Dog attack deaths & maimings

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 2000:

Dog attack deaths & maimings
(most commonly involved breeds and mixes)
U.S. & Canada, 9/1982 to 10/ 2000

Compiled by the editor of ANIMAL PEOPLE
from a log of press accounts since 1982, this table
covers only attacks by dogs who have been kept as pets
and are of clearly identified breed type or ancestry.
Attacks by police dogs, guard dogs, and dogs trained
specifically to fight are also excluded. The “Attacks”
column includes all fatalities, maimings, and other
injuries requiring extensive hospital treatment.
“Maimings” includes permanent disfigurement or loss
of a limb. Listed are all of the breeds and clearly identified
mixes accounting for an average of more than one
human fatality or maiming per year.


Breed Attacks Child Adult Dead Maimed
[dogs X victims] [–––-Human victims ––-] Akita 23 14 7 1 17
Akita mix 3 3 0 0 3
Chow 29 22 7 3 18
Chow mix 2 2 0 0 2
German shepherd 36 27 9 5 21
GSD mix 15 13 2 5 10
Husky 29 15 3 8 5
Husky mix 3 2 1 0 3
Pit bull 466 219 195 45 241
Pit bull mix 4 4 1 2 0
Pit/Rott. mix 20 3 1 0 5
Rottweiler 218 140 49 31 123
Rott/GSD mix 6 5 1 0 6
Wolf hybrid 51 50 1 13 34
ALL to 4/93: 158 81 70 32 54
ALL to 10/00: 1000 575 304 125 537
Increase +533% +610% +334% +291% 894%
Pits to 4/93: 103 43 60 18 35
67% 54% 87% 56% 65%
Pits to 10/00: 47% 38% 64% 36% 45%
Increase: +352% +321% +225% +150% +589%
Rotts to 4/93: 18 12 6 2 8
11% 15% 9% 3% 15%
Rotts, 10/00: 22% 24% 16% 25% 23%
Increase %: +1111 +1067 +718 +1450 +1538
Percentage of bites, three cities
Breed Minneapolis Palm Beach Allentown
1977-1992 1996 1999
Chow – 11% 10%
Doberman 5% 2% –
German shepherd 20% 15% 9%
GSD mix 7% –
Labrador 5% 9% 7%
Pit bull 4% 9% 21%
Poodles 3% 1% –
Rottweiler 1% 9% 12%
Small terriers 6% 11% –
OTHER 49% 33% 41%

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