Dog Bite Statistics & Dog Attacks by Breed 2026

Each year, dogs bite more than 4.5 million people in the United States. Of those, approximately 885,000 seek medical attention, and nearly 370,000 require emergency department care. Children make up a significant portion of these victims, highlighting the need for awareness and prevention.

There’s no point in sugar-coating the topic; dog bites are a serious problem. It’s irresponsible to lay blame without having the facts. It’s just as foolish to ignore the problem and pretend that the poor dog had terrible owners. Sometimes, the beloved family pet inflicts bite injuries.

Certain breeds have consistently risen to the top for causing severe dog bite injuries that require medical attention. Breed-specific legislation has been proven not to provide the right solution and might even create a false sense of security.

Key Stats at a Glance

• Dogs are the third-deadliest creature on Earth
• Dogs bite more than 4.5 million people annually
• A large percentage of dog bite victims are children
• Pitbulls are responsible for 66% of deaths
• California and Florida lead in dog bite claims across the US
• Annually, tens of millions of dog bites occur worldwide

General Dog Bite Statistics

• The third-deadliest creature on Earth is a dog. Part of that is the sheer number of dogs in the world. Statistics show that there are between 700 million and 1 billion dogs (pet and unowned).
• Rabies causes an estimated 59,000 deaths in people every year across more than 150 countries. About 95% of these cases happen in Africa and Asia, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Dog attack stats by the American Veterinary Medical Association in the US reveal that dogs bite more than 4.5 million people annually. The vast majority of bites are underreported, but over 800,000 people bitten by dogs require medical attention.
• An American has a 1 in 50 chance of being bitten by a dog each year.
• Among 4.5 million bite victims, a large percentage are children. Hospital Emergency Departments treat 885,000 patients who seek medical care for bites; 370,000 of those need emergency attention, and 16 deaths occur. Children are more vulnerable and account for 70% of all bite-related deaths.

• In 2024 alone, the CDC reported 127 fatal dog attacks, the most ever recorded in a single year. This marks a 165% increase in dog bite deaths from 2019 (48 deaths).
• A total of 420 dog bite-related deaths were reported in the United States between 2018 and 2023. The average number of dog bite deaths per year between 2018 and 2023 is 70, according to the CDC. The average annual deaths from 2005 to 2018 were approximately 33.6 deaths per year.

• U.S. dog bite fatalities rose to 98 deaths in 2022, up from 81 deaths in 2021, and 62 deaths in 2020, according to CDC Wonder data. In 2022, the CDC confirmed 98 dog bite fatalities, marking the highest number ever officially recorded in a single year at that time.
• In 2025, homeowners’ insurance companies paid out a total of $1.86 billion for dog-related injury claims related to dog bites and other dog-related injuries. From 2016 to 2025, the average cost per dog-related claim increased by 209.2%, due to increased medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments, and jury awards given to plaintiffs.
• Each year, dog attacks result in $1 billion in financial losses across the U.S. JAMA reports this estimate to be as high as $2 billion.
• In 2018, around 27,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery due to dog bite injuries. Between 1993 and 2008, there was an 86% increase in dog bite-related hospitalizations.
• The average cost of a hospital stay due to a dog bite is about $18,200.
• Adults living in homes with two or more dogs are five times more likely to be bitten than those without dogs.

Dog Attacks on Postal Workers

In 2025, there were over 5,200 dog attacks on postal workers. In 2024, nearly 6,000 postal employees were attacked by dogs. California led all states with 673 attacks, while Los Angeles topped cities with 70 reported cases.

Letter carriers receive training to prevent dog bite attacks, but still become bite victims who require emergency care treatment.

Dog Attack Fatalities Statistics

These are the top five US States for dog bite attack statistics in 2025:

Here are the top five US cities for dog attack statistics in 2025:

Police Dog Attacks

There were an estimated 32,951 police K‑9 bite emergency department visits, representing 1.1% of all dog bite ER cases in the U.S

High numbers of police K-9 bite-related ER admissions were reported in:

• Between 2017 and 2019, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police dogs had 243 bites, or about 28 bites per 100,000 residents
• Los Angeles recorded 5 bites/100k
• Phoenix recorded 10 bites/100k
• Jacksonville recorded 18 bites/100k

Low numbers were recorded in:

• Chicago recorded  <1 admission
• Seattle recorded  3 bites/100k
• New York City recorded <1 admission

There is currently no federal system in place to track police K-9 usage, dog bite incidents, or information about the victims involved. (source)

Dog Bites by Breed

• Pit Bulls were responsible for approximately fifteen of the record 84 fatal dog attacks on humans in the U.S. and Canada in 2025,  including 13 of the 64 fatal attacks on humans (20%, or one in five). Breed-specific legislation is a turbulent topic.
• From 2005 to 2024, pit bulls killed 536 Americans, a rate over 8 times higher than the next closest breed, Rottweilers, with 63 deaths. Pit bulls contributed to 66% (345) of these deaths
• During the 15-year period of 2005 to 2019, canines killed 64 infants (< 1-year). Pit bulls inflicted nearly half of these infant deaths, 48%. Each side of the debate brings valuable content to try to help resolve the ongoing issue. What remains a fact is that the Pitty keeps making the list of dogs responsible for fatal dog bite incidents.

• Together, Pit Bulls and Rottweilers were involved in approximately 76% of all fatal dog attacks. From 2005 to 2029, Rottweilers alone were responsible for 52 deaths.
• Although Pitbulls and Rottweilers make up only 6% of dogs in the US, they’re responsible for most fatal attacks. Pitbulls and Rottweilers may seem to be on trial, but the figures don’t lie.
• German shepherds (with 238 PSI bite force) were responsible for 4.2% (24) of the attacks.

• Many Pitty rescue missions believe in saving Pittys. However, Pitties are perceived as one of the aggressive dog breeds and are on the list for being responsible for the most fatal dog attacks. Pit bulls represent 20% of the dog population. Pit bull defenders blame the dog owners and argue that dog bite statistics only tell half the story. As per statistics, Pitbulls are:
  • 2.5 times more likely to bite multiple areas of the body during an attack.
  • 2.7 times more likely to initiate attacks off their owner’s property.
  • 31% more likely to attack strangers compared to other breeds.
  • 48% more likely to attack unprovoked.
• Pit bull attacks show higher morbidity, hospital charges, and mortality risk than other dog breeds. Maiming and human death from dog bites are rare but preventable tragedies.
• 54% of fatal dog attacks involved dogs that were owned by the victim’s family. Of those family-related fatal attacks, 65% were caused by Pit Bulls.
• 53% of fatal Pit Bull attacks involved the killing of a family member or someone in the same household.
• There have been 74 documented cases of dogs killing their owners, and Pit Bulls were responsible for 62% of them (46 cases). Americans need to decide how to handle the pit bull problem. Anyone with compassion for animals might easily fly to the defense of these dogs (the writer), but when pit bulls account for a major number of dog bite victims, that number speaks loudly. Victims deserve a voice in this debate, too.
• Only 20% of fatal dog attack cases resulted in criminal charges, and Pit Bulls were involved in 76% of those prosecutions.
• The likelihood of succumbing to a dog bite is one in 44,499.

Chained Dogs

• Chained dogs bite 2.8 times more than unchained dogs. Since 2003, chained dogs have accounted for the killing of more than 450 Americans.
• Chained dogs have been involved in more than 60% of child bite incidents. Children are especially vulnerable to dog attacks. PETA outlines the events of many recorded chained dog attacks.

Rabies & Medical Outcomes

• Animal bites constitute 1% of U.S. emergency department visits, varying in severity. Even small bites can get infected. Dog and cat bites are the most common, making up more than 95% of bite injuries treated in emergency room visits.
• In 2024, 19,202 people underwent reconstructive surgery after serious dog bite injuries.
• The most common areas affected by bites are the cheek, lips, ear, and nose. Other common injuries also include punctures and arm and hand injuries.
• Dog bites make up 40% of all injuries in kids and 3% to 4% of visits to the children’s emergency department. Out of all dog bite cases in kids and adults, 81% don’t need medical care. Still, this means about 855,000 cases each year need treatment.
• 99% of Rabies cases occur due to dogs. Rabies is a preventable but incurable disease that affects every continent except Antarctica. The rabies vaccine invented by Louis Pasteur has saved millions of lives. However, according to the CDC, rabies is still a problem in Asia and Africa, where 95% of rabies deaths occur. Most dog bite fatality victims are children. The post-bite vaccine prevents millions of deaths.
• In the US, 1-3 cases of human Rabies are reported annually. Due to strict regulations and preventive measures, “the U.S. has been free of dog rabies since 2007.” It’s definitely a little sigh of relief after learning all the shocking details of dog bites.
• In the US, stray dogs cause 15.55% of reported dog bites. Just 0.97% of stray dog bites lead to severe injury, while 1.91% of bites from non-stray dogs cause serious injury.
• 60-80% of US dog bites happen from unneutered (male) dogs. Unneutered dogs are 2.6 times more likely to bite people and other dogs. That means 70% to 76% of biting dogs are male.

Fatalities by Age & Gender (U.S.)

Year 2021 

• 2021 recorded the peak with 81 deaths, more than double the lowest year (2016, with 31 deaths)
• From 2017–2021, fatalities among females surpassed those among males, reversing the earlier trend.

Years 2018 to 2021

• Deaths more than doubled for both males and females.
• Male fatalities increased from 15 in 2018 to 37 in 2021.
• Female fatalities rose from 20 in 2018 to 44 in 2021.

Years 2005 to 2020

• Between 2005 and 2020, there were 581 dog bite deaths in total.
• Of those, 186 deaths (32%) involved individuals aged 0–24.

Fatalities by State

Dog bite fatalities across U.S. states show notable differences between official CDC records and nonprofit tracking efforts. This comparison highlights discrepancies in reporting and capture rates, revealing how factors like rural coverage and reservation data affect accuracy.

Dog Bite Insurance Claims (U.S.)

Estimated Number and Cost of Dog Bite Claims (2015–2024)

Explosive Growth in Claims

• In 2024, 28,450 dog-related injury claims were filed in the United States.
• This marks a more than 25 percent increase from 2024 and a 57 percent rise over the past decade.

Record-Breaking Claim Costs

• Insurers paid $1.86 billion in dog-related injury claims in 2025, up by 18.6 percent from 2024,the highest amount ever recorded.
• Though the average cost per claim fell to $65,450 – a 5.5 percent decrease from $69,272 in 2024 – costs also remained at a 97 percent rise over the past decade.

Leading States for Dog Bite Claims (2025 Data)

• In 2025, California and Florida maintained their ranking for the highest volume of dog-related injury filings, each exceeding 2,000 cases.
• New York filed the highest average cost per claim, at $92,154.

Global Dog Bite Stats

• Globally, tens of millions of dog bites occur annually. Universal numbers to calculate global dog bite numbers are challenging to obtain. In impoverished countries, such injuries don’t receive any dog bite liability claims. Most don’t receive medical treatment. Dog bites are a socioeconomic problem and account for 76-94% of animal bites.
• There are approximately 1-2 deaths in Canada due to fatal attacks by dogs yearly. Data published by the Canadian Veterinary Journal, following dog bite stats from 1990 to 2007, revealed 28 deaths from dog bite injuries. The report didn’t list any particular breed as responsible. Toronto public health statistics show dog bite reports dropped from 486 in 2005 to 379 in 2010 following the pit bull ban.
• Canada reports over 500,000 dog bites each year, with children aged 5 to 9 being the most commonly affected, and approximately 500 Canada Post workers bitten annually while on duty. Of all injuries related to dog bites and dog attacks, 57.9% were to males.
• In Australia, 9,920 people were hospitalized after dog bites in 2024–25. This equals about 36 cases for every 100,000 people. The new data shows Australians are around 90 percent more likely to be attacked by a dog.
• During 2021–22 in Australia, there were more than 9,500 cases of attacks where a person was bitten or struck by a dog. More than 2,000 children and older adults are admitted to Australian hospitals annually because of dog attacks.

• According to Australian dog stats, each year, many Australians need medical care after dog bites, with about 36 hospitalisations for every 100,000 people.
• The NSW government banned these fighting breeds:
  • American Pit Bull Terrier
  • Dogo Argentino
  • Fila Brasileiro
  • Japanese Tosa

• Official NHS figures show that in the year to March 2023, there were 9,277 hospital admissions in England where patients had been bitten or struck by a dog.
• Based on the latest figures, there were 14 deaths in England and 2 deaths in Wales in 2023.
• People aged between 50 and 59 were the most likely victims of dog bites and strikes in England in 2024/25, with almost 1.8 thousand admissions in this reporting year.

FAQs

What Percent of Dog Attacks Are Pit Bulls?

Pit bull-type dogs are responsible for 67% of deaths, and their overall population is only 6.5%. Pit Bull is perceived to be the most dangerous dog breed when it comes to fatal dog attack statistics by breed. However, dog bite prevention comes down to responsible dog ownership.

How Many People Are Killed by Dogs Each Year?

In the US, 83 to 88 million dogs are owned as pets. Between 2020 and 2023, an average of approximately 84 people per year died from fatal human attacks by dogs in the U.S., according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, more than double the average from previous years. The number of fatalities from these attacks seems to be on the rise.

What Dog Breed Bites the Most?

Pit bulls cause more dog bite injuries and hurt more people than any other dog, with Labrador retrievers coming in second place. Many other dogs are considered dangerous breeds, like Doberman pinscher dogs or Rottweilers, which have an extremely brutal bite force at about 328 PSI, and boxers, which have 230 PSI. But the last death involving a boxer dog happened in 2013.

How To Handle an Aggressive Dog?

Aggressive behavior in dogs sometimes needs professional intervention and behavior modification. Working with any dog takes time and energy.

Final Thought

Dog bite injuries are a grave problem. Dog bites can seriously hurt people, and dog owners might have to pay a lot of money to those who get hurt. Usually, it’s the insurance companies that cover these costs, and the settlement amounts can be pretty big. Additionally, owners might face criminal charges if their dogs cause harm.

Not all dog bites are predictable, though; with proper training and education, most dog bite-related fatalities are preventable. Dog bite injuries and dog bite victims are serious.

Owning any kind of pet takes a considerable commitment. Dogs are not disposable. They rely on us to teach them acceptable dog behavior. If you don’t have the time, try fostering or volunteering.