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New York

Are Dogs A Real Danger

A National Canine Research Council Perspective Report

Over the past 43 years (1965 - present)  there have been 26 fatal dog attacks in New York State or an average of one (1) fatality every one to two years.

New York State has experienced a population increase of more than 1.5 million over the past 4 decades. Yet, in spite of the increase in both the human and canine population over the past 40 years, fatal dog attacks have decreased in the state:

             Number of fatal dog attacks in New York State:

                      1965 - 1985:      13 fatal attacks

                      1986 - 2006:      11 fatal attacks

                      2007 - present      2 fatal attacks

At least 14 different breeds/types of dogs have been identified as participating in a fatal attack in New York.

The victims were: 9 adults and 17 children.

Nearly half (n=7) of the children killed by dogs in New York State were cases of infants left unattended with unfamiliar dogs.

Not only were a number of these infants left with unfamiliar dogs, but they were left with dogs that were severely undersocialized, abused or had been encouraged to be aggressive:

In 1976, a woman left her East Harlem apartment, leaving behind her 4-day-old infant on the floor along with a severely emaciated, starving dog.

In 1976, another infant, 14-days-old, was left unattended at his grandmother's home with a dog named "Satan."

In 1984, a 2-month-old infant was left unattended in a New York City apartment with an intact male dog. The parents/owners admitted the dog was a "trained guard dog."

Of the other nine (9) children killed by dogs in New York State, four (4) were cases of unsupervised children encountering chained dogs:

In 1983, a 2-year-old wandered out to the resident chained dog. The boy became entangled in the dog's chained and was then attacked and killed.

In spite of the negligent and inhumane ownership practices of some dog owners (and/or parents), dogs still pose an incredibly low risk for causing a fatality:

Fatal Dog Attacks in New York State as Compared to Other Selected Risks:

Snapshot of New York State:                     Year  2005

Persons killed by dogs:          0
Persons killed by lightning:          1
Fatal hunting accidents:          3
Death from contact w/ hornets, bees or wasps:          5
Persons drowned in tub or swimming pool:        29
ATV-related fatalities:        44
Bicycle-related fatalities:        48
Alcohol-related traffic fatalities:      580
Total traffc fatalities (alcohol & non):   1,434
Tobacco-related deaths:  25,500

Furthermore, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

In 2005, seventy-five (75) New York State children died as a result of maltreatment (abuse or neglect).

In a SINGLE YEAR, 2005, more than FOUR TIMES as many New York State children died from maltreatment (abuse or neglect) than the TOTAL of ALL children killed by dog attacks in New York over the past 43 years.

So, are dogs a danger?  Fact is, people in New York routinely accept far greater risks from ATVs, bicycles, and swimming pools than any that are associated with companion animals.

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