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Nevada

Are Dogs A Real Danger?

A National Canine Research Council Perspective Report

Over the past 43 years (1965 - present) there have been five (5) fatal dog attacks in Nevada.

Two of the fatal attacks in Nevada have been by Wolf dogs.* One case involved a 10-week-old infant left unattended with the animal (1982), and the other case was a 73-year-old woman who entered into an enclosure where her son kept eight wolf dogs (2007).

* The "breed" is noted due to the fact that Wolf dogs cannot be classified as a domestic dog, and arguably should not be grouped alongside domestic dogs in statistics on fatal attacks without an acknowledgement to the wolf, ( i.e., "wild") component of the animal's make-up.

The other fatal attacks occurred in 1975, 1977 and 2008 and were cases of  young children attacked by unfamiliar dogs. Three (3) different breeds/types of dogs were involved in these three incidents.

In spite of the reckless and negligent ownership practices of some dog owners, dogs still pose an incredibly low risk for causing a fatality:

Incidence of Fatal Dog Attacks in Nevada as Compared to Other Selected Risks:

Snapshot of Nevada:                    Year     2005

Persons killed by dogs:      0
Child death in hot car (hyperthermia):      1
ATV-related fatalities:      7
Bicycle-related fatalities:     13
Persons drowned in tub or swimming pool:     13
Alcohol-related traffic fatalities:    169
Total traffic fatalities (alcohol & non):    427
Tobacco-related deaths:  3,100

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

In a SINGLE YEAR, 2005, seventeen (17) Nevada children died as a result of maltreatment, (abuse or neglect).

In one year, 2005, more than FOUR TIMES as many Nevada children died as a result of maltreatment (abuse / neglect) than the TOTAL of ALL children killed by dogs in the state of Nevada over the past 43 years.

So, are dogs a danger?  Fact is, people in Nevada routinely accept far greater risks from bicycles, ATVs, and swimming pools than any that are associated with companion animals.

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