In 2011 almost 9000 people were hospitalized because of dog attacks (a 55% increase from 2001). [View all]

[Nine]

Last edited Tue May 21, 2013, 03:04 PM - Edit history (1)

To put that in perspective, only 6,300 people were hospitalized that same year because of accidental shootings (although 600 more died while only about 20 or 30 died from dog attacks). That's why this issue matters to me.

Here are the numbers from the cdc database:

*nonfatal injuries from dogs in 2011 that resulted in a visit to the ER: 355,073
*number of those above that required hospitalization or transfer to another facility (as opposed to being treated and released): 8,979
***number of fatalities from dog attacks each year: about 20 or 30
(about 9000 total serious injuries and deaths per year)

sources:
*http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/nfirates2001.html
***http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States
***http://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-study-dog-attacks-and-maimings-merritt-clifton.php

From 1992 to 2001, dog bite fatalities averaged 1.8 per year. In the early 2000s that number hit double digits and it's been rising ever since. In 2001 there were 5,782 nonfatal, dog-inflicted injuries that required hospitalization or transfer. Ten years later that number had risen by 55% to 8,979. I think that is a stunning increase. Interestingly, the total number of dog-inflicted injuries requiring medical care actually decreased slightly during that time period - from 365,846 to 355,073. Thus it appears that while the number of dog-inflicted injuries has remained fairly constant, the injuries are becoming more serious or fatal. And let's not forget that for every human attacked by a dog, many more animals, including other dogs, are attacked and killed. I find all of this tragic and unacceptable. I would hope everyone here does.

Why have serious and fatal dog attacks skyrocketed? I have my own theory, shared by many others, and it has to do with the introduction and increase of certain kinds of dogs rather than a sudden increase in "bad ownership." But there are other people who passionately reject such a theory.

And what is the solution to getting the number of dog bite fatalities and serious injuries back to the levels they were at a couple decades ago? Again, there are some who will passionately fight against any legislation that they feel targets their favorite breed.

So what's the answer? Don't tell me what you think doesn't work. Tell me what you think does work or would work. If you have some alternate theory about why serious injuries seem to have increased so dramatically in such a short time, feel free to share that too.