Bud

In 1903, Horatio Nelson Jackson left California with his co-driver and mechanic, Sewall Crocker, to attempt the first transcontinental automobile trip. In Idaho, they picked up a light-colored Bulldog to accompany them on their journey. His new masters fitted the Bulldog, whose name was Bud, with goggles to protect his eyes from the road dust and debris. The trio became a national sensation as they journeyed across America. Jackson would later brag that Bud was "an enthusiast for motoring."

What is a dog bite?

While the question seems simple enough, the answer is not always what we imagine.

Over the past 3 decades, increased awareness of the importance of humane care and control of dogs, the enactment and enforcement of leash laws, and dog bite prevention education, have all been instrumental in lowering the number of reported dog-related injuries nationwide.

National Canine Research Council

At least three (3) different breeds/types of dogs were reported to be involved in these incidents.*

Two of the four fatalities were attributed to animals believed to be wolf-dogs. This is noted because wolf-dogs are not considered domestic dogs and arguably should not be numbered among domestic dogs without an acknowledgement of the wolf (i.e., wild) component in the animal's make up.

According to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the population of Idaho doubled between 1970 and 2007 (from 713,015 to 1,466,465). Despite a significant increase in both the human and dog population , there has only been one (1) fatal dog attack in each decade:

1977: A loose-roaming dog killed a boy. 1983: An animal identified as a wolf dog attacked and killed a boy in a yard. 1994: A newborn was left unattended with a dog. 2003: A newborn was left unattended with wolf dog.

Each of these fatalities could have been averted, had the parents and/or dog owners supervised these very young children around the animals; or, in the one case, had the owner not allowed his dog to roam loose.

*Note: In recent years, scientists have established that visual identification of dogs of unknown origin is extremely unreliable; therefore, while we can be sure these listed incidents involved varied types of dogs, we cannot be certain of the accuracy of most breed identifications.

In spite of recklessness and irresponsibility on the part of some dog owners, dogs still pose an incredibly low risk for causing a fatality in Idaho:

Fact is, people in Idaho routinely accept far greater risks from bicycles, ATVs and swimming pools than any that are associated with companion animals.