Virginia
Are Dogs A Real Danger?
A National Canine Research Council Perspective Report
Over the past 43 years (1965 - 2007) there have been eleven (11) fatal dog attacks in Virginia, or approximately one (1) fatality every four (4) years.
At least five (5) different breeds/types of dogs have been identified as participating in a fatal attack in Virginia.
The victims were: 4 adults and 7 children.
More than half the children (n=4) killed by dogs in Virginia fell victim to dogs that were maintained on chains.
All the dogs involved in fatal attacks in Virginia were intact (not spayed or neutered).
In 2000, a 6-year-old Cumberland boy was killed by a Wolf dog. The boy had gone out to feed the chained animal and found the dog's chain severely entangled in a cow fence. Unfortunately, in attempting to free the distressed animal, the boy was attacked.
Two other cases involved dog owners and/or parents whose extreme negligence resulted in manslaughter convictions after their dogs were involved in a fatal attack:
In 2005, D. Large was sentenced to 3 years in prison after her loose roaming dogs killed her elderly neighbor in Spotsylvania.
Also in 2005, J. Martin and H. Frango were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and child abuse/neglect after their 2-year-old son was attacked and killed by their two dogs in Suffolk. They both were sentenced to 3 years in prison.
In spite of the reckless, dangerous and abusive ownership practices of some dog owners, dogs still pose an incredibly low risk for causing a fatality:
Fatal Dog Attacks in Virginia as Compared to Other Selected Risks:
Snapshot of Virginia: 2000 - 2005
Average number of fatalities per year:
| Persons killed by dogs: | 1 |
| Child deaths in hot car - hyperthermia: | 1 |
| Persons killed by lightening: | 2 |
| Death after contact w / hornets, bees, wasps: | 2 |
| ATV-related deaths: | 14 |
| Bicycle-related fatalities: | 16 |
| Persons drowned in tub or swimming pool: | 22 |
| Alcohol-related traffic fatalities: | 350 |
| Total traffic fatalities (alcohol & non-alcohol): | 932 |
| Tobacco-related deaths: | 9,100 |
Furthermore, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
In 2005, 26 children died in Virginia from maltreatment (abuse/neglect).
In a single year, 2005, 26 children were killed by humans in Virginia. Yet, over the past 43 years, only 7 children have been killed by dogs in Virginia.
So, are dogs a danger? Fact is, people in Virginia routinely accept far greater risks from bicycles, ATVs, and swimming pools than any that are associated with companion animals.
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