Animal Contact & Human Health Statistics

Animal Bite

• In the United States, more than 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs each year, requiring nearly 1 in 5 of those individuals to seek medical attention for subsequent injuries or infections.
• Children are at a higher risk of being bitten by dogs, and are likely to sustain more severe injury from dog bites.
• Younger children, particularly ages 5-9, account for the highest incidence of dog bites.
• The majority (61%) of dog bites will occur in the dog’s home or in a familiar place with most (77%) of the biting dogs belonging to the victim’s family or friends.
• An unneutered dog is 3x more likely to bite.
• Any dog of any breed may bite. There is no way to know if a dog is a biter by only their breed, size, or age.
• Bites from cats, dogs, bats, and other wild animals can result in:
  • Rabies
  • Bacterial infections
  • Physical injury or impairment
  • Mental injury such as PTSD