Dog Bite Statistics Per Breed
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), there are nearly 90 million dogs in the U.S. Though most of these dogs are sweet pets that pose almost no threat to anyone, all dogs have teeth and a deep-seated biting instinct.
A dog bite isn’t like a car accident or workplace accident; if you are bitten by your dog, you can’t sue it for the harm it caused. Even if you did nothing to provoke the bite, you will be stuck with the expenses resulting from it.
How much danger you face from a dog bite often depends on the breed of the dog. Some dog breeds are exceedingly gentle, while others are very quick to resort to violence when provoked. With that in mind, one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from a potential trip to the hospital is by understanding which dog breeds are the most dangerous. Keep reading to learn what our Huntsville personal injury attorneys say about it.
Pit Bulls
Statistically, the most dangerous dog breed in the U.S. is the pit bull. Between 2005 and 2017, these dogs were involved in 284 fatal attacks on humans, more than six times as many fatal attacks as the next most dangerous breed and almost 15 times as many as the third.
Several factors combine to make pit bulls as dangerous as they are. For one, they were initially bred for violence, and those instincts still run deep within them. Furthermore, their appearances often don’t scream “dangerous.” They are small and cute, which can make people lower their guard. Yet, when they get violent, they can snap an adult thigh bone in a single bite.
Rottweilers
Rottweilers are medium-to-large-size dogs that are often trained as police dogs and were used to herd livestock in the past. They are quite powerful and also look reasonably dangerous. Compared to pit bulls, though, they are virtually gentle, as many have been trained to restrain. That means they may bite and clamp instead of biting repeatedly.
Rottweilers have only been involved in 45 fatal attacks from 2005 to 2017. Nevertheless, that figure still puts them well above all other dog breeds in the U.S. in terms of risk level.
German Shepherds
Like rottweilers, German Shepherds were often traditionally used to shepherd livestock (hence their name). They look quite a bit like the wolves they are related to and still have some wolf traits left in them, which means they can become fearsome in a moment, often without warning. Be that as it may, German Shepherds caused 20 fatal attacks between 2005 and 2017.
Mixed Breeds
In many ways, mixed breeds are some of the most dangerous dogs because they often don’t look that dangerous. You can easily see the powerful muscles of a pit bull or a rottweiler. And most people can recognize that German Shepherds look like their wolf ancestors.
Mixed breeds, in contrast, can look like anything, making it easy for someone to underestimate the danger of these dogs. As such, it’s likely that many of the 17 fatal attacks that mixed breeds were involved in between 2005 and 2017 probably resulted from accidental provocation.
Be Wary Around All Dogs
You should always treat dogs with respect, especially if you don’t own the dog. While you can file a premises liability lawsuit if a neighbor’s dog bites you, it is better to avoid being bitten in the first place. Assume that all dogs are potentially dangerous and show them respect.
Contact the Alabama Dog Bite Attorneys at Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers. Call us at (205) 206-5088
Contact an experienced dog bite lawyer at Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation today. We serve Shelby County, Madison County, Montgomery County in Alabama, and its surrounding areas.
We are located in Birmingham, Huntsville & Montgomery.
Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers – Birmingham Office
880 Montclair Road, Ste 300,
Birmingham, AL 35213
(205) 206-5088
Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers – Huntsville Office
116 Jefferson St. Suite 209
Hunstville, AL, 35801
(256) 666-4660
Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers – Montgomery Office
7 Clayton St, Suite 200,
Montgomery, AL 36104
(334) 513-2110