Fatal dog attacks in the United States cause the deaths of thirty to fifty people each year. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, there were 468 deaths in the United States from being bitten or struck by a dog between 2011 and 2021.[1] This is an average of 43 deaths annually, ranging from a low of 31 deaths in 2016 and a high of 81 deaths in 2021. Dogs killed more males than females during the tracking decade. Children between the ages of one to four are most often the victims, accounting for 29.4% of the fatalities from dog attacks in 2022; those under the age of seventeen accounted for 56.7% of all fatalities that year.[2]
Around 4.5million Americans are bitten by dogs every year, resulting in some 800,000 seeking treatment from a doctor.[3] Dogs not only cause morbidity and mortality as a result of bites, but they may also transmit zoonotic infections, which may also result in illness or death.[4] It is estimated that 15% to 20% of dog bite wounds become infected, with occasional cases of meningitis and endocarditis leading to death.[5] However, less than 1% of the 4.5 million dog bite incidents in 2022 resulted in a fatality.
A 2018 Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center literature review covering fifteen years of dog bites treated at the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and the University of Virginia Health System, with meta-analysis by breed, found that dog bites were most likely to come from the following breeds (in order of highest incidents): pit bull, mixed breed, German Shepherd, terrier, and Rottweiler.[6] [7] Tracking by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) determined that pit bull type dogs were most likely to be involved in fatal attacks, accounting for 28% of fatalities from 1979 to 1998. The AVMA documented 66 human fatalities caused by pit bull type dogs, 39 by Rottweilers, 17 by German shepherds, 15 by husky type dogs, 12 by Malamutes, 9 by Dobermann Pinschers, 8 by Chow Chows, 7 by Great Danes, and 7 by St. Bernard dogs.
All dog breeds can inflict a bite; breed is not an accurate predictor of whether or not a dog will bite. In the US pit bull-type and Rottweilers most frequently are identified breeds in cases of severe bites.[8] According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, statistics should not be used to infer any breed-specific risk for dog bite fatalities without also noting the numbers of each breed residing in the US.[9]
Attack training is condemned by some as promoting ferocity in dogs; a 1975 American study showed that 10% of dogs that have bitten a person received attack dog training at some point.[10]
Alaska has more fatal dog bites per capita among the states of the United States. Between 1979 and 2005, the states with the most dog bite fatalities per capita were Alaska, South Dakota, Idaho, New Mexico, Arkansas, and South Carolina (from highest to lowest).
States that have enacted legislation that assigns owner liability for dog bites include Michigan,[11] Rhode Island,[12] Florida,[13] California,[14] [15] Texas,[16] and Connecticut.[17] [18]
Below are lists of notable fatal dog attacks in the United States reported by the news media, published in scholarly papers, or mentioned through other sources. In the lists below, the dog type or breed is assigned by the sources.
| Attack date | Victim | Age | Gender | Dog type (number) | City or county | State | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 29, 1864 | Henry Carey | 10 | Male | Bloodhound (1) | Gloucester | New Jersey | Carey was attacked by the dog and died soon afterward. Witnesses watched the attack before intervening, mistaking him for a dead animal. His smaller dog tried to defend him.[19] |
| November 5, 1865 | Herman Miller | 7 | Male | Newfoundland (1) | New York City | New York | Miller was bitten on the face by his neighbor's dog. The wound was sewn up by the boy, who died from hydrophobia (rabies) some two weeks later. The dog was shot.[20] |
| Ada Clare | 39 | Female | Poodle (1) | New York City | New York | Clare, an actress, was nursing a pet dog and was bitten in the nose. The dog died soon after. Clare died of rabies (hydrophobia) on March 4, 1874.[21] [22] [23] | |
| March 19, 1877 | Miss Boote | Child | Female | English Bulldog (1) | Cincinnati | Ohio | A little girl was feeding the dog when it attacked and started eating her. Neighbors tried to rescue the girl. Police shot the dog which then attacked them. Her mother was also injured in the attack.[24] |
| George R. Reeves | 56 | Male | Unknown (1) | Reeves County | Texas | Reeves was bitten by a dog and died of hydrophobia (rabies).[25] [26] | |
| November 8, 1890 | August Cartwright | Infant | Male | Newfoundland (1) | Lead City (near Rochford) | South Dakota | A new family pet attacked and began eating the baby Cartwright who was briefly left alone with the dog by his mother. Cartwright's father killed the dog with his ax.[27] |
| Laura Barmann | 7 | Female | St. Bernard (1) | Maryville | Missouri | A group of children were attacked by a dog. One girl and a baby died. The dog was killed.[28] | |
| Infant | Female |
| Attack date | Victim | Age | Gender | Dog type (number) | City or county | State | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 13, 1909 | John Eldice | 1 | Male | Bull terrier (1) | New York City | New York | An eight-year-old girl and eighteen-month-old Eldice were left alone with the dog that attacked the boy. The two were supposed to be watched by their older siblings while their mother worked. Neighbors heard the girl's screams and the dog's barking. The police shot the dog several times before it died. Eldice died in the hospital.[29] | |
| November 13, 1912 | Florence Dietz | Female | Unknown (1) | Cleveland | Ohio | A bride was bitten by a puppy given to her as a wedding gift by her husband. She died of hydrophobia (rabies), along with the puppy and another dog that it bit.[30] [31] | ||
| February 17, 1913 | Minot A. Steel | 46 | Male | Unknown (1) | Portsmouth | Rhode Island | Steel was attacked and killed by a dog which was still at large.[32] | |
| August 18, 1917 | Ralph Protta | 9 | Male | Mongrel (2) | New York City | New York | Protta climbed a fence and was dragged into a yard by two dogs. Police shot one dog, ending the attack. The boy died before arriving at the hospital.[33] | |
| July 28, 1923 | Joseph Gennatt Jr. | 9 | Male | Great Dane (2) | Florham Park | New Jersey | Two guard dogs attacked a boy who entered a picnic park, severing his jugular vein. Six men attempted to stop the attack with sticks and stones, but the boy bled to death. The police arrested the dog's owner who leased the park.[34] | |
| February 22, 1926 | Harry Griffin | 40 to 50 | Male | Unknown (2) | Yonkers | New York | Griffin, a one-arm mechanic, was found dead after a dog attack. Police found and killed the dogs, following tracks and blood in the snow.[35] [36] [37] | |
| July 31, 1944 | Carol Pardo | 6 | Female | German Shepherd (1) | Ephrata | Pennsylvania | Pardo was attacked by a working dog on a farm where her family was vacationing. She died in the hospital.[38] | |
| February 7, 1947 | Walter Momer Jr. | 4 | Male | German Shepherd (1) | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | Momer was attacked and killed by a stray dog while sledding near his home. A neighbor shot the dog, which had attacked four children the prior day.[39] | |
| July 1, 1947 | Stanley Balaben | 11 | Male | Bull Terrier (pack) | The Bronx, New York City | New York | Balaben was near a public bathing pool when he was attacked and killed by a dog pack that had escaped its enclosure. The dogs' owner was convicted of second-degree manslaughter.[40] | |
| June 1, 1955 | Winifred W. L. Bacon | 64 | Female | Doberman pinscher (2) | Toms River | New Jersey | A woman was found dead on the beach near her house, the victim of a dog attack. Her two pet dogs were near her body and one had her blood on its mouth.[41] | |
| May 23, 1959 | Mark D. Draper | 2 | Male | Stray mixed breed dogs (6 to 8) | Hazelwood | Missouri | Draper was playing near his home when he was attacked and killed by a pack of dogs. A neighbor found the boy's body, still being guarded by the dogs and was able to identify 5 of the 17 dogs rounded up by the police.[42] | |
| June 30, 1959 | Gary Harvey | 2 | Male | Bird dog (1) | Elizabethtown | Indiana | Harvey was playing with his grandparents' dog when it bit him in the throat, severing his jugular vein. A neighbor shot and killed the dog.[43] | |
| June 18, 1962 | Brett Alan Whitney | 2 | Male | Siberian Husky (1) | Boulder | Colorado | Whitney was killed in the backyard of his duplex by his neighbor's dog that was chained.[44] | |
| November 8, 1965 | Mrs. Ross Rasmussen | 60 | Female | German Shepherd (1) | Baraboo | Wisconsin | Rasmussen was killed by her pet dog in her home. The prior month, she spent three weeks in the hospital recovering from an attack by the same dog. Her husband shot the dog.[45] | |
| December 17, 1967 | Eugene H. Goodman Jr. | 4 | Male | German Shepherd (4) | Madison Heights | Virginia | A neighbor's dogs attacked and killed the Goodman brothers in their yard. Their father was injured in the attack. Police shot two dogs and impounded two others.[46] [47] | |
| Kenneth Goodman | 3 | Male | ||||||
| December 23, 1967 | Darla Anne Harper | 4 | Female | Great Dane (1) | Fairyland | Georgia | Harper was playing outside when the family pet attacked her. She died on the way to the hospital. | |
| March 2, 1969 | Susan Babiarz | <1 | Female | German Shepherd (1) | Cheektowaga | New York | The one-month-old Babiarz was bitten by the family dog while in her crib. She later died from shock.[48] | |
| April 11, 1969 | Margaret Marie Sanford | <1 | Female | Siberian Husky (1) | St. Johns | Michigan | Seven-week-old Sanford was dragged from her crib and killed by the family pet. The dog was killed.[49] | |
| February 9, 1970 | Anthony Cliff | 1 | Male | German Shepherd (1) | Brentwood | Missouri | Eighteen-month-old Cliff was bitten while in his crib by the family pet. He later died in the hospital.[50] | |
| February 3, 1972 | Wilson Brite | 50 | Male | German Shepherd (2 or 3) | Charlottesville | Virginia | Brite was attacked and killed by dogs when getting out of his car.[51] | |
| August 1, 1975 | Michael Yount | 5 | Male | Labrador x German Shepherd mix (7) | Reno | Nevada | Yount went to play with a friend, who was not at home and was attacked by the friend's family dogs when he entered their yard. He later died at the hospital.[52] | |
| December 6, 1975 | 78 | Female | Unknown (20 to 40) | Fayette | Mississippi | A woman was getting ready to cook rabbits in her house when she was attacked and killed by her pet dogs.[53] | ||
| Matthew Weck | 5 | Male | St. Bernard (1) | Lemont | Illinois | Weck tried to pet a neighbor's dog and was attacked. He was dead when he arrived at the hospital.[54] | ||
| December 28, 1980 | Kevin Zook | 14 | Male | Great Dane (3) | Akin | Illinois | Zook's motorcycle ran out of gas. When he stopped at a neighbor's farmhouse for help, he was chased and killed by four dogs. The dogs' owner had them euthanized.[55] | |
| Great Dane x St. Bernard mix (1) | ||||||||
| Hubert Russell | 6 | Male | German Shepherd (2) | Jersey City | New Jersey | Two guard dogs were usually kept in an enclosed yard but escaped that day. Russell was bitten multiple times; the autopsy revealed that he had a severed jugular vein. Police shot the dogs.[56] | ||
| January 23, 1981 | Mary Logan | 81 | Female | Mixed breed (7) | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | Logan was attacked by her son's dogs that lived in the household for about 18 months.[57] [58] | |
| March 3, 1984 | Rachel Hernandez | 4 | Female | Siberian Husky (1) | Sioux Falls | South Dakota | Hernandez was playing in her yard when she was attacked by her neighbor's dog that broke free from its rope. She was declared dead at the hospital. The dog was taken into custody.[59] | |
| James Soto | 2 | Male | Pit bull (1) | Santa Clara County, Morgan Hill | California | The chained dog named Willy attacked Soto who wandered into its yard. His owner, Michael Barry, was the first dog owner to be charged with second-degree murder. In 1989, Barry was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Berry v. Superior Court and sentenced to prison for 3 years and 8 months. Soto's family was also awarded $3.5 million in a civil suit.[60] [61] [62] [63] | ||
| September 27, 1987 | Shannon Tucker | 2 | Female | German cattle dog or Rottweiler (1) | Columbus | Ohio | Tucker was playing outside her apartment when she was attacked by her neighbor's dogs. She died at the hospital. The dogs were seized by animal control, and their owner was arrested under the Ohio vicious dog ordinance.[64] | |
| Pit bull (1) | ||||||||
| April 24, 1997 | Christopher Wilson | 11 | Male | Rottweiler (3) | Milford | Kansas | Wilson and his brother were waiting for the school bus when they were attacked by three dogs. His brother survived the attack by climbing a tree but Wilson was killed. The dogs were shot by law officers. The dogs' owner was arrested.[65] | |
| April 24, 1997 | Derrick Brandell | 4 | Male | Pit bull (2 ?) | Lamar | Missouri | As Brandell's parents cut the grass for a client, he was killed by the homeowner's dogs in their backyard. The sheriff destroyed the dogs. | |
| December 4, 1999 | John Mickle | 45 | Male | Pit bull (2) | Fairfield County | South Carolina | While taking a walk, Mickle was dragged and bitten over 1,000 times by two loose dogs. The dogs' owner was charged with involuntary manslaughter.[66] [67] [68] |
| Attack date | Victim | Age | Gender | Dog type (number) | City or county | State | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 29, 2000 | Cash Carson | 10 | Male | Pit bull mix (2) | San Bernardino County | California | Carson and a friend were walking on a neighbor's dirt road when he was attacked by two dogs whose gate had been left open. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.[69] | |
| January 26, 2001 | Diane Whipple | 33 | Female | Presa Canario (2) | San Francisco | California | Whipple was attacked by two dogs staying with her neighbors when entering her apartment.[70] Her neighbor was walking the dogs.[71] She died at the hospital. The neighbor was convicted of second-degree murder.[72] | |
| September 7, 2003 | Valerie DeSwart | 67 | Female | Doberman pinscher (1) | Medford | New Jersey | DeSwart was found dead in her home by her boyfriend ten days after adopting a dog. The dog was nearby, spattered in blood. The dog bit its previous owner, who had paid for it to be euthanized by the shelter. Law enforcement investigated the nonprofit shelter.[73] [74] | |
| March 8, 2005 | Dorothy Sullivan | 82 | Female | Pit bull (3) | Partlow | Virginia | Sullivan was walking her Shih Tzu dog when she was attacked and killed by her neighbor's dogs which were running free. There were several prior complaints about the dogs. Their owner was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the first case of its kind in Virginia.[75] [76] | |
| April 11, 2005 | Robert Schafer | 4 | Male | Rottweiler x German Shepherd mix (1) | Orange County | Virginia | The boy opened the gate to the pen when the family dog was chained. The dog broke the boy's neck. Animal control euthanized the dog.[77] [78] | |
| May 5, 2005 | Julia Beck | 87 | Female | Unknown (2) | Marion | Indiana | Beck, who was confined to a wheelchair, was attacked by her daughter's pets. She died in the hospital two weeks later.[79] Her daughter claimed strays had attacked her mother, which was later disproven. Her daughter and son-in-law pled guilty to criminal recklessness in association with Beck's death.[80] | |
| May 5, 2005 | Lorinze Reddings | 42 | Male | Pit bull (2) | St. Louis | Missouri | Reddings was found dead in his home, having been attacked by his two pet dogs.[81] [82] | |
| June 3, 2005 | Nicholas Faibish | 12 | Male | Pit bull (1 or 2) | San Francisco | California | Faibish was home alone when a family pet killed him. His mother had separated the dogs from the boy before leaving the house. Neighbors called the police after hearing Faibish calls for help. One dog was shot by police and the other was taken into custody. [83] [84] [85] | |
| May 10, 2006 | Raymond Tomco | 78 | Male | Pit bull (3) | Maryland | Tomco was found dead in his home with bite wounds from dogs belonging to his daughter. In the past year, she was cited multiple times for unlicensed and unrestrained dogs. Animal control shot one dog and took the others into custody to be euthanized.[86] [87] [88] | ||
| October 7, 2006 | Jeannine Fusco | 44 | Female | Pit bull (1) | Norwood | New Jersey | Fusco was dogsitting when she was attacked and killed by the dog. Her sister was also injured in the attack. The police shot the dog.[89] [90] | |
| January 3, 2008 | Andrew Stein | <1 | Male | Doberman Pinscher (1) | Brooklyn | New York | The 8-month-old infant was attacked and killed by the family's dog at home while being cared for by his grandmother. Andrew was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Several neighbors claimed that the dog was friendly.[91] [92] | |
| January 11, 2009 | Alex Angulo | 4 | Male | Rottweiler (1) | Chicago | Illinois | Alex was fatally attacked by at least one of the family's two Rottweiler dogs in his backyard while his father was shoveling snow. The child was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Some neighbors claimed that the dogs sometimes acted aggressively. The dogs were euthanized.[93] [94] | |
| January 20, 2009 | Olivia Rozek | <1 | Female | Siberian Husky (1) | Bourbonnais | Illinois | Olivia was fatally attacked by the family's dog. The mother had laid Olivia in her bed next to her twin sister and then went into the kitchen. While the mother was in the kitchen, the dog attacked Olivia and dragged her by her head from the bedroom to the hallway. Olivia was airlifted to the hospital where she died due to the injuries. Olivia's twin sister was not harmed.[95] [96] | |
| December 12, 2009 | Dallas Lee Walters | 1 | Male | Rottweiler (1) | New Port Richey | Florida | The dog attacked the toddler when he reached to pick up a cookie he had dropped. The attack happened during a party at the toddler's aunt's home. Family members took Dallas to the hospital where he later died due to his injuries.[97] [98] |
| Attack date | Victim | Age | Gender | Dog type (number) | City or county | State | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashlynn Anderson | 4 | Female | Rottweiler (1) | Astoria | Oregon | Anderson was attacked by one of her family's dogs. She was flown to the hospital but died due to blood loss while in transport. A few months before the fatal incident, a deputy had responded to a call and removed another aggressive dog that had bitten a family member. The dog was euthanized.[99] [100] [101] | ||
| Margaret Salcedo | 48 | Female | Pit bull (1),Pit bull mix (3) | Sierra County, Truth or Consequences | New Mexico | Salcedo was attacked while taking a walk and died a few hours later.[102] [103] [104] | ||
| Dawn Brown | 44 | Female | Mastiff orBullmastiff (1) | Big Rock | Illinois | A recently adopted dog attacked Brown in her home. Her husband found her dead. They got the dog from a relative who did not want the dog around a newborn baby. The dog was brought to animal control and was euthanized.[105] [106] [107] [108] | ||
| Tyler Jett | 7 | Male | Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog (1) | Panama City | Florida | Jett was riding his bicycle when attacked by the dogs. He died a week later in the hospital. The dog owner was found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced to ten years in prison.[109] [110] [111] [112] [113] | ||
| Bulldog (1) | ||||||||
| Carlton Freeman | 80 | Male | Unknown (4) | Harleyville | South Carolina | Freeman was attacked by several dogs that pulled him out of his motorized wheelchair.[114] [115] [116] | ||
| May 9, 2013 | Pamela Maria Devitt | 63 | Female | Pit bull (4) | Littlerock | California | Devitt was out for a morning walk when she was attacked by dogs. Her DNA was found on four dogs, that had previously attacked others. The dogs' owner was convicted of second-degree murder.[117] [118] [119] [120] | |
| Jah'niyah White | 2 | Female | Pit bull (2) | Chicago | Illinois | White died after being attacked by two dogs. She was with her grandfather when the incident occurred.[121] [122] [123] | ||
| Johnathan Quarles | <1 | Male | American Staffordshire Terrier (1) | Dayton | Ohio | Quarles was visiting his step-grandmother when he was attacked. The dog attacked and injured another dog a month before. Animal control removed the dog.[124] [125] [126] [127] [128] | ||
| Jordan Collins-Tyson | 3 | Male | Pit bull (1) | Lawton | Oklahoma | The babysitter found the injured boy and called for help. The arriving police officers shot the dog. The dog bit the boy in the neck [129] | ||
| Carter Evan Hartle | <1 | Male | Pit bull x Shar Pei | Oneida County | New York | The 11-month-old child was attacked by the 2-year-old family dog while playing in his home with his siblings. The dog was euthanized.[130] [131] [132] [133] | ||
| Tyler Trammell-Huston | 9 | Male | Pit bull (3) | Linda | California | Trammell-Huston was alone with his half-sister's dogs when he was attacked and killed.[134] [135] | ||
| Skylar Dean Julius | <1 | Female | German Shepherd (1) | San Marcos | Texas | The family dog killed two-month-old Julius who was in her infant bouncer while her father was sleeping. Julius was taken to the hospital where she was declared dead.[136] [137] [138] | ||
| Logan Braatz | 6 | Male | Pit bull mix (2) | Atlanta | Georgia | Braatz was attacked while walking to his bus stop. He later died at the hospital. A second child was seriously injured but survived after spending weeks in the hospital. The dogs' owner was charged with involuntary manslaughter.[139] [140] [141] [142] | ||
| March 23, 2017 | <1 | Male | Pit bull type (1) | Lusby | Maryland | The family's pet attacked the eight-month-old boy, while he was being watched by a family friend. Police shot the dog to stop the attack but the boy was already dead.[143] [144] [145] | ||
| Javien Candelario | 7 | Male | Pit bull (2) | Lowell | Massachusetts | The 7-year-old child was attacked and killed by 2 dogs.[146] [147] [148] | ||
| December 14, 2017 | Bethany Stephens | 22 | Female | Pit bull (2) | Glen Allen | Virginia | Stephens, who had been walking her two dogs, was reported missing. The next day, she was found dead, with the dogs guarding and eating her body. Police said it appeared she had been mauled to death by the dogs. The dogs were euthanized.[149] [150] | |
| Emily Mae Colvin | 24 | Female | Pit bull (4–5) | Jackson County | Alabama | Colvin was attacked and killed in front of her home. Her death led to the creation of "Emily's Law".[151] [152] [153] | ||
| January 9, 2018 | Laura Williams Ray | 53 | Female | Pit bull (1) | West Monroe | Louisiana | Ray was killed by a pit bull owned by her kennel client. Animal control euthanized the dog.[154] [155] [156] [157] | |
| March 7, 2018 | <1 | Female | Wolfdog hybrid (1) | Lee County | Virginia | The family pet attacked an eight-day-old who was in a bassinet. She died at the hospital. The dog was euthanized.[158] [159] | ||
| Hong Saengsamly | 49 | Female | Pit bull (1–2) | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | Saengsamly was attacked in her house by her pet dog. Her son found her dead, with the dog guarding her body. He shot the dog.[160] [161] | ||
| May 10, 2018 | Tracy Garcia | 52 | Female | Mix breed (7) | Ardmore | Oklahoma | Garcia was attacked by her neighbor's dogs while walking near her home. She later died in the hospital. Police shot one dog and the rest were euthanized.[162] [163] [164] | |
| May 30, 2018 | <1 | Female | Pit bull (1) | Miramar | Florida | An eight-month-old girl in a bouncy chair was attacked by the family pet while in the care of her grandmother. Fire and rescue declared her dead at the scene.[165] | ||
| July 8, 2018 | Joseph Pettaway | 51 | Male | Unknown (1) | Montgomery | Alabama | Pettaway was attacked by a police dog, Niko, whose handler was responding to a burglary call. Pettaway had permission to stay at the house he was renovating. He died at the hospital.[166] [167] | |
| December 15, 2018 | Angela Johnson | 54 | Female | Pit bull (3) | Anza | California | Johnson was attacked in her yard by loose dogs. She was taken to hospital and died on February 9, 2019. All three dogs were euthanized.[168] [169] [170] [171] | |
| February 26, 2019 | Bessie Jill Peterson | 88 | Female | German Shepherd (6) | Pall Mall | Tennessee | Peterson was mauled after going to the back of her yard to clean a drainage ditch. She died at the hospital.[172] [173] | |
| Emma Hernandez | 9 | Female | Pit bull (3) | Detroit | Michigan | The 9-year-old was riding her bike near her home and was attacked by 3 dogs.[174] [175] The dogs' owner was charged with second-degree murder. There had been repeated complaints about these dogs, but officials never took action. Detroit City Council later amended their dangerous animal ordinance by adding "Emma's Clause", requiring animal control to investigate all complaints about dangerous animals including visiting the location and taking photographs.[176] [177] |
| Attack date | Victim | Age | Gender | Dog type (number) | City or county | State | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kay Torres | 52 | Female | Unknown (pack) | Taos County,Taos Pueblo | New Mexico | Torres was found surrounded by several dogs with bite marks to her arms and legs. The autopsy ruled out homicide.[178] [179] [180] | ||
| Donald W. Abner | 55 | Male | Pit bull (1) | Rockcastle County | Kentucky | The dog's owner set the former fighting dog named Denali on the man. The police officers had to shoot the dog to help the man. The dog owner was charged with murder. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.[181] [182] [183] | ||
| Lisa Urso | 52 | Female | French Bulldog mix (1) | Fox Lake | Illinois | Urso was found unresponsive on her patio after being attacked by the family dog. The dog had been involved in two previous bite incidents.[184] [185] | ||
| <1 | Male | Belgian Malinois (1) | Hartford | South Dakota | The family dog bit an infant multiple times. The baby died at the hospital the same day. The dog was taken by the local humane society.[186] [187] | |||
| Ruthie Mae Brown | 36 | Female | Pit bull (7 to 8) | Nauvoo | Alabama | Brown was killed by a dog pack while walking. A witness said Brown was attacked by seven or eight dogs.[188] Two of the animals were turned in by their owner; three others were captured.[189] | ||
| <1 | German Shepherd mix (1) | Hampton | Virginia | A dog killed an infant as it slept next to the parent's bed. The baby's father awoke during the attack, saw the injuries to the child, and immediately killed the dog.[190] [191] [192] | ||||
| Erick J. Quinn | 46 | Male | Pit bull (1) | Joliet | Illinois | Quinn was killed when he tried to calm a dog, which had become agitated when two women in the home Quinn was visiting began arguing.[193] | ||
| Cameron Hatfield | 6 | Male | Pit bull (1) | Brunson | South Carolina | Hatfield was killed at home by the dog, which was later euthanized by animal control authorities.[194] | ||
| Aziz Ahmed | 3 | Male | Pit bull (2) | Carteret | New Jersey | Ahmed and his mother were in their fenced-in backyard when the two dogs dug under. He was taken to the hospital by helicopter and died. His mother was hospitalized with injuries. The dogs were shot by police who responded to the incident.[195] [196] [197] | ||
| April 30, 2021 | Elayah Brown | 4 | Female | Mixed breed (1) | Fort Worth | Texas | Brown was attacked by the family pet and later died at the hospital. Animal control euthanized the dog.[198] | |
| April 27, 2021 | Jayden Henderson | 7 | Female | Pit bull (2) | Garner | North Carolina | Henderson and her mother, were pet sitting a neighbor's dogs when they were attacked. She later died in the hospital. The owners fought to keep the dogs, which were euthanized under a judge's order. A local ordinance was passed requiring the euthanization of dogs that kill a person.[199] [200] [201] [202] [203] [204] | |
| Unknown | 3 | Male | Pit bull (2) | Union County, Elizabeth | New Jersey | The child fell out of a window and was attacked and killed by the family's dogs.[205] | ||
| June 13, 2021 | Shamar Sherif Jackson | 7 | Male | Unknown (2 to 5) | Marion | South Carolina | Jackson and his brother were looking for their chihuahua when they were attacked by a dog pack. His brother escaped but Jackson was killed. Five dogs were taken into custody and their owner was charged with involuntary manslaughter.[206] [207] | |
| October 20, 2021 | James McNeelis | 7 | Male | Sheltland Sheepdog x Corgie mix (1) | Kiefer | Oklahoma | McNeelis was reported missing but was later found dead on his family's property. The police investigation revealed that he was killed by the family dog. The dog was adopted from the shelter three weeks earlier.[208] | |
| December 12, 2021 | Duke Little Whirlwind | 58 | Male | Unknown (pack) | Montana | Whirlwind was found dead on a road near his home, the victim of a dog attack.[209] | ||
| 34 | Male | American Bully (1) | Chicago | Illinois | The victim was found by police in the living room of his home with visible bite marks. An autopsy determined the man died of multiple injuries from a dog mauling.[210] | |||
| January 27, 2022 | Saad Al-Anazi | 59 | Male | German Shepherd (2) | Las Cruces | New Mexico | Al-Anazi was attacked outside his house by his neighbor's dogs. He died the next day in the hospital. Animal control took two of the dogs into custody.[211] | |
| January 29, 2022 | Olivia Grace Floyd | 7 | Female | Rottweiler (1) | Waynesboro | Virginia | Floyd was attacked by her grandparents' dog and died at the hospital. An adult woman was also injured. The grandparents were charged with involuntary manslaughter and her parents were charged with child neglect but the charges were dropped.[212] [213] [214] | |
| Pam Robb | 71 | Female | Bully mix (1) | Fort Lauderdale | Florida | Robb was volunteering at an animal shelter and was working with a dog when it attacked, pulling her to the ground. Another woman attempted to intervene and suffered minor injuries. Robb was taken to a hospital and later died. The dog was euthanized.[215] [216] [217] [218] | ||
| Serenity Garnett | <1 | Female | American Bulldog x Great Pyrenees mix (1) | Martinez | Georgia | The seven-month-old Garnett was attacked by the dog while being watched by her great-grandmother, who was renting a room from the dog's owners. The girl died at the hospital, where the great-grandmother was treated for injuries she received while trying to rescue the girl. The great-grandmother, who was watching the dog for its owners, was charged with second-degree murder.[219] [220] [221] | ||
| Scottie Brigman | 36 | Male | Pit bull (4) | Chesterfield County | South Carolina | Police found Brigman dead in the road, surrounded by four dogs. His body was covered in dog bites.[222] | ||
| Ronda Persall | 57 | Female | Labrador Retriever mix (2) | Cullman County | Alabama | Persall was attacked and killed by two dogs that had escaped from the neighbor's fenced backyard. The neighbor went outside when he heard commotion and found Persall who was still alive and lying next to a car. The neighbor took Persall to the hospital where she died.[223] [224] [225] | ||
| Richard Barry | 59 | Male | English Bulldog (5) | Selma | California | Barry was out for a walk when he was attacked and killed by five dogs that had escaped from a nearby house. Two family members witnessed the attack but were not able to save Barry. Animal Control captured the dogs.[226] [227] | ||
| Debbie Boyd | 70 | Female | Rottweiler (1) | Sevier County | Tennessee | Boyd was attacked and killed by at least one of her two dogs. She was found dead in her home. A small child who was also in the home was not injured.[228] [229] [230] | ||
| June 9, 2022 | Nicolas Vasquez | 51 | Male | Pit bull terrier mix (3) | Harris County | Texas | Vasquez was walking when he was attacked and partially eaten by a neighbor's dogs. His legs were amputated at the hospital where he died ten days later. The dogs, who had attacked Vasquez previously, were taken into custody by animal control.[231] | |
| Trena Peed | 46 | Female | Pit bull (2) | Greensboro | North Carolina | Peed was dog sitting two dogs at her home. She was attacked while letting them into the yard. The attack was heard and witnessed by neighbors. Police shot one of the dogs and took possession of both dogs.[232] [233] [234] | ||
| Lea Freeman | 4 | Female | Pit bull (3) | Dallas | Texas | She was killed while her mother left the residence to buy drinks. A woman was supposed to watch her. The grandmother told authorities that the girl was afraid of the dogs and that she was afraid for the girl's safety. Dallas Animal Services seized and euthanized 3 dogs.[235] [236] [237] [238] [239] [240] | ||
| July 11, 2022 | Apollo Duplantis | 1 | Male | Unknown (1) | Gentilly, New Orleans | Louisiana | The thirteen-month-old boy was attacked by the family dog and died at the hospital. The dog also attacked an officer and was shot at the scene.[241] [242] [243] [244] | |
| Marina Gabunia Verriest | 70 | Female | Pit bull (1) | Long Island, Nassau County, Albertson | New York | The 70-year-old was attacked and killed in her yard by a 7-year-old dog that had lived with the family all its life. She was found dead by her husband. A responding police officer was subsequently taken to the hospital due to the traumatic scene he was confronted with. The dog was shot dead by police.[245] [246] | ||
| Mindy Kiepe | 43 | Female | Great Dane (5) | Rossie | Iowa | Kiepe was attacked and killed by her dogs. Her body was discovered in a ditch a short distance from her farm. All five dogs were euthanized.[247] | ||
| Pamela Jane Rock | 61 | Female | Pit bull (5) | Putnam County | Florida | Five dogs escaped from their yard and attacked Rock, a postal worker whose vehicle had broken down. She died the next day at a trauma center. One of her arms was amputated before she died. The dogs had a history of aggressive behavior and breaking free. The dogs were euthanized.[248] [249] [250] [251] | ||
| August 26, 2022 | Male | Unknown | Channelview | Texas | A man who had been riding a bicycle was found dead on the road with multiple dog bites. Authorities said the area had many stray dogs. | |||
| Hollace Dean Bennard | <1 | Male | Pit bull (2) | Memphis | Tennessee | Two family pets attacked and killed the Bennard siblings. Their mother attempted to shield the children and suffered extensive injuries over her entire body and face but survived. Both dogs were euthanized.[252] [253] | ||
| Lilly Jane Bennard | 2 | Female | ||||||
| Soon Han | 80 | Female | Dogo Argentino (2) | Baldy Mesa | California | Two dogs attacked Soon while she was out for a walk. The dogs were held by animal control, pending further investigation.[254] [255] | ||
| Adult | Male | English Mastiff (1) | Excelsior Springs | Missouri | A delivery driver was found dead in a yard after an Amazon van that had been parked for several hours was reported to authorities. The dogs were aggressive as the deputies approached and were shot and killed.[256] [257] [258] [259] | |||
| German Shepherd (1) | ||||||||
| Sadie Davila | 7 | Female | Pit bull terrier mix (1) | East Baton Rouge Parish | Louisiana | Davila was playing outside of a relative's house when she was attacked by a neighbor's dog. She was taken to the hospital and died. The dog's owner was arrested for negligent homicide. The dog was euthanized.[260] [261] [262] | ||
| January 21, 2023 | 7 | Male | Rottweiler (2) | Idaho | A boy was attacked on his front porch by his neighbor's dogs. His mother was injured trying to stop the attack. Both were taken to the hospital where the boy was declared dead.[263] Tribal authorities euthanized the dogs. | |||
| Mixed breed (2) | ||||||||
| Ramon Najera | 81 | Male | American Staffordshire Terrier (3) | San Antonio | Texas | Najera was killed and his wife was seriously injured after three dogs escaped from a neighbor's yard through a hole in a fence. Two others were injured in the attack, and two men had required medical treatment after previous attacks. The owner was arrested and charged with criminal negligence.[264] [265] [266] | ||
| March 7, 2023 | Mateo Salvador | 42 | Male | Belgian Malinois (3) | California | Salvador was doing construction work at the property when he was attacked by the owner's four dogs. He died at the hospital the same day. The owner, who was not at home when the attack occurred, surrendered the dogs to be euthanized.[267] [268] | ||
| Cane Corso (1) | ||||||||
| April 4, 2023 | 2 | Male | Mastiff x pit bull mix (1) | Brunswick | Maryland | The boy was attacked and killed by a pet dog at a family member's house. He was declared dead at the hospital.[269] [270] | ||
| Dezmond Thomas Trawick | 22 | Male | American Pit Bull Terrier (4) | Brooklyn Center | Trawick was watching his brother's dogs for the day and was attacked in his backyard. He died at the hospital about an hour after the attack.[271] [272] [273] | |||
| Tamieka White | 46 | Female | Pit bull type (1) | Indianapolis | Indiana | White was dog-sitting, White died trying to protect her six-year-old son in an attack in her backyard. She was found in her garage and pronounced dead. Animal services impounded a deceased dog, three dogs, and a cat from the home.[274] [275] [276] | ||
| June 23, 2023 | Helene Jackson | 84 | Female | American Staffordshire Terrier | Sierra Vista | Arizona | Jackson and her small dog Lily were attacked by an American Staffordshire Terrier named Thor which jumped over a wall of a nearby home. A man who stayed at the dog owners' residence tried to prevent the other dog named Panda to also jump over the wall. He was severely injured by the dog of the same breed and stayed in critical condition after the attack. He had an arm amputated and needed over 100 stitches and a skin graft. Jackson was also severely injured and was airlifted to a local hospital but died shortly after. Her dog was found dead nearby. The police shot the two dogs. The dog owners were charged with manslaughter, negligent homicide, assault by a vicious animal, and aggressive dog violation. Both received jail sentences. 4 months before the fatal attack the same dogs already escaped and attacked a man and his dog. [277] [278] [279] [280] [281] | |
| June 20, 2023 | Lewis Flores | 40 | Male | Unknown (pack) | Rockport | Texas | Flores was attacked by a dog pack. Police stopped the attack but the pack scattered. The dog pack was later captured and their owner was arrested in connection with Flores' death. | |
| July 29, 2023 | Demarcus "Sam" McKenzie | 27 | Male | Unknown (5 or 6) | Skipperville | Alabama | Surveillance footage showed that dogs attacked McKenzie as he left an acquaintance's home. His injuries were so severe, responding officers initially investigated the death as a homicide, believing McKenzie had suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The autopsy later revealed the official cause of death was sharp force trauma caused by canines. Ten dogs were euthanized in relation to the attack. [282] [283] [284] [285] | |
| August 1, 2023 | Robert “Bob” Northrop | 71 | Male | Unknown (4) | Kau | Hawaii | Northrop was attacked by dogs while walking to a friend's house. He later died in the hospital. The owners surrendered the dogs to animal control.[286] [287] | |
| August 31, 2023 | Chanthy Philavong Mateu | 93 | Female | Cane Corso (2) | Modesto | California | Mateu was attacked by her neighbor's dogs that had escaped from their yard. She later died in the hospital.[288] [289] | |
| Sept 21, 2023† | Billene "Billi" Cameron | 65 | Female | Pit bull (2) | Kennewick | Washington | On September 20, 2023, two pit bulls escaped their yard and attacked a neighbor's dog, then attacked Cameron as she tried to save her dog. Cameron was seriously bitten and died a few hours later, on September 21rst. Both dogs had a history of getting loose and both had been "declared dangerous" by the county for several attacks on humans and other animals. The owner, Sara Amilia Madrigal, 34, had to file for permits to keep the dogs, though after this killing the dogs were seized and euthanized. Madrigal had kept the dogs in her backyard "because she didn't believe it was safe to have them in the house around her children". Madrigal was charged with "dog attack resulting in injury or death", pled guilty, was sentenced to 10 months with work release, will be subject to restitution, and cannot own a dog for the next five years.[290] | |
November 6, 2023† | Sandra Miller | 63 | Female | Pit bull (2) | Taylorsville | Utah | A woman was attacked by at least 2 of her son's 7 dogs in her yard. A 3-year-old female dog was shot dead by police and an adult male dog and 5 puppies were seized by animal control. She was severely injured and lost one leg. She died a week after the attack. Her son was charged with 7 counts of attack by animal.[291] [292] [293] | |
| October 31, 2023 | Lovell Anderson | 4 | Male | Pit bull mix (1) | Spokane | Washington | Anderson was attacked by a family pet. He later died at the hospital. The dog was injured and euthanized.[294] | |
| December 1, 2023 | <1 | Male | Wolfdog hybrid (1) | Chelsea | Alabama | A family pet attacked a three-month-old. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The dog was euthanized.[295] [296] [297] | ||
| December 5, 2023 | Loyalty Scott | 6 | Male | Great Dane x Mastiff mix (2) | Portland | Oregon | Scott was attacked and killed by dogs belonging to a family friend while in her home. The owner was injured in the incident. The dogs were euthanized.[298] [299] | |
† | Harold Phillips | 35 | Male | Pit bull (3) | Detroit | Michigan | Phillips was attacked by three dogs while walking home from a bus stop. He died four days after the attack, and after having his arm amputated. The dogs had been involved in three previous dog bite cases, and were euthanized this time.[300] [301] The owners were both charged with "dangerous animal causing death".[302] Harold's widow filed suit against the dog owners, Detroit Animal Care and Control, and several other organizations and individuals, claiming the city's no-kill model and avoidance of euthanasia created a dangerous environment for Detroiters.[303] | |
| William Mundine | 85 | Male | Pit bull (2) | Indianapolis | Indiana | Two loose dogs came into Mundine's backyard and attacked him. He suffered multiple bites on his arms and leg and died later in the hospital.[304] [305] [306] [307] | ||
| Dominic Cooper | 35 | Male | Pit bull (1+) | Compton | California | The dogs started fighting during[308] feeding and turned on Cooper, their breeder. He was bitten in the leg and died in the kennel due to blood loss. His girlfriend found him the next day. Animal control euthanized 5 adult and 8 young dogs, with the approval of the victim's father.[309] [310] [311] [312] | ||
| February 26, 2024 | Beau Clark | 4 | Male | Olde English Bulldogge (1) | Hartselle | Alabama | Clark was attacked by a neighbor's dog when he entered its yard. He was evacuated to the hospital where he died.[313] [314] | |
| Mark Alan Partain | 2 | Male | Husky (1)* | New Hope | Alabama | Partain was found lifeless in front of his neighbor's dog pen. Animal control took possession of three dogs (German Shepherd mix, Husky and an unknown dog type) owned by 2 people. *According to one dog owner, only the Husky was involved in the attack. With the help of a forensic odontologist, authorities were able to rule out the involvement of two dogs, it was not officially revealed which dog was ultimately responsible. Two dog owners were subsequently indicted for the violation of “Emily's Law” (named after fatal dog attack victim Emily Mae Colvin) Alabama Code Title 3. Animals § 3-6A-5. [315] [316] [317] [318] [319] [320] | ||
| Daymon Balbuena | <1 | Male | Pit bull (1) | Woodbridge Township | New Jersey | The attack happened at the family home in the early morning hours. The three-month-old baby died at the scene and his mother was seriously injured. The father was also treated at the hospital. The family dog was euthanized.[321] [322] | ||
| March 13, 2024 | Lennox | 1 | Male | Pit bull - Dalmatian mix (2) | East Hartford | Connecticut | 1-year-old baby Lennox and his mother were on a trampoline when they were attacked by the two family dogs, pit bull - Dalmatian mixes. The mother was injured and the boy died at hospital. The dogs were quarantined.[323] | |
| April 15, 2024 | Shiraz Amal Asirvadam | 1 | Male | German Shepherd mix (3) | Duncanville | Texas | Asirvadam was attacked and killed by three dogs in his babysitter's home. The pets were confined outside but managed to enter the home where they attacked the child. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. The babysitter was injured trying to stop the attack. Animal control took the dogs into custody.[324] [325] | |
| May 24, 2024 | Ezra Mansoor | <1 | Male | Husky (1) | Knoxville | Texas | The 6-week-old infant was attacked by the family's dog while sleeping in its crib. The infant died in the hospital on May 30 from the injuries sustained in the attack. The family had owned the dog for eight years, and it had never shown signs of aggression prior to the attack.[326] [327] | |
| July 19, 2024 | Covil Lee Allen | 3 | Male | Pit bull (2) | Brooklyn Park | Minnesota | Covil was attacked by two pit bulls while accompanying his family to the dog owner's home to purchase dogs. Several adults tried to stop the dog attack with pick axes and hammers, and police ultimately shot both dogs. Covil died on July 29.[328] | |
| July 29, 2024 | A'Daya Rain Fisher | 2 | Female | Rottweilers (3) | Houston | Texas | The toddler was attacked and killed by the dogs while inside her babysitter's house. Paramedics were unable to revive A'Daya when they arrived at the scene. She was then taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. The dogs were tested for rabies and euthanized.[329] [330] | |
| Undisclosed | <1 | Male | Pit bull (2) | Monroe County, Rochester | New York | A 3-month-old was attacked by 2 dogs at home and died at the hospital. The two dogs were removed by animal control and were expected to be euthanized after investigations were completed.[331] https://apnews.com/article/dogs-pit-bull-infant-attacked-rochester-7bebc269c8e9814e089013b730d64e68 https://13wham.com/news/local/rochester-police-3-month-old-boy-dies-from-injuries-after-pit-bull-attack-dog-infant-baby-bidwell-terrace https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2024/08/06/infant-dead-after-brutal-dog-attack-in-rochester-ny-home/74686550007/ | ||
| Davina Corbin | 56 | Female | Great Danes (7) | Feather Falls | California | Davina was fatally attacked by multiple dogs and found deceased on a trail with multiple bite wounds and injuries. A pack of up to 25 dogs, consisting of adult dogs and puppies, were found running loose nearby and neighbors reported that some of the dogs were aggressive. The 7 adult dogs involved in the attack were euthanized and the remaining 18 puppies were put up for adoption.[332] [333] | ||
| Undisclosed | 1 | Female | Pit bull (1−2) | Essex County, Newark | New Jersey | The 18-month-old died after being attacked by at least one of the two family dogs. The fatality was the second severe attack within a week in Essex County.[334] [335] | ||
| Zoey Hawkins | 4 | Female | Pit bull | Tulare County, Visalia | California | The girl was attacked by the family's dog. She died at the hospital.[336] [337] | ||
| James Provost | 59 | Male | Pit bull mix (8-9) | Schenectady County, Albany County | New York | Provost was killed by a pack of dogs. The attack took place in a back yard adjacent to the dog owner's property. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. 9 adult dogs and 15 puppies were seized by Mohawk Hudson Humane Society.[338] [339] [340] |