Dog Bite Injury Statistics In North Carolina And South Carolina

There are 75 million dogs in the United States, and it’s no surprise that dog bites are one of the leading reasons for children’s emergency room visits. But do you know exactly how many people are affected by dog bites across the country each year, and the types of physical and emotional consequences that come with animal attacks?

· 4.7 million people are bitten by a dog each year – that’s two percent of the population.

· Each year, 800,000 dog bite injury victims are injured severely enough that they require medical attention.

· Fifty percent of dog bite victims are children, and most dog bite injuries to children occur on their face and neck.

· Someone rushes to the hospital one every minute because they have been mauled by a dog.

· The health care system spends a shocking $165 million a year treating dog bite injury victims.

· Dog ownership is increasing every day – and so are dog bite incidents.

· The majority of dog bite attacks are unprovoked.

· Three out of four dog bite attack cases happen on the victim’s property.

· Dogs maul an average of ten to twenty people to death each year. Many dog bite deaths happen to the very young or the very old.

· Each year, 6,000 people must be hospitalized for an extended period of time because of their dog bite injuries.

· Although many dog breeds have a history of attacking children, pit bulls are known to attack adults as well.

· Dogs are more likely to attack if they are 1.) male 2.) not fixed and 3.) chained.

 

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