Dog Bite Statistics (2025)

Dog bites are a significant public health concern, affecting millions each year. They often require medical attention, especially for children, and can sometimes be fatal. Certain breeds, like pit bulls, are notably involved in severe cases. Read on for our comprehensive look at the dog bite data.

Key Dog Bite Statistics

• About 4.5 million dog bites occur annually in the US, with 800,000 needing medical care.
• Pit bulls are involved in 66.4% of fatal dog bite deaths from 2005 to 2019.
• California, Texas, and New York report the highest dog bite incidents.
• Children, especially aged 5-9, are most at risk, with over 50% of victims being kids.

Dog Attack Statistics by Breed

Pit bulls and rottweilers are the most commonly involved in fatal attacks. From 2005 to 2019, pit bulls accounted for 346 out of 521 deaths, while rottweilers contributed 51. For non-fatal severe bites, pit bulls also appear frequently in trauma center studies, often requiring surgical intervention.

Bites by Location Insights

States like California, Texas, and New York have the highest reported dog bite incidents, likely due to their large populations. For example, California had 675 dog bites on postal workers in 2022, the highest in the nation.

Surprising Detail: High Child Vulnerability

Surprisingly, over 50% of dog bite victims are children, with those aged 5-9 being particularly vulnerable, often bitten in the head or neck.

This highlights the need to educate children on how to avoid being bitten in addition to proper dog training. This includes teaching them not to approach strange dogs, pull their tails, or otherwise play aggressively with them.

Other Interesting Dog Bite Statistics

Several lesser-known statistics provide additional insights:

• Unneutered Males: Unneutered male dogs account for 70-76% of biting incidents, being 2.6 times more likely to bite, highlighting the importance of neutering.
• Insurance Costs: Homeowners insurers paid $1.12 billion in 2023 for dog bite claims, with costs per claim rising 82.5% from 2014 to 2023 due to higher medical and settlement expenses.

General Dog Bite Incidence and Severity

The annual incidence of dog bites is substantial, with data from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicating around 4.5 million bites yearly.

Of these, about 800,000 require medical treatment, with nearly 1,000 people per day seeking emergency care for serious injuries, as noted in a 2020 study by Tuckel and Milczarski.

Hospitalizations are also significant, with approximately 12,480 citizens hospitalized annually due to dog bite injuries, according to the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) data accessed in 2018.

Fatality rates, while lower, are notable, with 30 to 50 deaths annually, averaging 43 deaths per year from 2011 to 2021, as reported by the National Center for Health Statistics.

Conclusion and Implications

This comprehensive analysis underscores the need for targeted interventions, particularly for specific breeds and vulnerable populations like children. Breed-specific education, responsible ownership practices, and legislative measures such as leash laws can mitigate risks. The data also highlights the economic burden, with significant insurance payouts, emphasizing the public health and financial implications of dog bites.

Dog Bite Infographic

Here’s an infographic compiling some of this data. Feel free to use it with a link back to our site.

Sources

• Dog Attack Statistics By Breed In 2025
• Quick Statistics
• The Changing Epidemiology of Dog Bite Injuries
• U.S. Inpatient Stays for Dog Bite Injuries
• Fatal dog attacks in the United States

Kyle J. Larson

Kyle grew up with Yellow Labs in his family since he was a child. He is a SIRIUS Certified dog trainer and loves all dogs. As a professional web designer and author, he keeps our dog name and breed search tools running.