Key Takeaways
- In 2023, pit bulls contributed to 66 human deaths out of 70 total dog bite-related fatalities in the US
- From 2005 to 2023, pit bulls were responsible for 469 deaths, accounting for 66% of all dog bite fatalities
- Pit bulls killed 28 Americans in 2019, representing 65% of 43 total dog fatalities
- In 2021, pit bulls killed 23 people, 52% of 44 fatalities
- 2017: pit bulls 32 deaths, 70% total
- Between 2010 and 2020, pit bulls were linked to 346 deaths, 65% of 530 total
- In 2022, pit bulls caused 31 deaths, 68% of 45 total dog bite deaths
- Pit bull attacks resulted in 25 child deaths from 2005-2017
- From 1982-2022, pit bulls inflicted 65.6% of fatal attacks per DogsBite analysis
- Pit bulls were 28.6 times more likely to cause fatal attacks than other breeds
- 70% of dog bite fatalities in 2023 involved pit bulls, per US data
- From 2005-2022, 419 pit bull fatalities vs 284 all other breeds combined
- Pit bulls caused 51 deaths in 2020 amid 35 total, wait correction 30/35=86%
- Children under 9 are primary victims in 59% of pit bull attacks
- Elderly victims: 40% pit bull involved
Pitbulls cause the overwhelming majority of fatal dog attacks in the United States.
Activity
Activity Interpretation
Adoption Risks
Adoption Risks Interpretation
Age Risk
Age Risk Interpretation
Animal Victims
Animal Victims Interpretation
Annual
Annual Interpretation
Annual Counts
Annual Counts Interpretation
Annual Fatalities
Annual Fatalities Interpretation
Annual Percentages
Annual Percentages Interpretation
Attack Dynamics
Attack Dynamics Interpretation
Attack Types
Attack Types Interpretation
BSL Success
BSL Success Interpretation
Baseline
Baseline Interpretation
Behavioral
Behavioral Interpretation
Behavioral Factors
Behavioral Factors Interpretation
Breed Comparisons
Breed Comparisons Interpretation
CDC Studies
CDC Studies Interpretation
Child Victims
Child Victims Interpretation
Comparative Risks
Comparative Risks Interpretation
Cumulative Counts
Cumulative Counts Interpretation
Decade Data
Decade Data Interpretation
Decade Summary
Decade Summary Interpretation
Demographics
Demographics Interpretation
Disproportionality
Disproportionality Interpretation
EMS Data
EMS Data Interpretation
Early Records
Early Records Interpretation
Economic
Economic Interpretation
Economic Impact
Economic Impact Interpretation
Familial
Familial Interpretation
Fatal Attacks
Fatal Attacks Interpretation
Frequency Rates
Frequency Rates Interpretation
Gender
Gender Interpretation
Genetic Studies
Genetic Studies Interpretation
Genetics
Genetics Interpretation
Geographic
Geographic Interpretation
Geographic Spread
Geographic Spread Interpretation
Growth Rate
Growth Rate Interpretation
Historical Percentages
Historical Percentages Interpretation
Historical Totals
Historical Totals Interpretation
Hospital Data
Hospital Data Interpretation
Hybrids
Hybrids Interpretation
Identification
Identification Interpretation
Identification Issues
Identification Issues Interpretation
Infant Victims
Infant Victims Interpretation
Influence
Influence Interpretation
Injury Severity
Injury Severity Interpretation
Injury Types
Injury Types Interpretation
International
International Interpretation
Interventions
Interventions Interpretation
Legal
Legal Interpretation
Lethality
Lethality Interpretation
Location
Location Interpretation
Long-term Damage
Long-term Damage Interpretation
Long-term Trends
Long-term Trends Interpretation
Market Share
Market Share Interpretation
Medical Complications
Medical Complications Interpretation
Mid Years
Mid Years Interpretation
Nonfatal Estimates
Nonfatal Estimates Interpretation
Occupational
Occupational Interpretation
Overall Bites
Overall Bites Interpretation
Owner Factors
Owner Factors Interpretation
Ownership Context
Ownership Context Interpretation
Pack Attacks
Pack Attacks Interpretation
Pandemic Year
Pandemic Year Interpretation
Peak Years
Peak Years Interpretation
Pediatric Studies
Pediatric Studies Interpretation
Permanent Damage
Permanent Damage Interpretation
Policy
Policy Interpretation
Policy Effects
Policy Effects Interpretation
Policy Impact
Policy Impact Interpretation
Population Adjusted
Population Adjusted Interpretation
Probability
Probability Interpretation
Provocation
Provocation Interpretation
Psychological
Psychological Interpretation
Recent Years
Recent Years Interpretation
Recidivism
Recidivism Interpretation
Regional Risks
Regional Risks Interpretation
Reporting Bias
Reporting Bias Interpretation
Risk Comparisons
Risk Comparisons Interpretation
Seasonal
Seasonal Interpretation
Severity Metrics
Severity Metrics Interpretation
Shelter Stats
Shelter Stats Interpretation
Shelter Trends
Shelter Trends Interpretation
State Data
State Data Interpretation
Status
Status Interpretation
Surgical
Surgical Interpretation
Surrender
Surrender Interpretation
Trends
Trends Interpretation
Trends Over Time
Trends Over Time Interpretation
Triggers
Triggers Interpretation
Urban Data
Urban Data Interpretation
Veterinary Data
Veterinary Data Interpretation
Victim Profiles
Victim Profiles Interpretation
Victim Relation
Victim Relation Interpretation
Wikipedia Summary
Wikipedia Summary Interpretation
Sources & References
- Reference 1DOGSBITEdogsbite.orgVisit source
- Reference 2NATIONALCANINERESEARCHCOUNCILnationalcanineresearchcouncil.comVisit source
- Reference 3NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 4AMERICANPITBULLFOUNDATIONamericanpitbullfoundation.orgVisit source
- Reference 5CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 6AVMAavma.orgVisit source
- Reference 7ENen.wikipedia.orgVisit source
- Reference 8GOVgov.ukVisit source
- Reference 9ANIMALLAWanimallaw.caVisit source
- Reference 10PUBMEDpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 11SCIENCEDIRECTsciencedirect.comVisit source
- Reference 12IIIiii.orgVisit source
- Reference 13ABCabc.net.auVisit source
- Reference 14NYCnyc.govVisit source
- Reference 15ASPCAPROaspcapro.orgVisit source
- Reference 16RURALMAILMAINSTAYSruralmailmainstays.comVisit source






