FATAL DOG ATTACKS, 1989-1994

Objectives. To update data on fatal dog bites and see if past trends h ave continued. Design. To merge data from vital records, the Humane So ciety of the United States, and searches of electronic news files. Set ting. United States. Subjects. U.S. residents dying in the U.S. from 1 989 through 1994 from dog bites. Results. We identified 109 dog bite-r elated fatalities, of which 57% were less than 10 years of age. The de ath rate for neonates was two orders of magnitude higher than for adul ts and the rate for children one order of magnitude higher. Of classif iable deaths, 22% involved an unrestrained dog off the owner's propert y, 18% involved a restrained dog on the owner's property, and 59% invo lved an unrestrained dog on the owner's property. Eleven attacks invol ved a sleeping infant; 19 dogs involved in fatal attacks had a prior h istory of aggression; and 19 of 20 classifiable deaths involved an unn eutered dog. Pit bulls, the most commonly reported breed, were involve d in 24 deaths; the next most commonly reported breeds were rottweiler s (16) and German shepherds (10). Conclusions. The dog bite problem sh ould be reconceptualized as a largely preventable epidemic. Breed-spec ific approaches to the control of dog bites do not address the issue t hat many breeds are involved in the problem and that most of the facto rs contributing to dog bites are related to the level of responsibilit y exercised by dog owners. To prevent dog bite-related deaths and inju ries, we recommend public education about responsible dog ownership an d dog bite prevention, stronger animal control laws, better resources for enforcement of these laws, and better reporting of bites. Anticipa tory guidance by pediatric health care providers should address dog bi te prevention.