A dog bite victims' advocacy group, Dogsbite.org, in Seattle, has released its most recent data on dog attacks recorded over the last five years from January 1, 2005 to March 8, 2010. According to the group's numbers posted on their web site, during that five-year-period, 158 dog attacks took place in the United States. Pit bulls were responsible for 56 percent of these attacks. This is equal to a pit bull killing an American every 21.5 days. Rottweilers accounted for 15 percent of dog bite fatalities. Together, pit bulls and Rottweilers accounted for 70 percent of all dog attacks.

The numbers show that there were 32 deaths in 2009 – 14 caused by pit bulls and four by Rottweilers. In the 67 days in 2010 covered by this report, there were 10 fatalities already with six deaths caused by pit bulls and two caused by Rottweilers.

Fatalities and Serious Injuries

Dogsbite.org should be commended for the exemplary work it is doing in terms of educating the public and creating awareness about these dangerous dogs. Their web site also has a lot of useful information and heartbreaking stories of dog bite victims. The group has also done a remarkable job of encouraging local municipalities to change their local laws to regulate pit bulls, and make dog owners more responsible. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 5 million people are treated for dog bite-related personal injuries in the United States each year.

Dangerous Dog Laws

I have consistently maintained that these breeds of dogs – specifically pit bulls and Rottweilers – are like loaded guns. Research has shown that these dogs attack adults as well as children. There is no question that policy makers should take this data seriously. Banning specific breeds is illegal in California. However, cities in a number of other states have enacted them in order to keep their communities safe. It is important that cities and municipalities at least, consider common sense dangerous dog laws. Requiring dog owners to keep their pets restrained and mandating the purchase of liability insurance for the owners so the dog bite victims are not penalized for the dog owners' negligence, are good place to start.

Remember that California has a strict liability statute when it comes to dog bite cases. That means that dog owners can be held accountable for their pets' actions irrespective of where the attack occurs. The only exception is if your dog bites a burglar or intruder. Dog bite victims can seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, cosmetic surgery, pain and suffering, and other damages.