thus far in the United States in 2007
Disclamers
(1) The accuracy of the information posted on this site depends on the validity and accuracy of the newspaper reports from which information posted on this site has been collected. It is assumed that reports are valid concerning the fact that a dog-related fatality happened. Newspaper reports may be inaccurate and may misrepresent the breed of dog(s) involved in the incident, however. Since there may be error in the identification of the breed of dog(s) involved in a fatal attack as reported in newspaper stories, it would be a mistake to use information posted on this site to support agendas promoting legislation banning, limiting or curtailing the ownership of certain breeds of dog, such as a so-called "pit bull" dog (read "Problems with American pit bull terrier identification"). Note that a pit bull is not a breed of dog, but instead the term has come to be widely used to describe a dog that has an appearance similar to a American Pit Bull terrier of American Staffordshire terrier. In some cases a dog described as a pit bull may in fact be an American Staff (AKC recognized) or an American Pit Bull (UKC recognized), but in other cases it may not. Since other breeds of dog physically resemble these breeds, mistaken identity is frequntly made and consequently numbers are inflated for the number of attacks involving so-called "pit bulls". Further, correct breed identification becomes more problematic when the dog involved in an attack is a mixed-breed. Hence, ambiguity exists when using the term "pit bull". As stated above, there is no such breed as a pit bull. Dr. Polsky discourages and specifically requests that statistics on this site not be used to suppprt breed specific legislation. Note that other data collection techniques (animal control reports, police reports, witness observation) used for breed identification purposes in fatal dogs attacks may also be flawed for these reasons.
(2) The reader should note the incidences of fatalities for the years 2004 - 2006 listed on this site may not represent every case in the United States where death was caused by a dog attack. In the very least this site represents a near exhuastive listing, however.
(3) Only those fatalitities that are a direct result of a dog attack are listed. For example, not included in these statistics are dog fatalities where the primary cause of death is secondary to the attack (e.g. caradic arrest, freezing to death after falling unconscious following an attack, rabies), or when a fatality is caused by the behavior of a dog that does not involve attack (e.g. smothering). Click here for medical explanation of the causes of death as a direct result of a dog attack.
Other sources of information on fatal dog attacks
2007 Fatalities
1. Texas (January): 10 y.o. girl
2. Missouri (January): 69 y.o. women
3. Virginia (January): 6 y.o. boy
4. Tennessee (January): 18 m.o girl
5. Georgia (February): 2 y.o. girl
6. Texas (March): 50 y.o. women
7. Texas (March): 2 y.o. girl
8. South Carolina (April): toddler
9. Texas (May): 90 y.o. man