverage continues to press the "stray" and "feral" dog themes, which is notably absent in the Houston Chronicle coverage. What is important to remember about alleged "stray" or "feral" dogs inflicting serious or fatal injuries is the following: In the vast majority of cases, the dogs are currently owned, but roaming without collars or were previously owned, but got lost or were abandoned (See: Pack of Dogs Kills Boy in Cibola County, New Mexico).

01/05/14: Pit Bulls Blamed in Fatal Attack
Click2Houston reports that the three attacking dogs are pit bulls, according to Houston police. Two of the pit bulls "are still out there," according to investigators. Animal control did capture one of the dogs. Because that dog lacked a collar, police believe all three might be strays (Come on Houston PD! You must have more experience with "typical" negligent pit bull owners than any other jurisdiction in Texas!). Loose pit bulls, reportedly, are a growing problem in the neighborhood.

01/05/14: Woman Dies After Dog Attack
Houston, TX - A woman is dead after neighbors say she was attacked by dogs in southeast Houston overnight. Neighbors said they heard screaming a little after 2 am, and saw a woman's body lying in the street. A witness said that a man who tried to help her was also attacked; he was treated on scene. Neighbors said three dogs were involved in the attack. Two were picked up by their owner before police arrived and a third, an alleged stray, was taken away by animal control.

An early report from the Houston Chronicle states that the victim, in her 40s, died at the scene of multiple wounds, according to police. A second victim is being treated at Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital. A third person suffered minor injuries, not requiring hospitalization. Victims told police that two loose dogs in the neighborhood attacked them; they did not know who owned the dogs. The victims were attacked about 2 am Sunday morning on Glen Prairie near Leonora.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Texas Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

Join Texas Dog Bite Victims' Advocacy - Join our Texas email list to stay informed

1The lack of criminal charges after the deaths of Edna Dyson and Juan Campos were especially hard to swallow. However, Anderson is signaling a change in Harris County. So, kudos to the Harris County Prosecutor's Office!
2January 6 updates to the Houston Chronicle article reflect that Osby Pineles was the victim treated at Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital. His friend who was with him that night, Gustavo Velasco, suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene. So the two other victims were male (initial reports said one of the victims was female). We hope both men are receiving counseling after witnessing this horrifically violent fatal pit bull attack.

Photo: Houston Chronicle

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

Breed Misidentification Propaganda Explained

Images of fatally attacking pit bulls and pit-mixes in 2013 obtained from multiple sources.

Jump down to view all 2013 breed identification photographs or read our analysis first.

DogsBite.org - Due to the endless onslaught of pro-pit bull and animal welfare groups who proclaim that a pit bull cannot be identified by it's owner, family members, animal control officers, police officers, the media and more, we located as many photographs of fatally attacking dogs in 2013 as we could. Of the 32 total recorded deaths last year, 19 fatalities1 had identification photographs of the attacking dogs. 17 of these fatalities, 89%, involved pit bulls and their mixes.

Of all fatalities with photographs, 53% (10) were provided by the media, 32% (6) were provided by the dog's owner or family member and 16% (3) were located on social media websites. Notably, 100% of the fatal dog attacks in South Carolina (3) had identification photographs. In California, 4 of the 5 fatal occurrences had identification imagery. Of the 13 deaths without photographs, about a third involved the dogs being shot dead on scene and another third did not involve pit bulls.

Multi-Sourced News Reports

News reports pertaining to fatal dog attacks -- without identification photographs -- are nearly always multi-sourced. This means that multiple parties have identified the dogs including, but not limited to: animal control officers, police officers, other first responders, the dog's owner or family members, and even veterinarians. Pro-pit bull and animal welfare groups would have the public and lawmakers believe that each of these cited sources is invalid when a pit bull is involved.

"Breed identification" of fatal dog attacks that do not involve pit bulls, however, are accepted at face value by pit bull promoters.

Face value meaning that other breeds of dogs that kill human beings have no identification requirements beyond a simple description of the dog, sourced or otherwise, in a news article. That alone is sufficient to pro-pit bull and animal welfare groups. The "breed misidentification" propaganda machine that roars beneath fatal pit bull attacks is limited only to pit bulls and their mixes.2 The "loyal" dog breed that kills more Americans than all other dog breeds combined.

ASPCA Breed Identification Study

Instead of taking readers down the mind numbing path of the volume of pro-pit bull penned papers, quasi-studies and surveys which purport that breed identification, in the case of pit bulls, is impossible, why not share results from a recent ASPCA study showing the exact opposite? The ASPCA, a national animal welfare group, is a heavy pusher of the "breed misidentification" theme, as are other national animal welfare groups, including the HSUS and Best Friends Animal Society.

In September, the ASPCA released study findings showing that visual breed identification by intake staff at Richmond SPCA agreed with DNA results 96% of the time when identifying pit bulls and their mixes. The study was "supposed" to show that if a DNA test result card was placed on the cage of the dog, instead of a card labeled "pit mix," the dog would be more adoptable. This was based on the faulty assumption that intake staff would often incorrectly identify pit bulls.

The dogs were divided into two groups, one with cards labeled "pit-mix" or "pit-type," the other with DNA test result cards indicating a pit bull as an American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier or American bulldog. There was little difference in adoption rates.3 Further, because the ASPCA assumed that visual identification by workers would be much lower, they also assumed that the DNA results would not be jam-packed with bully-type breeds, like they were in the study.

Due to this, the ASPCA could not even test the hypothesis of their study: Looks like an X, but is really a Y.

The first finding I am sharing here impacted our ability to answer some of the questions we were hoping to answer in a significant way. We found out just how well Richmond SPCA staff did in visually identifying dogs likely to have Staffordshire terrier, American Staffordshire terrier or American bulldog as at least 25% of their breed make-up. Out of the 91 dogs, only 4 dogs had none of these breeds in their DNA, and 57% had one of those breeds as the primary breed ... but at least at the Richmond SPCA, with a specific look and type, staff were quite good at breed identification—correctly identifying 96% of the dogs in the study as having at least 25% of the breeds noted above ... As we anticipated that more of the dogs would not have bully-type breeds in their reports, we were not able to dive into the question of "he looks like a X but he really is a Y." - Dr. Emily Weiss

Learn more about the ASPCA breed identification study that "ran off the rails."

The ASPCA likely made these assumptions based on a pair of poorly designed quasi-studies either funded or influenced by the National Canine Research Council (See: Pit Bull Propaganda Machine), which seemed to show that animal professionals cannot identify mixed-breed dogs. The significant differences between the NCRC "quizzes" (Survey Results: What Kind of Dog is That? and Pit Bull Identification in Animal Shelters and DNA4) and the ASPCA study are four-fold:

Visual identification in the ASPCA study was specifically to separate the dogs into just two groups: bull breed dogs and non-bull breed dogs, the other two studies lacked this limitation.
Intake staff worked with a real population of dogs in the ASPCA study -- strays and surrenders in a specific city, not a group of dogs that were chosen for the study using unspecified and unknown criteria.
Intake staff evaluated actual dogs in the ASPCA study. The other two studies only used photographs of dogs (we believe both shared the same photographs too).
Neither NCRC "quizzes" disclosed which DNA lab was used or that pit bulls do not even have a DNA profile,5 thus can only be matched to closely related breeds.

Conclusion

In conclusion, news reports about fatal dog attacks are nearly always multi-sourced regarding breed identification. As 2013 illustrates, over half (59%) also contained identification photographs. "Scientific proof" of a dog's breed is not required to enforce breed-specific laws6 nor is it required to properly identify a dog breed. "Breed misidentification" tricks and theatrics were constructed by pro-pit bull and animal welfare groups and endure today for one class of dogs only: pit bulls.

2013 Fatal Dog Attack Identification Photographs

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Betty Todd, 65-years old, was savagely killed by her son's pit bull while babysitting his children on January 8, 2013 in Hodges, South Carolina.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Isaiah Aguilar, 2-years old, was killed by a tethered pit bull after chasing a balloon into his neighbor's poorly fenced yard on February 16, 2013.

See: Summary | Full blog post - Daxton Borchardt, 14-months old, was killed by his babysitter's two pit bulls in a prolonged attack on March 6, 2013 in Walworth, Wisconsin.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Tyler Jett, 7-years old, was brutally attacked by two pit bull-mix dogs while playing in the front yard of his home on April 2, 2013. He died on April 7.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Claudia Gallardo, 38-years old, was brutally killed by a pit bull on April 11, 2013 in east Stockton. The dog's owner faces multiple felony charges.

See: Summary | Full blog post - Jordyn Arndt, 4-years old, was savagely attacked by her babysitter's pit bull while under her care on April 22, 2013. She died the following day.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Beau Rutledge, 2-years old, was savagely killed by his family's pit bull on April 24, 2013. The family had owned the female dog for 8-years.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Pamela Devitt, 63-years old, was brutally killed by four pit bulls while taking her daily walk on May 9, 2013. The dogs' owner faces a murder charge.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Cartlon Freeman, 80-years old, was dragged from his wheelchair and attacked by four pit bull-mix dogs. He died four days later, May 12, 2013.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Nephi Selu, 6-years old, died after being bitten on the head by his uncle's pit bull on June 17, 2013. The boy's uncle is a San Mateo police officer.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Arianna Merrbach, 5-years old, was killed by a chained pit bull-mix while visiting her aunt's home in Effingham, South Carolina on June 25, 2013.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Juan Campos, 96-years old, was discovered dead in his backyard, covered in bite marks, with three pit bulls on August 30, 2013 in Katy, Texas.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Daniel Teubner, 2-years old, was killed by three of his babysitter's four pit bulls while under her care on September 22, 2013 in Gilbert, Arizona.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Samuel Zamudio, 2-years old, was killed by up to five pit bulls while staying at his grandmother's home on September 23, 2013 in Colton, California.

See: Summary | Full blog post - Terry Douglass, 56-years old, was killed by her pet pit bull in Baltimore, Maryland on November 1, 2013. The animal had attacked her twice before.

See: Summary | Full blog post |

Katherine Atkins, 25-years old, was brutally struck down by her boyfriend's two pet pit bulls on November 4, 2013 in Kernersville, North Carolina.

See: Summary | Full blog post - Levi Watson, 4-years old, was fatally attacked by up to three pit bulls while visiting a relative's home in Bradford, Arkansas on November 8, 2013.

See: Summary | Full blog post - Joan Kappen, 75-years old, was brutally killed by a loose bullmastiff while taking a walk in a gated retirement community on November 21, 2013.

See: Summary | Full blog post - Tom Vick, 64-years old, was attacked and killed by up to five family dogs while breaking up a dog fight in his home in Bullhead City, Arizona.

1Statistical information updated February 4, 2014 to reflect the addition of Levi Watson and related identification photographs.
2The only other time breed misidentification comes into play is when a wolf-hybrid (often an illegal dog breed to own) is mislabeled as a husky-mix or malamute-mix after a serious or fatal dog attack.
3This is also quite significant as shelters routinely label pit bulls and their mixes under the breed's obscured related pure breed names (American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, etc.) in hopes of improving the dog's adoption chances. Just one more enlightening aspect to the ASPCA's study that "ran off the rails" is the disclosure of how some shelters routinely flat out lie to the American public seeking to adopt dogs! That the obscured breed labeling did not even impact the adoption rate of these dogs, suggests that the public is catching onto these games and that an average person seeking to adopt a dog is indeed capable of identifying a pit bull.
4Despite being survey and poster "quizzes" based upon photographs that were chosen using unspecified and unknown criteria, the NCRC funded or influenced "quizzes" are heralded by pro-pit and animal welfare groups as authentic research studies. The ASPCA bought into it as well, all too happily. But when they tried a real-world scenario based upon these quasi-studies, they met with real-world results: "visual breed identification by intake staff at Richmond SPCA agreed with DNA results 96% of the time when identifying pit bulls and their mixes."

Additionally, the survey "quiz" (funded by the NCRC) is not dated so it is unclear which of the two "quizzes," both headed by Dr. Julie Levy, came first or if they were carried out simultaneously. Certainly some, if not all, of the photographs were shared between the two. As for the poster "quiz," which cites both Delise and Berkey of the NCRC, as well as Voith, who is funded by the NCRC and has a similar breed identification study, one must look very carefully at the stated methodology that leaves out any reference about the "quiz" being based upon photographs and not live dogs. Below is the stated methodology. Remember, this is so-called university level research with at least two PhDs listed as authors.

"In this prospective cross-sectional study, 4 staff members at 4 different shelters each recorded the suspected primary breed of 30 dogs, for a total of 16 observers and 120 dogs. In this study, the terms American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, and pit bull were included in the study definition of pit bull-type breeds. Blood was collected from each dog for DNA breed signature. Dogs were coded as "pit bull" if American Staffordshire terrier or Staffordshire bull terrier were identified to comprise at least 25% of the breed signature. Agreement among individual shelter staff members regarding identification of pit bulls was determined with the kappa statistic. The sensitivity and specificity of each staff member’s identification of pit bulls with DNA breed signature as a gold standard was calculated."
5Wisdom Panel by Mars Veterinary is widely recognized as the leading DNA testing lab.
6The Colorado Dog Fanciers, Inc. et al. v. The City and County of Denver, 820 P. 2d 644 (Colo.1991)

"Since section 8-55 allows the determination that a dog is a pit bull based on nonscientific evidence, the dog owners assert that they are denied substantive due process. The city, however, is not required to meet its burden of proof with mathematical certainty of scientific evidence. Therefore, even though section 8-55 permits a finding of pit bull status to be based on expert opinion or on nonscientific evidence, such a procedure does not violate the dog owner’s due process rights."

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

Archived Report: Dog Biting Incidents (2005 to 2013)

German shepherd: Gomagoti, CC-BY-SA 2.5 and Labrador: IDS.photos, CC BY-SA 2.0

DogsBite.org - The Archived Dog Biting Incidents from 2005 to December 2013 show that animal control and health departments in at least 26 U.S. states reported that pit bulls lead all dog breeds in biting incidents, including: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. For more recent years, please see Dog Biting Incidents: 2014 to Present.

Chicago, Illinois
In December 2013, the Chicago Tribune published dog bite statistical data logged by the city's Commission on Animal Care and Control during 2012. Of the total dog and cat bites recorded in 2012 (according to 2011 Chicago data, canines were responsible for about 98%), pit bulls and their mixes topped the chart accounting for 44.3% of all bites. The published statistical chart shows just how much of the pie -- total dog and cat bites combined in the city of Chicago -- pit bulls and their mixes make up from 2006 forward. In 2006, pit bulls were responsible for 26.5% of all bites; in 2008, this grew to 31.2%; in 2010, up to 39.2% and in 2012, up to 44.3%.

Robert McCoppin, "Pit bull overload floods shelters, strains rescuers," Chicago Tribune, December 5, 2013 (chicagotribune.com) URL:http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-pit-bull-abandonment-met-20131205,0,1261355.story. Accessed: 2013-12-07. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/6Lh4L4604)

Lubbock, Texas
In November 2013, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported that nearly one-third of all dog bites in 2012 were attributed to pit bulls, according to the animal services department. In 2012, 84 of the 271 reports of dog bites were attributed to pit bulls (31%). Labrador retrievers followed with only 28. As of October 2013, 70 reports of dog bites were attributed to pit bulls followed by chihuahuas with 24; the disproportional trend continues in 2013. The article then cites defenders of the breed. One falsely claimed that pit bulls are one of the most "popular dog breeds in the country," thus the high number of bites. In truth, pit bulls make up only 6% of the total U.S. dog population.

Gabriel Monte, "Nearly one-third of Lubbock dog bite reports in 2012 blamed on pit bulls, trend continues to '13," Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, November 15, 2013 (lubbockonline.com) URL:http://lubbockonline.com/crime-and-courts/crime/2013-11-15/nearly-one-third-lubbock-dog-bite-reports-2012-blamed-pit-bulls#.Uoe4CY0jSCp. Accessed: 2013-11-17. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/6LCUNVJIq)
1Does castration really alter male dog behavior?, by Merritt Clifton, Animal People, July 30, 2012

Spokane County, Washington | Registration Data
In August 2013, after a man had his lower jaw ripped off by a pit bull, KXLY.com examined the records from the Spokane Regional Health District, which tracks all dog bites. Since the start of 2012, there have been 249 dog bites. Pit bulls account for the "vast majority of those bites with 56," 63 bites when adding their mixes. Pit bulls make up 3% of licensed dogs and account for 25% of the recorded bites in the city and county of Spokane. German shepherds and their mixes account for 6% of all licensed dogs and account for 11% of all bites. Labradors and their mixes account for the largest percent of licensed dogs, 14%, and account for 7% of all bites.

Aaron Luna, "Dog bite incidents by the number," KXLY.com, August 20, 2013 (kxly.com) URL:http://www.kxly.com/news/spokane-news/dog-bites-incidents-by-the-number/-/101214/21553334/-/6krjnyz/-/index.html. Accessed: 2013-09-03. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/6JMtQixdj)

Hot Springs, Arkansas
In June 2013, after a 5-year old boy was mauled to death by a bullmastiff-mix, Hot Springs Animal Services reported that the "largest number of breed-specific bites were pit bulls at 21% in 2008 and 2009." In 2012, pit bulls and their mixes accounted for 58% of all bites, according to Animal Services Director Dan Bugg. He added that in recent years, the number of pit bulls in Hot Springs and Garland County has continued to rise along with an alarming number of biting incidents. The dog bite statistical data was announced as Garland County discusses a vicious dog ordinance that places added restrictions on "high-risk breeds," including pit bulls and pit bull-mastiff derivatives.

Lisa Hutson, "Garland Co. discussing vicious dog ordinance," THV 11, June 17, 2013 (hotsprings.todaysthv.com) URL:http://www.thv11.com/news/article/268686/2/Garland-Co-discussing-vicious-dog-ordinance. Accessed: 2013-06-20. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/6HWT1KKJO)

Fort Wayne, Indiana
In May 2013, The Journal Gazette published dog bite statistical data from Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control. During 2012, 709 biting incidents were reported (human and animal victims). Pit bulls inflicted 242 bites, 34.1% of all biting incidents. This was nearly 5 times more than the next closest breed, German shepherds with 51 bites. The news report also details a vicious attack by a pit bull-mastiff mix during the period. Angela Diamente was walking her leashed boxer, named Dulli, and pushing her 2-year old daughter in a stroller on a sidewalk when the dog latched its jaws around Dulli's throat. The violent and bloody struggle to free her dog lasted 10 to 15 minutes.

Jeff Wiehe, "Dog bites leave marks well after attack occurs," The Journal Gazette, May 26, 2013 (fortwayne.com) URL:http://www.fortwayne.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130526/NEWS/320126112/-1/NEWS05. Accessed: 2013-06-09. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/6HFj6xQBd)

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
In March 2013, after two pit bulls killed a little boy in Walworth County, Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) released 2012 dog bite statistics. Back in 2011, we reported dog bite data from the same agency for the years 2008 to October 31, 2011. Placing the years into chronology, the continued rise of pit bull biting incidents is sobering. We predict pit bulls will be out biting all other dog breeds combined in the Milwaukee area within 9 months. In 2008, pit bulls made up 33% of all biting incidents; in 2009, this percent grew to 39%; in 2010, up to 44%; in 2011, up to 45%; and in 2012, pit bulls made up 48% of all reported biting incidents.

Katie DeLong, "MADACC releases dog bite numbers from 2012," FOX6Now.com, March 7, 2013 (fox6now.com) URL:http://fox6now.com/2013/03/07/madacc-releases-dog-bite-numbers-from-2012/. Accessed: 2013-03-08. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/6EynEdtE1)

Broward and Palm Beach Counties, Florida
Also in March, animal control records from Broward and Palm Beach counties once again showed that pit bulls were the leading biters. "No other breed came close," notes the news article. (See: Related Sun-Sentinel graphic.) In Broward County, pit bulls (151 bites) led the second top biter, German shepherds (23 bites), by nearly 7 times. Of all reported dog bites in Broward County (305), pit bulls were responsible for about 50%. In Palm Beach County, pit bulls (330 bites) led the next leading biter, Labrador retrievers (122 bites) by almost 3 times. Of all reported dog bites in Palm Beach County last year (1,411) pit bulls were responsible for approximately 23%.

Brittany Wallman, "Pit bulls far outpace other breeds in bite reports," Sun-Sentinel, March 8, 2013 (sun-sentinel.com) URL:http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fl-pit-bulls-attacks-20130305,0,3878298,full.story. Accessed: 2013-03-09. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/6Ezxo6gG9)

West Memphis, Arkansas
Also in March, West Memphis City Councilman Tracy Catt presented an Animal Control Commission report to city council members showing that pit bulls were responsible for 57% of the city’s 28 dog bites in 2012. The report states that of the 16 pit bull bites reported, 31% of the bite victims were children 14 and younger. 81% (13) of all pit bull bites happened at the dog’s house, while the dog was under the supervision of the owner. The report also states that pit bulls account for more than 30% of all dogs taken into the city's animal shelter. City council members are currently drafting a new dog ordinance, but have not released specifics of the ordinance.

"West Memphis Considers Dog Ordinance," WREG.com, March 14, 2013 (wreg.com) URL:http://wreg.com/2013/03/14/west-memphis-considers-dog-ordinance/. Accessed: 2013-03-21. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/6FI7rkhk1)

Royal Oak, Michigan | Registration Data
In February 2013, Royal Oak again made the list of cities reporting pit bulls as the leading biters (see 2009). Royal Oak is a suburb of Detroit. During 2012, there were 32 reported dog bites and 21 "vicious dog incidents," including two pit bulls shot and killed by police after they escaped from a yard and attacked a small dog being walked by its owner. Bully breeds (pit bulls and American bulldogs) were responsible for 31% (10 of 32) of all biting incidents. Bully breeds were also involved in 52% (11 of 21) of all incidents involving vicious dogs. Royal Oak has about 3,600 licensed dogs, but only 240 are bully breeds, less than 7% of all registered dogs in the city.

Catherine Kavanaugh, "Royal Oak setting new rules for ‘dangerous’ dogs," Daily Tribune, February 6, 2013 (dailytribune.com) URL:http://www.dailytribune.com/article/20130206/NEWS01/130209771/royal-oak-setting-new-rules-for--145-dangerous-146-dogs. Accessed: 2013-02-08. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/6EICd2gpD)

San Bernardino County, California
Also in February, dog bite statistical data from San Bernardino County came to our attention. San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control reported 629 total biting incidents in 2011. Pit bulls led all dog breeds with 188 reported bites, over 3 times more than the next closest breed, German shepherds, which inflicted 60 total bites. 30% of all biting incidents in 2011 were attributed to pit bulls. In 2012, the department reported 704 total biting incidents. Pit bulls inflicted 185 of these bites, nearly 3 times more (2.8) than the next closest dog breed, Labrador retrievers, which inflicted 65 total bites. 26% of all biting incidents were attributed to pit bulls in 2012.

San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control Dog Bite Summary, 2011. San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control Dog Bite Summary, 2012.

Monroe County, New York
In October 2012, iTeam 10 Investigates obtained police reports from all major police departments in Monroe County over the course of one year. The news agency felt compelled to examine if their reporting was biased against pit bulls (as breed advocates had accused).1 What News 10 found is that pit bulls were the leading biters and heavy leaders in police calls. Of the 436 police calls for dogs in the City of Rochester, over half of them, 242 (56%), involved pit bulls. Of reported biting incidents in the suburbs, pit bulls were responsible for 28%, more than any other dog breed, followed by shepherds and their mixes with 17%.

Berkeley Brean, "Update: I-Team10 Investigation: Cop reports show pit bulls bite the most," WHEC-TV, October 30, 2012 (www.whec.com) URL:http://www.whec.com/iteam/stories/S2817068.shtml?cat=566. Accessed: 2012-10-31. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/6BpgSNSff)
1The irony is that pit bull advocates cried "media bias" before this investigation subsequently causing this investigation, which led to even more damning evidence against pit bulls.

Austin, Texas
In August 2012, DogsBite.org reviewed 5-years of Austin dog bite data (2007 - 2011). Pit bulls and their mixes led bite counts responsible for 22% (1,288) followed by Labs and their mixes, which inflicted 12% (682). Austin ended its Pet Licensing Program in 2008/2009. Thus, the last year anyone can evaluate the population of dog breeds is 2007. Though pit bulls weighed in as the second most popular dog breed in 2007, making up 10% (1,551) of the registered dog population (15,871), pit bulls out bit the most popular breed, Labs representing 18% of the registered dogs (2,832), by nearly a 2 to 1 margin over the 5-year period.

2007-2011 Austin Dog Bite Data - Austin Animal Services
2007-2008 Austin Dog Breed Licenses - Austin Animal Services

Roanoke, Virginia
In May 2012, Roanoke Valley SPCA confirmed that the number one breed brought into the regional animal control center is pit bulls -- a situation mirrored by nearly all open admission shelters in the country. Wsls.com stressed that a single breed, pit bulls, have been "taxing resources for both the Roanoke city animal control and adoption services" for some time. Roanoke police provided statistics showing that between May 2011 and April 2012, 41% (397 of 978) of all dogs brought into the center were pit bulls. During this same time period there were 169 biting incidents in Roanoke. Pit bulls were responsible for 34% (57).1

Scott Leamon, "Pit bulls are number one breed coming into Roanoke's dog pound," Wsls.com, May 25, 2012 (www.wsls.com) URL:http://www2.wsls.com/news/2012/may/25/pit-bulls-are-number-one-breed-coming-roanokes-dog-ar-1943547/. Accessed: 2012-05-25. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/67wAVCThJ)
1Though technically the article did not state that pit bulls led all biting incidents, 34% is a very high percentage.

Malden, Massachusetts
In April 2012, after Malden City Council passed an ordinance requiring unregistered and new pit bulls to wear a muzzle when in public, Councillor Neil Kinnon cited city dog bite data in a clarifying article: "According to Animal Control fifty-seven dog bites were recorded from 2009-2011. Eighteen of the bites were committed by pit bulls. The next closest breeds that bit were German Shepherds, Bull Mastiffs and Dobermans, which recorded only two bites each. The data broken down in its simplest terms means pit bulls account for approximately 6.7% of our registered dogs and committed 31.6% of the dog bites."1

"Councillor Kinnon answers critics of Pit Bull ordinance," The Malden Advocate, April 11, 2012 (www.malden.advocatenews.net) URL:http://malden.advocatenews.net/councillor-kinnon-answers-critics-of-pit-bull-ordinance/. Accessed: 2012-05-25. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/67wAx4MSs)
1Under pressure from pit bull advocates, who didn't even understand the ordinance, Mayor Gary Christenson vetoed the measure, placing the "Maul" back into Malden.

Victoria, Texas
Also in April, after 3 pit bull attacks in 3 days, the Victoria Advocate reported that so far in 2012, data from Victoria Animal Control showed that of the dogs quarantined for biting incidents, pit bulls made up 28%, twice as many as any other dog breed. Pit bulls were responsible for 10 biting incidents, followed by Labs and chow-mixes each with 5. Of the pit bull incidents, one involved the death of young boy killed by a chained pit bull on March 25. Just prior to the boy's death, the Advocate upset the pit bull advocacy community by publishing this photo and a story concerning 3 pit bull incidents in one week in mid-March.

Sonny Long, "Victoria animal control responds to 3 pit bull attacks in 3 days," Victoria Advocate, April 30, 2012 (www.victoriaadvocate.com) URL:http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2012/apr/30/sl_pit_bull_attack_050112_175007/?news. Accessed: 2012-05-25. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/67wCsFnZf)

Chicago, Illinois
In March 2012, Redeye Chicago published dog bite statistical data logged by the city's Commission on Animal Care and Control during 2011. Just over 1,830 animal bites were reported in 2011; canines were responsible for 98%. Notably, the agency separated pit bulls and their mixes into two categories -- a separation not done for any other dog breed.1 "Pit bull/Pit bull mixed" topped the list with 26.43%. When combined with the second category, "American pit bull terrier," (13.38%) the breed accounted for nearly 40% of all bites. Data from the City Clerks office shows that pit bulls and their mixes make up about 4.5% of the 37,546 registered dogs in the city.2

Mick Sawsko, "When animals attack," Redeye Chicago, March 21, 2012 (www.redeyechicago.com) URL:http://www.redeyechicago.com/news/ct-red-animal-bite-data-20120321,0,2905321.story. Accessed: 2012-03-25. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/66QwHCYBf)
1It appears that pure bred American pit bull terriers have their own distinct classification. Failure to combine them into the overall "Pit bull/Pit bull Mixed" category creates misleading data.
2Though ranking far below pit bulls in biting incidents, German shepherds were the most popular AKC registered dog in Chicago for 2011.

Las Vegas, Nevada
Also in March, KTNV.com investigated whether or not pit bulls were "dangerous or docile?" The investigation came after a series of pit bull attacks in Las Vegas, Nevada. One victim, Sarah Chatley told the news group: "They went from tails wagging, to jaws clamping, in a split second ... I was down on the ground trying to protect my dog, and they were just ripping her apart. It was just so violent." Within the article, KTNV.com exposed the 2011 dog bite statistic data for the City of Las Vegas: "There were 364 reports of bites by pit bulls. That was the most of any breed. Next on the list were Chihuahuas with 122 bite reports."

Katie Crowther, "The debate over pit bulls: dangerous or docile?" KTNV.com, March 1, 2012 (www.ktnv.com) URL:http://www.ktnv.com/news/local/141147063.html. Accessed: 2012-03-02. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/65s33himX)

Multiple Counties, North Carolina
In February 2012, WITN.com investigated the "pit bull debate" and discovered that pit bulls led bite counts in at least 4 North Carolina counties. The group then back peddled by buying into the myth that pit bulls make up a large part of the dog population (pit bulls make up less than 5% of the total U.S. dog population). The article states, "In 2011 in Pitt County there were around 250 dog bites. Pit Bulls had the most with 41. In Onslow County there were 334 dog bites. Pit Bulls lead the way with 55. Craven County had 211 dog bites. Pit Bulls had the most with 37. Lenoir County reported 69 dog bites involving people. Leading the way was Pit Bulls with 14."

"The Pit Bull Debate, Part 2," WITN.com, February 9, 2012 (www.witn.com) URL:http://www.witn.com/news/headlines/The_Pit_Bull_Debate_Part_2_139067094.html. Accessed: 2012-03-02. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/65s4T6cgd)

Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin
In January 2012, when Fond du Lac City Councilman Rob Vande Zande proposed an ordinance that would prohibit new pit bulls, Zande provided research of the number of reported dog bites in the city over the past 5 years: "The percentage that is attributable to pit bull breeds has increased from 10.7 percent of the bites in 2007 to 33.3 percent of the bites in 2011." Zande also noted that he knows a resident who sustained a severe pit bull bite while delivering papers. The man incurred about $100,00 in medical bills related to his injury. Shortly after Zande's proposal, pit bull advocates bombarded Zande and he folded.

Laurie Ritger, "Fond du Lac considers ban on pit bulls," fdlreporter.com, January 21, 2012 (www.fdlreporter.com)
A free reference to this article is located at the Wisconsin law firm website Miller & Ogorchock.

Pima County, Arizona
In November 2011, KGUN9-TV aired a segment titled, "What's the truth about pit bulls?" The show followed the grisly mauling of Michael Cook, a Tucson man who was attacked by his pet pit bull in August and subsequently died. Before his death, doctors were forced to amputate both of his arms and infuse the victim with over 100 pints of blood. Dog bite statistics from Pima County Animal Control over the last four years were also featured on the episode, and once again, pit bulls led all biting incidents with 848 bites, followed by German shepherds with 633, Labs with 496, Chihuahuas with 361 and Chows inflicting 231 bites.

Tammy Vo, "What's the truth about pit bulls?" KGUN9-TV, November 2, 2011 (www.kgun9.com) URL:http://www.kgun9.com/news/133124728.html?mid=51. Accessed: 2011-11-03. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/62vPt8mLm)

New York, New York
Also in November, the New York Post published updated dog bite statistical data from the city's health department. In February, the data showed that pit bulls were responsible for nearly 25% of all dog bites, now the data shows 28% -- over six times more than the second "toothiest" breed. Pit bulls and their mixes totaled 833 bites by November, compared to the next top biter, chihuahuas, with 128 "incisor incidents." City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. said, "People refuse to admit that pit bulls are bred to fight, they have higher pain tolerance, stronger jaws, and they do not have the instinct to back down -- they refuse to submit."

Gary Buiso, "Leash the hounds," New York Post, November 27, 2011 (www.nypost.com) URL:http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/leash_the_hounds_zcdXCksvDbuIWD8utn6f9L#ixzz1ezn3icLb. Accessed: 2011-11-30. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/63b8brmTh)

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Also in November, after a pet pit bull, named Prince, nearly killed its
52-year old caretaker, Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) released dog bite statistical data showing that pit bulls inflicted over four times more bites than the next closest breed. From 2008 to 2011, pit bulls were responsible for 302 biting incidents followed by German shepherds with 68 and Labs with 40. TODAY'S TMJ4 -- who set out to "find the truth" about pit bulls -- takes a nose dive into decades old erroneous territory by comparing "shelter intake" dog breed data to bite data instead of "registered" dog breed data to bite data.1

Lindsay Morone, "Expert: Pit Bull attacks are quite rare," TODAY'S TMJ4, November 22, 2011 (www.todaystmj4.com) URL:http://www.todaystmj4.com/features/specialassignment/134371313.html. Accessed: 2011-11-27. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/63WJokEDA)
1Dogs that end up in open admission shelters are loose, unwanted or have bitten or displayed aggression and often times all three. Thus, shelter intake does not accurately reflect dog breed populations within a community. Pit bulls shoring up 40% occupancy at MADACC -- and open admission shelters across the U.S. -- is standard today; this in no way reflects the actual population of pit bulls, which makes up less than 5% of the total U.S. dog population. (See: ANIMAL PEOPLE Editor Responds to Fact Cooker Article by Mark Robison)

State of Delaware
In October 2011, The News Journal reported on the City of Wilmington's pit bull problem and its renewed effort to enforce their pit bull ordinance, which includes: registration, sterilization, a lease allowing a pit bull to be housed there, muzzled while in parks and owners must be 21-years old. The article also lists state dog bite statistics. According to the Delaware Division of Public Health, from January 2008 to October 2011 there were 5,156 biting incidents (See: Data chart). Pit bulls lead with 1,003 bites followed by "unknown"1 with 884 bites, Labs with 479 bites -- less then half of pit bull bites -- and German shepherds with 401 bites.

Esteban Parra, "Wilmington cracks down on illegal pit bulls," The News Journal, October 30, 2011 (www.delawareonline.com) URL:http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20111030/NEWS01/110300326/Wilmington-cracks-down-illegal-pit-bulls. Accessed: 2011-11-13. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/63AdyEM01)
1The "unknown" factor may be the result of some counties not tracking dog bites by breed.

Amarillo, Texas
Also in October, after an infant was killed by a family pit bull-mix, Amarillo Animal Control statistics showed that pit bull bites were three times higher than those of any other single dog breed in the city. According to Shannon Barlow, assistant director of Animal Control, pit bulls accounted for 123 reported bites in Amarillo in 2009-10, the latest period for which city data was available. The breeds with the next-highest reports of bites were Labs and German shepherds, each with about 40 biting incidents, followed by boxers with 16 and rottweilers with 15. About 550 total dog bites are reported to officials each year, Barlow said.

Yann Ranaivo, "Animal Control: Pit bulls responsible for most bites," Amarillo Globe News, October 4, 2011 (www.amarillo.com) URL:http://amarillo.com/news/local-news/2011-10-04/animal-control-pit-bulls-responsible-most-bites#.TqSA93HEVV8. Accessed: 2011-10-23. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/62eqp7QTG)

San Diego County, California
In July 2011, after 75-year old Emako Mendoza was brutally attacked by her neighbor's two pit bulls, San Diego County Animal Services released data showing that pit bulls are the most prolific biters in the county. Of the 2,699 recorded dog bites in the past fiscal year, pit bulls were responsible for 389, nearly 15% (See: Graphic chart). Next in line, with almost half that number, were Labs with 199 bites and Chihuahuas with 174. To show how rare citations are issued after a biting incident, SignOnSanDiego.com pointed out that only 290 citations were issued during this same period even though almost 10 times as many incidents were reported.

John Wilkens, "What's being done about dog bites," SignOnSanDiego.com, July 16, 2011 (www.signonsandiego.com) URL:http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/16/grappling-with-dog-bites/?ap. Accessed: 2011-07-29. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/60YHTSlbi)

Muskegon County, Michigan
Also in July, records from the Muskegon County Health Department showed that pit bulls were responsible for more biting incidents than any other dog breed for the past three years. In 2009, pit bulls produced 59 bites, in 2010, 75 bites, and in the first six months of 2011 already produced 41 bites. After two pit bulls brutally attacked a 60-year old Wyoming man, city lawmakers began discussing different pit bull regulations, including a breed ban for the City of Wyoming. The article also mentions a bill introduced by State Representative Timothy Bledsoe in June that would eventually ban the breed from the State of Michigan.

Bob Brenzing, "Lawmakers looking at pit bull bans," WZZM 13, July 27, 2011 (www.wzzm13.com) URL: http://www.wzzm13.com/news/article/173107/2/Lawmakers-looking-at-pit-bull-bans. Accessed: 2011-10-23. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/62eq5bubt)

Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio
In June 2011, the Public Health Department of Dayton and Montgomery County posted animal bite statistics of the last fiscal year -- June 28, 2010 to June 28, 2011. Of the 736 total reported dog biting incidents, pit bulls were far and away the leaders, responsible for 16% (117 bites). The next closest breed, "mix," was responsible for 64 bites and Lab-mixes with 46. The department also posted statistics from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. Of the 693 total reported incidents, pit bulls were responsible for 14% (95 bites), again, nearly twice the number of the next closest breed, Labs with 58 bites, followed by "mixed" with 56.

Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County Animal Bite Report, 2010-2011 (www.phdmc.org) (Archived by DogsBite.org)

Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Also in June 2011, Severna Park Patch reported that from 2009 to 2010, there were 233 incidents involving pit bull attacks against people and dogs in Anne Arundel County. In that same period, the next closest breeds, German shepherds and Labs, caused just 93 incidents combined. Lt. Glenn Shanahan of Anne Arundel County Animal Control said that pit bulls lead all other breeds by at least two to one when it comes to attacks over the last five years. "The numbers say what they say. We're not making it up," Shanahan said. "It's demonstrably overwhelming." Officials said that pit bulls are also more frequently labeled "dangerous."

Jonathan Moynihan, "Pit Bull Incidents Outnumber Other Dog Attacks 2 to 1," SevernaParkPatch, June 20, 2011 (severnapark.patch.com) URL:http://severnapark.patch.com/articles/pit-bull-incidents-outnumber-other-dog-attacks-2-to-1-2. Accessed: 2011-06-20. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5zb4vWWCd)

Ventura County, California
In May 2011, the Ventura County Star reported that in the fiscal year 2008-09 -- the latest that statistics were available -- 1,617 animal bites were reported to the Ventura County Animal Regulation Department. Of these, dogs accounted for 78%. Pit bulls had more recorded biting incidents than any other breed (121) followed by chihuahuas (119). Monica Nolan, the department's director, said, "Pit bulls are a terrier breed, and they are built to grab prey and hold on to prey." Chihuahua bites "are quick bites," she said. To help soften the damaging news, Noland also said that pit bulls are among "some of the gentlest dogs I have ever seen."1

John Scheibe, "Pit bull dogs seen as both vicious and very gentle," Ventura County Star, May 13, 2011 (www.vstar.com) URL:http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/may/13/pit-bull-dogs-seen-as-both-vicious-and-very/. Accessed: 2011-05-14. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5ygVbUh3V)
1During this same year, a Ventura County pit bull savagely mauled to death 5-year old Katya Todesco. This incident was recorded as "one dog bite."

Maricopa County, Arizona
In March 2011, field manager Al Aguinaga of Maricopa County Animal Care told KPHO that pit bulls are the number one biting breed in the county -- inflicting 12% of all reported dog bites -- followed by German shepherds and chihuahuas. When asked if pit bulls are "truly more aggressive than other dogs, or are they simply getting a bad rap?" Aguinaga said, "Typically bites are more severe" and "people go to hospitals" and "animals are attacked or killed." Aguinaga also called out the pit bull’s physical strength. Referring to a recent pit bull berserking incident, he said, "It took five officers, a whole squad, to chase that [pit bull] down" Tuesday.

Steve Stout, “Pit Bulls No. 1 In County For Reported Bites,” KPHO Phoenix, March 23, 2011 (www.kpho.com)
URL:http://www.kpho.com/news/27294714/detail.html. Accessed: 2011-03-24. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5xQl2w7Bf)

New York City, New York
In February 2011, the New York Post published a tongue-and-cheek article about "pint-sized" chihuahuas and shih tzus, breeds among the top five biters in 2010, according to the city's Health Department. What's not so tongue-and-cheek is that pit bulls led biting incidents with 815, nearly 25% of all biting incidents recorded in the city. Rottweilers followed in second position. One hardly needs to state the difference between a pit bull or rottweiler bite and the bite from a pint-sized fashion accessory. Furthermore, it is irrational to assume that pit bulls and rottweilers make up anywhere near the majority of household dogs in New York City.

Lorena Mongelli and Kevin Fasick, "Tiny dogs major culprits behind record number of bites," New York Post, February 18, 2011 (www.nypost.com) URL:http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/li_yippers_big_nippers_EsuEAx5j7TkzZArVFttI0J. Accessed: 2011-02-18. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5wauUbpOR)

Sacramento, California
In January 2011, The Sacramento Bee published a story about Poppy Watson, who was bitten in the face by a pit bull in November. The article helped promote a fundraiser on her behalf, Popfest 2011. Restaurateurs organized the event to help Watson pay for reconstructive surgeries. Watson told the Bee that her face looked like "it went through a windshield" after the attack. The male pit bull, which had formerly slept with its owners, was put down after the incident. The Bee also noted that Sacramento Animal Care Services investigated 165 incidents of animal attacks and bites in 2010. "The vast majority of those cases involved pit bulls."

Chris Macias, "Sacramento restaurateurs organize auction to help dog-bite victim," The Sacramento Bee, January 19, 2011 (www.sacbee.com) URL:http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/19/3334152/sacramento-restaurateurs-organize.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region. Accessed: 2011-01-30. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5w8Nj49bx)

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
In October 2010, Pittsburgh Animal Control records showed that pit bulls comprise 5.2% of the registered dogs. Yet of the 133 biting incidents reported so far in 2010, pit bulls made up 40%. Animal Control Supervisor Gerald Akrie -- a shameless pit bull apologist -- tried to blame the disproportionate numbers on "knucklehead" dog owners. Back in April, Pittsburgh police officer Christine Luffey and her daughter were attacked by three pit bulls that jumped a fence. Akrie minimized that incident by calling it an "accident," requiring DogsBite.org to fire off an email to Public Safety Director Mike Huss. Yet Akrie is up to his pit bull distortions again.

"Official Discusses Concern After Latest Dog Attack," KDKA.com, October 11, 2010 (www.kdka.com) URL:http://kdka.com/local/pit.bull.attack.2.1956958.html. Accessed: 2010-10-11. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5tPjF8cbI)

Memphis, Tennessee
Also in October, City of Memphis records showed that there were 388 biting incidents in 2009. Of those, nearly half were inflicted by pit bulls. Other biters included German shepherds and Chows. The My Fox Memphis news article notes that based on DogBiteLaw.com -- and other groups that track national fatal dog attack data, including DogsBite.org -- pit bulls also cause over half of the attacks that result in death. The article comes several months after the deadly attack of William Parker who suffered a heart attack after being severely mauled by two loose pit bulls. Four other people were bitten and hospitalized in the July 20 rampage.

Jill Monier,"Dog Attacks Growing Problem," My Fox Memphis, October 19, 2010 (www.myfoxmemphis.com) URL:http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/local/101910-dog-attacks-growing-problem. Accessed: 2010-11-20. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5uNv8BOdY)

Lynn, Massachusetts
In August 2010, when the City of Lynn was discussing the adoption of a pit bull ordinance, Police Chief Kevin Coppinger said that 51 biting incidents were reported in the city last year -- 29 involving pit bulls (57%). Coppinger added that there had been at least four pit bull attacks since July 10. The ordinance discussed defined pit bulls as "dangerous animals" with "powerful instincts for dominance" and "unyielding aggressiveness." The ordinance would require pit bull owners to register their dog; pay a $50 licensing fee; if a renter, to notify the landlord that a pit bull was on the premises and to muzzle the dog when off property.

Thor Jourgensen, "Kennedy to sign or reject pit bull ordinance by Friday," The Daily Item, August 19, 2010 (www.thedailyitemoflynn.com) URL:http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/articles/2010/08/19/news/news01.txt. Accessed: 2010-09-11. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sfjVnuJj)

Worcester, Massachusetts
In July 2010, City Manager Michael O'Brien recommended to City Council an ordinance intended to deal with rising public safety concerns about pit bulls. Councilor William Eddy, who has championed the city's adoption of a pit bull law, said that over the past three years, pit bulls caused 25% of all biting incidents even though pit bulls only comprise 2% of the dogs licensed by the city. The new ordinance would require pit bull owners to abide by supplemental licensing and registration rules, ensure their dog is leashed and muzzled when off owner's property, obtain landlord consent (if a renter), and post a warning sign on the property.

Nick Kotsopoulos, "Proposed rule would restrict pit bulls," News Telegram, July 19, 2010 (www.telegram.com) URL:http://www.telegram.com/article/20100719/NEWS/7190355. Accessed: 2010-08-31. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sPSDGuuY)

San Bernardino County, California
In June 2010, after two deadly pit bull attacks, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approved a measure requiring all pit bull owners to spay or neuter their animals. Brian Cronin, Chief of County Animal Care and Control, said, "This year alone, we've had two human deaths, and four deaths1 in five years, because of pit bull attacks. No other death has been attributable to any other breed." He said that of the 686 reported biting incidents in the county in the 2008-09 fiscal year, 137 involved pit bulls (20%). He added that because pit bulls are the least likely to be adopted, the county must already euthanize about 1,300 annually.

Phil Willon, "San Bernardino County to require spaying or neutering of pit bulls," Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2010 (www.latimes.com) URL:http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jun/23/local/la-me-pit-bulls-20100623. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sPSHTfT8)
1Omar Martinez, Nathan Aguirre, Kellie Chapman and Shaun Lee McCafferty.

Clark County, Nevada
In May 2010, Clark County biting statistics were brought to our attention. Clark County publishes these statistics online. Biting incidents by breed during the 7-year period from 2003 to 2009 show that of the 6,798 reported incidents, pit bulls were responsible for 1,474 (22%). The next closest breed was the German shepherd with 671 (10%) incidents. In 2008, pit bulls out bit shepherds by more than three times -- 234 pit bull bites versus 77 shepherd bites. The same was nearly true in 2009, 215 and 88 respectively. Essentially, the Clark County pit bull community sold dogs that produced over 200% more bites than the German shepherd community.

Clark County Animal Control: Dog Bites by Breed With Percentage (2008 to 2009); Clark County Animal Control: Dog Bites by Breed With Percentage (2003 to 2007) (Archived by DogsBite.org)

Franklin County, Ohio
In April 2010, Bryan Wagner, Chief Environmental Specialist for the Franklin County Environmental Court, testified in opposition to HB 79, a bill that seeks to repeal the Ohio law that requires pit bull owners to securely confine and leash their dog and carry $100,000 in liability insurance. Wagner said statistics show more bites are attributed to pit bulls than other dog breed. In Franklin County, 126 of the 333 dog bites (38%) reported last year were attributed to a pit bull. Wagner added, "I believe that pit bull dogs represent a substantial and real threat to the citizens of a crowded, urban environment such as Franklin County."

Statehouse Report by County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO), April 16, 2010 (www.ccao.org) (Archived by DogsBite.org)

Toledo, Ohio
In December 2009, Toledo Lucas County Health Department data showed that pit bulls led the number of biting incidents from January 1 to November 8. Of the 380 total biting incidents, 65 were attributed to pit bulls. This accounts for 17% of all bites, despite pit bulls accounting for less than 5% of the county's dog population. Though pit bulls are regulated under Ohio and Toledo laws, the breed still led biting incidents. The Lucas County Dog Warden's office keeps track of serious bite injuries. Of the 150 bites listed as "serious" this year, pit bulls and their mixes accounted for 42 (28%). In 18 of the cases, the victims were under 18 years of age.

Lou Herbert, "Pit bulls bite most in Lucas County," WNWO NBC24, December 22, 2009 (www.toledoonthemove.com) URL:http://www.toledoonthemove.com/community/story.aspx?id=393495. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by the Internet Archive and https://www.webcitation.org/5sQBt1Tgy)

Bakersfield, California
In September 2009, it was reported that more than 2,400 dog bites had been recorded by animal control services in Bakersfield and areas of unincorporated Kern County since January 2007. "By a wide margin," the breed that bites most often is the pit bull, according to records compiled by the county. The city does not track bites by breed, which is an indicator that the city's animal service opposes BSL. The article also notes the questionable "mixed-breed" category: "Since 2007, pit bulls have bitten 389 victims in Kern. Mixed-breed dogs hold a dubious second place with 254 bites, and German shepherds are third with 140 bites."

Steven Mayer, "Neighborhood safety going to the dogs," Bakersfield.com, September 19, 2009 (www.bakersfield.com) URL:http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x746310435/Neighborhood-safety-going-to-the-dogs. Accessed: 2010-09-06. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sY4kfQvD)

Royal Oaks, Michigan
Also in September, another Detroit suburb discussed pit bull legislation (view related map). According to a report provided by City Manager Don Johnson on the 5,311 licensed dogs in Royal Oak, "Pit bulls account for only 1.7% of licensed dogs in Royal Oak but were responsible for about 35% of reported dog bite incidents this year." It is important to point out that Detroit is known as the "dogfighting capital" of the U.S., thus an area rich with the breeding and ownership of pit bulls with explosive aggression. The Detroit area is also the center of U.S. medical research regarding pit bull injury to humans1. This is not a coincidence.

"Local news: Dangerous dogs on agenda in Royal Oak," Freep.com, September 21, 2009 (www.freep.com)
1Pitbull Mauling Deaths in Detroit (case report) and A Ten-Year, Two-Institution Review of Pediatric Dog Attacks (study)

Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
In August 2009, it was reported that pit bull bites were up 20% in Mecklenburg County. According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control, in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, pit bulls represented 208 bites. Labs were second with 152, followed by German shepherds and Chows. The news article followed the July pit bull attack involving 9-year old Jisseth Moquete. The girl's neighbor, Jonathan Hall, had been "showing" the pit bull to her family in hopes they would buy the dog. As Moquete was petting the pit bull, the dog latched onto her face. A stranger had given the dog to Hall "for free" one day earlier.

Lisa Miller, "Pit Bull bites up 20% in Mecklenburg County," WFAE 90.7 FM, August 13, 2009 (www.wfae.org) URL:http://www.wfae.org/wfae/1_87_316.cfm?action=display&id=5340. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQC21Bo0)

Springdale, Arkansas
Also in August, the mayor of Springdale, Doug Sprouse, said that over half of the bites reported over the last 2 years have been by pit bulls. That can be a little misleading, he said, "but that's still a hefty number." City officials agreed that they wanted to "prevent bites before they happen," particularly by pit bulls, yet were hesitant about targeting a specific breed in the ordinance. The nearby city of Siloam Springs declares pit bulls "vicious" (Sec: 10-101) and requires owners to adhere to restraint requirements, attain liability insurance and to muzzle their dog when off property. The law specifically targets pit bulls to prevent future pit bull bites.

"City To Crack Down On Dangerous Dogs," KHBS NW Arkansas, August 12, 2009 (www.4029tv.com) URL:http://www.4029tv.com/news/20376223/detail.html. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQC5K66q)

Hamilton, Ohio (Butler County)
In July 2009, after a pit bull named "Monster" escaped its pen and attacked its owner's young daughter, the Hamilton Health Department released dog bite statistics. From 2001 to July 2009, pit bulls lead with 157 biting incidents, representing 19% of all dog bites. Despite the fact that Ohio declares pit bulls "vicious" and requires special restraint measures (955.22) and liability coverage, pit bulls were still the top biters. The closest follower was "mixed," with 133 incidents (16%). Yet this category is questionable given that U.S. dogs are rarely sold or adopted under the generalized name "mixed." Labs followed with 65 incidents (8%).

Richard Wilson, "Pit bull owner stands by the breedt," The Oxford Press, July 19, 2009 (www.oxfordpress.com) URL:http://www.oxfordpress.com/news/oxford-news/pit-bull-owner-stands-by-the-breed-211115.html. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQCCHBNK)

Hillsborough County, Florida
Also in July, the Tampa Tribune requested data on dog bites from the Hillsborough Department of Animal Services regarding the 2,400 cases recorded in the last 18 months. The data shows that 103 different dog breeds were responsible for the bites. Pit bulls topped the chart with 371 incidents, 15% of all bites during the period. Labs followed with less than half of this amount with 151 incidents (6%). German shepherds ranked 3rd with 105 incidents (4%) and Chows ranked 4th with 80 (3%). As depicted on the chart, the Tribune seemed to think it was no big deal that one dog breed accounted for such a large percentage of bites.

Dennis Joyce, "Dog bite data doesn’t add up for lovers of Labradors," Tampa Tribune, July 29, 2009 (www.tboblogs.com) URL:http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/dog-bite-data-doesnt-add-up-for-lab-lovers/#. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQCIDRlV)

Ventura County, California
Ventura County Department of Animal Regulation released it annual data (July 2008 to June 2009) this month too. The report showed that pit bulls ranked 9th in licensing, down from 8th in the previous year, but were still the top biter producing 121 biting incidents, up from 117 in the previous year. Often cited by pro-pit bull groups as the leading biter, Cocker spaniels ranked 7th in licensing, but 9th in bite numbers producing only 19 incidents. Pit bulls also topped impounds with 1,399, up from 1,260 in the previous year. By comparison, Labs who rank 1st in licensing and are the most popular dog breed, had 580 impounds and 74 biting incidents.

Ventura County Department of Animal Regulation FY 2008-2009 Statistical Report (www.countyofventura.org) (Archived by DogsBite.org)

Woonsocket, Rhode Island
In June 2009, Capt. Kenneth Paulhus of the Woonsocket Police Department issued a 3-year report concerning the alarming pit bull trend. "In 2006, pit bulls accounted for 32 percent of all the dog bite cases in Woonsocket," Paulhus says in the report. "The number increased to 37 percent in 2007. The year 2008 reflected half of all dog bites in the city were attributed to pit bulls." He added that "many were serious." Animal Control Officer Doris Kay1 says in the report that she used to think all dogs were created equal. But she says she's learned that, "In Woonsocket pit bulls bite more often, and cause more injury, than any other breed."

Russ Olivo, "Police push pit bull law," The Call, June 14, 2009 (www.woonsocketcall.com) URL:http://www.woonsocketcall.com/content/view/90556. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQCMBxfQ)
1Nine months later, Officer Kay is attacked and seriously injured by a pit bull while in the line of duty.

Lincoln, Nebraska
Also in June, after a pit bull attacked 10-year old Baylee Harris, Lincoln Animal Control officials said that pit bulls are the leading breed in reported attacks. Since September of 2008, there have been 38 pit bull bites in the city followed by Labs with 27. The Lincoln County Animal Control 2008 Annual Report (truncated) shows that in 2008, a licensed population of 858 pit bulls and their mixes produced 60 biting incidents. The city's population of Labs and Lab-mixes, 5448 dogs, produced 39 bites in the same period. The data shows that 1 out of every 14 pit bulls in Lincoln is a biter, while its takes over 142 Labs to produce a bite.

Jason Volentine, "Updated Lincoln Boy Recovering After Pit Bull Attack," KOLNKGIN, June 3, 2009 (www.kolnkgin.com) URL:http://www.1011now.com/news/headlines/46865322.html. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQCQJnGG)

Richmond County, Georgia
In the same month, it was reported that Richmond County had 139 complaints of animal bites so far this year, 26 of them involving pit bulls. This is about 19-percent and the most of all dog breeds, according to the article. Diane Downs, the Director of Richmond County Animal Control, said that pit bulls "tend to get the most exposure because unfortunately they do the most damage." The news article came in response to a pit bull attack that left an Augusta man hospitalized. As we see in so many of these cases, the pit bulls escaped owner property (through a gap in the fence) "just to attack" a man who had been walking down the street.

Samantha Andre, "Pit bull attack sends man to hospital," WRDW.com, June 23, 2009 (www.wrdw.com) URL:http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/48927862.html. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQCTcTGV)

Syracuse, New York
In May 2009, it was reported that the Syracuse dog control department had responded to 19 pit bull bites since the start of the year. According to the article, this is nearly double the amount during all of last year. "It's the beginning of dog control officer Jason Driscoll's shift," the article states, "and already he's responding to a pit bull call." In this instance, the two pit bulls (with a history of bad behavior) had also escaped owner property. Last year one of the same dog's bit a young girl. Dog control officers told WSYR TV that they run into trouble with other dog breeds as well, but pit bulls make up the "majority of reported attacks."

"Pit bull attacks in Syracuse on the rise," NewsChannel 9 WSYR, May 29, 2009 (9wsyr.com) URL:http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story/Pit-bull-attacks-in-Syracuse-on-the-rise/YFsGie2yNUCHPyNdFkG6SQ.cspx. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQCXO6Dy)

Dyersburg, Tennessee
In April 2009, after a 16-year old girl was attacked by loose pit bulls while walking down a street, the Dyersburg Police Department reported there were 21 "dog bite" reports written in 2008. The figures show that nearly half of those bites (10) were from pit bulls. In the first four months of 2009, three of the five police reports written on dog bites involved pit bulls. The article also includes information from the Dyersburg City Attorney's office. City records show there were 35 court cases involving dogs within the last year. Of the 35 cases, 29 of them involved pit bulls. There were also six dog bite cases and all of those were from pit bulls.

"Pit bull attack causes injury and outrage," State Gazette, April 4, 2009 (stategazette.com) URL:http://www.stategazette.com/story/1527994.html. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQCalTPh)

Ogden, Utah
In March 2009, the City of Ogden considered a new ordinance that would toughen requirements for pit bull owners including carrying liability insurance. Bob Geier, director of the Ogden Animal Shelter, was in support of this new ordinance. Based on the APPA national survey statistics, Geier estimated that there are about 16,000 dogs in Ogden, including 3,200 pit bulls. During the last two years, pit bulls have accounted for about 20 percent of the dog population at the city animal shelter. During that same period, according to Geier, pit bulls and their mixes have been responsible for about 40 percent of reported dog bites in the city.

Scott Schwebke, "Tougher rules for pit bulls," Standard-Examiner, March 29, 2009 (www.standard.net)

Lake County, Florida
Also reported in March, Marjorie Boyd, the director of Lake County Animal Services, said, "Pit bulls lead all breeds of dogs and cats in bite incidents the county has investigated in the past two years." According to Boyd, pit bulls represented 12.7 percent of bite cases in 2007, 12.5 percent in 2008 and 18 percent of cases thus far this year. The article came in response to the mauling of 22-year old Tracy Lindsey. At the time, Lindsey had been jogging down Getford Road when two pit bulls escaped their property and attacked her. Lindsay was airlifted by a Life Flight helicopter to Orlando Regional Medical Center and rushed into surgery.

Benjamin Roode, "Pit bulls maul jogger," The Daily Commercial, March 31, 2009 (www.dailycommercial.com) URL:http://www.dailycommercial.com/PrinterFriendly/033109dogbite. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQChYkZA)

Broward County, Florida
South of Lake County, the Broward County Dog Bite Database depicts a vivid picture of the "top biter." During the years of 2005 to 2008, Labs produced 151 biting incidents with 98 inflicted on humans and 53 on animals, while Cocker spaniels produced 16 biting incidents with 15 on humans and 1 to an animal. In the same period, the pit bull/American Staffordshire terrier community produced a whopping 618 biting incidents with 323 inflicted on humans and 296 on the county's pet and livestock population. The data shows that human-aggression is just as prevalent as animal-aggression in pit bulls produced by local breeders.

"Search Broward County animal bite reports" South Florida Sun Sentinel, 2009 (www.sun-sentinel.com) (Archived by DogsBite.org)

Pinellas County, Florida
According to a 2009 Florida Senate Interim Report by the Committee on Community Affairs, Pinellas County had a total of 122,225 licensed dogs in 2007 and a total of 1,233 dog bites. For a county in which less than 3% of the dog population (3,666) is made up of pit bulls, they accounted for over 19% of the bites (235). The registered population of pit bulls produced 1 bite incident per every 15.6 pit bulls. The next highest number of bites was attributed to Labs, which represent 9% of the dog population (11,000) and accounted for 11.5% of the bites (142). The registered population of Labs only produced 1 bite incident per every 77.5 Labs.

"Review of the Viability of City or County Pre-emption of Banning Certain Dog Breeds By Ordinance," Committee on Community Affairs, Florida Senate Interim Report 2009-102. (Archived by DogsBite.org)

Altoona, Pennsylvania
Altoona city records showed in March that of the 5,056 dogs licensed in 2008, 162 (3%) of them were pit bulls or their mixes. City dog law officer, John Iorio, handled 178 biting incidents in 2008. Of these incidents, 110 (61%) involved pit bulls. Iorio believes the actual number of pit bulls in the city to be 400 (8%), but this hardly reduces the alarming number of bites attributed to them. In July 2009, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDF) records showed that 112 dogs in a 5-county region were declared legally "dangerous." Pit bulls accounted for 42 (38%) of these dogs. No Cocker spaniels or Labs appeared on the list.

William Kibler, "Dog attack highlights city's problem with pit bulls," The Altoona Mirror, March 8, 2009 (www.altoonamirror.com) URL:http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/516815.html. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQCr2Nh9)

Indianapolis, Indiana
In February 2009, The Indianapolis Star reported that pit bull bites were at a record high -- 282 in 2008, an increase of 33 percent from the previous year and about three times the total from 2006. The Marion County Dog Bite Database shows that pit bulls produced 490 biting incidents while Labs produced 152 and Cocker spaniels only produced 27. The Star also reported that out of 3,000 pit bulls in animal care last year, nearly 2,500 were euthanized. Despite these statistics, the active pit bull community and the Indianapolis Humane Society, managed to "table" a new dog ordinance designed to reduce pit bull bites and deaths.

Heather Gillers, "Can pit bulls be saved?" The Indianapolis Star, February 1, 2009 (www.indystar.com) URL:http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009302010002. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQCwtExS)

Wichita, Kansas
In January 2009, the Wichita Department of Environmental Services released a number of pit bull statistics. The figures are based upon the Wichita Animal Control department's investigation of 733 dog bites in 2008. Included in the data are pit bulls encountered by the Wichita Police Department. In the 1-year period, 95% of police encounters with aggressive dogs were pit bulls. The report also showed that the percentage of pit bull encounters had increased from 66% in 2004 to 95% in 2008. Subsequently, four months after the release of this data, the City of Wichita enacted a mandatory pit bull sterilization law.

55% of all dogs deemed dangerous were pit bulls (41 pit bull dogs deemed dangerous).
34% of attacks and bites involved pit bull dogs (246 pit bull attacks/bites).
28% of dogs found running at large were pit bulls (1,279 pit bulls found running loose).
25% of dogs impounded were pit bulls dogs (1,575 pit bulls impounded).
37% of all dogs euthanized were pit bull dogs (1,255 pit bulls euthanized).
23% of dog complaints involved pit bull dogs (2,523 complaints involved pit bull dogs).

"Wichita Pit Bull Dogs in 2008," Wichita Department of Environmental Services, January 2009 (www.wichitagov.org) (Archived by DogsBite.org)

Canton, Ohio
In September 2008, when the City of Canton was in the process of adding American bulldogs to their existing pit bull ordinance (pit bulls are deemed "vicious" under Ohio state law), the Canton Repository published dog bite statistics from the Canton Health Department. From January 1, 2005 to September 2008, pit bulls led biting incidents with 89 bites. German shepherds (including police dogs) followed with 68, mutts with 50 and rottweilers with 33. It must be noted that under a 1991 Supreme Court of Ohio ruling, the court validated that "dogs commonly known as a pit bull dog" includes close breeds such as American bulldogs.

Ed Balint, "Canton may designate American bulldogs as vicious animals," The Canton Repository, September 14, 2008 (www.cantonrep.com) (Archived by DogsBite.org)

North Texas Cities
In August 2008, The Dallas Morning News reported that one third (33%) of all dog bite incidents from July 2007 to July 2008 in Duncanville, Cedar Hill and Mesquite involved pit bulls. Each of these cities passed resolutions urging the state Legislature to allow breed-specific laws, as lawmakers were hoodwinked by the dog lobby in 1991 and passed a preemptive state-wide anti-BSL measure (822.047). The next closest breeds were German shepherds (9.6%) followed by Labs (9%). While breed population data was not available in this article, it's presumable that the pit bull population is lower than the other two breeds.

Jon Nielsen, "North Texas cities seek breed-specific regulations as statistics show pit bulls lead in bite incidents," Dallas Morning News, August 22, 2008 (www.dallasnews.com) URL:http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-dogbites_22met.ART.North.Edition1.4d8610c.html. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQD4jKDt)

Ventura County, California
In July 2008, Ventura County Department of Animal Regulation released a 1-year statistical report (July 2007 to June 2008). The report showed that pit bulls ranked 8th in licensing, but were still the top biter producing 117 biting incidents in this period. Often cited by pro-pit bull groups as the leading biter, Cocker spaniels ranked 6th in licensing, but 8th in bite numbers with only 28 incidents. In September 2008, 5-year old Katya Todesco of Simi Valley suffered catastrophic face and neck injury after she reportedly "bumped into" a pit bull. She died 6 days later. The pit bull mauling death of Katya was recorded as "one biting incident."

Ventura County Department of Animal Regulation FY 2007-2008 Statistical Report (www.countyofventura.org) (Archived by DogsBite.org)

El Paso County, Colorado
In May 2008, after a pit bull burrowed under a fence and attacked a 5-year old boy, Ann Davenport of the Pikes Peak Region Humane Society said, "Pit bulls and pit bull mixes have accounted for more dog bites than any other breed in El Paso County this year. They were involved in 216 bites, about 18% of the 1,381 attacks reported. Labrador retrievers were second on the list, with 157 attacks, and German shepherds were third, with 93 bites." The attack occurred in Cimarron Hills, just east of Colorado Springs. The child received 2,000 stitches and underwent two immediate surgeries with many future facial surgeries expected.

Lance Benzel, "Pit bull mauls a 5-year-old boy," Colorado Springs Gazette, May 30, 2008 (www.gazette.com) URL:http://www.gazette.com/articles/bit-36793-dog-old.html. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQDBTlcn)

Lubbock, Texas
In February 2008, the City and County of Lubbock experienced a "pit bull epidemic," which by March ended in the deaths of 23 animals due to loose pit bulls. The February article provided 2007 Lubbock Animal Services data regarding dog incidents. Of the 247 dog bites, pit bulls accounted for 75 incidents (30%). Labs followed with just 17 incidents (7%) and German shepherds with 15 (6%). Unfortunately, the writers of the article were hoodwinked into the myth that pit bulls are one of the "most popular" dog breeds in the nation. 2009 U.S shelter data shows that the total U.S. pit bull population is no greater than 5% of all dogs.

Joshua Hull and Robin Pyle, "Dog attack concerns growing in Lubbock," Lubbock Online, February 24, 2008 (www.lubbockonline.com) URL:http://lubbockonline.com/stories/022408/loc_250419027.shtml. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQDHOKSV)

San Francisco, California
In July 2005, about 6 months prior to San Francisco enacting a pit bull sterilization law, the San Francisco Chronicle reviewed hundreds of dog bites logged by the city. According to Animal Care and Control department records, pit bulls and their mixes accounted for 27% of reported dog bites since 2003, even though they accounted for only 6% of licensed dogs. Of the 900 bite incidents recorded in this period, 626 traced to a specific dog. Of those, 169 bites were attributed to pit bulls. As the Chronicle writer points out, "that's more than the number of bites by German shepherds (69), Labradors (58) and rottweilers (34) combined."

Todd Wallack, "Dog bite reports show pit bulls likeliest culprits," San Francisco Chronicle, July 11, 2005 (www.sfgate.com) URL:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/07/11/BAG5UDLOAC1.DTL. Accessed: 2010-09-01. (Archived by WebCite® at https://www.webcitation.org/5sQDKVdte)

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