Here is some information on Dog bites and fatalities in 2011.
At the end of this piece, you'll see a comparison of Resident dog's and family dog's.
Resident dog would be used to describe the dog kept by Sourdough's Grandfather. Kept away from human bonding.These are the dog's that are going to cause most of the problems.Even a Cocker Spaniel would be prone to bite under these conditions. Thing is.....The pitt has a much stronger bite, and do more damage if they are biters.
NCRC Preliminary Report on Dog Bite-Related Fatalities in 2011
Overview
Dog bite-related fatalities have always been exceedingly rare, yet they can attract the kind of publicity
that creates an impression they are more prevalent than they actually are. NCRC is currently
investigating 31 incidents in a dog population of over 78 million that occurred during 2011 that may
qualify as dog bite-related fatalities. A final tally is subject to change as a result of NCRC investigations.*
A number of cases have very little information available as they remain the subject of ongoing
investigations. While 10 fatalities have already resulted in criminal indictments, several others are still
under investigation by authorities. This report is preliminary to the final report which will be available in
the first week of 2013. NCRC’s final report for 2010 is now available here.
NCRC continues to assemble the most accurate and comprehensive information available. Based on
NCRC's 20 years of experience investigating dog bite-related fatalities, the initial media reports will be
supplemented or corrected with relevant, material information in over 90% of these incidents.
Setting the record straight
Official reports often do not agree with news accounts and/or contain important information that was
either unavailable, or not of interest, to reporters at the time of the incident.
News reports published in the moment usually refer to the dogs involved as “family” dogs, implying that
these were dogs whose owners interacted with them on a regular basis in positive and humane ways.
Later investigation shows that most of the dogs involved in these incidents were “resident” dogs -
victims of isolation, and often abuse or neglect. NCRC's preliminary findings for 2011 are consistent with
findings concerning the dog bite-related fatalities of years past. In 2010, the news media initially
described the dogs in 29 of 33 (88%) dog bite-related fatalities as “family” pets, but investigations
disclose that only 7 (21%) were family pets, but investigations
disclose that only 7 (21%) were family pets.**
The news media regularly describe dogs as members of specific breeds. Yet, NCRC’s investigations over
the years show that a majority of the breed descriptors assigned by the news media cannot be
documented or otherwise considered reasonable (through pedigree, DNA or otherwise). For example,
NCRC investigations of the dog bite-related fatalities in 2010 showed that in only eleven of the cases
could the breed descriptors assigned to the dogs be documented, or otherwise considered reasonable.
Eight different kinds of dogs were identified in those eleven incidents. The breed composition of all the
other dogs was indeterminate, whatever the news media reported about them. In fact, in three cases in
2010, news stories identified dogs and attributed breeds to those dogs that detectives later determined
www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com Page 2
were NOT the dogs involved in the incident. The dog(s) responsible were never identified or captured.
News outlets, having moved on to other, pressing issues, never corrected this.
Conclusion
There is no scientific evidence that one kind of dog is more likely to injure a human being than another
kind of dog. There is no evidence that, absent circumstances specifically associated with mating or
maternal protectiveness, a dog being intact should be understood as a cause of aggressive behavior
toward human beings. And for every “resident” dog that injured a human being, multitudes sadly
similarly kept injured no one.
Yet, as NCRC’s mission is to preserve the human-canine bond, these rare tragedies serve as a reminder
that all dog owners have an unequivocal responsibility for the humane care (including proper diet,
veterinary care, socialization and training), custody (including licensing and micro-chipping), and control
of their dogs.
*******************************************
A RESIDENT DOG
Resident dogs are dogs whose owners maintain them
exclusively on chains, in kennels, or in yards; and/or obtain
them for negative functions (such as guarding, fighting,
protection, and irresponsible breeding). Because resident
dogs are maintained in ways that isolate them from regular,
positive human interactions, they cannot be expected to
exhibit the same behavior as family dogs.
****************************************************
A FAMILY DOG
Family dogs are dogs whose owners afford them
opportunities to learn appropriate behavior and to interact
with humans on a regular basis in positive and humane
ways, and who give them the tools necessary to live
harmoniously in our world.
Windsor as a resident dog
Windsor as a family dog
www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com***************************************************
