Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
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J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. · Sep 2000
Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998.
To summarize breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks during a 20-year period and to assess policy implications. ⋯ Although fatal attacks on humans appear to be a breed-specific problem (pit bull-type dogs and Rottweilers), other breeds may bite and cause fatalities at higher rates. Because of difficulties inherent in determining a dog's breed with certainty, enforcement of breed-specific ordinances raises constitutional and practical issues. Fatal attacks represent a small proportion of dog bite injuries to humans and, therefore, should not be the primary factor driving public policy concerning dangerous dogs. Many practical alternatives to breed-specific ordinances exist and hold promise for prevention of dog bites.