Most Pitbull attacks statistics say that Pit Bulls account for 65% of deaths from dog bites. And that out of the 433 total dog bite victim fatalities that happened in 2002-2017, 284 of them were from the Pitbull breed.
While Pitbulls are unfairly labeled as an aggressive dog breed, and have a physical appearance consisting of powerful jaws and razor-sharp teeth, available pitbull attack statistics are somewhat misleading.
Guaranteed, Pit bull attacks on humans have a higher fatality rate than from other breeds, but they are also the most abused dog breeds in countries like the USA. These dogs are used in illegal dog fighting matches and are often trained to solely display aggressive behaviors.
Another part of these statistics you won’t always see is that Pit Bull attacks are more dangerous because of their strength and size. Bites from smaller dog breeds are less severe, and even if they do bite often, statistics won’t show them as dangerous dogs because their bites don’t end in hospitalizations or fatalities.
On that note, there is still a high risk of you being a victim of a pitbull bite attack. These pitbull attack statistics we have lists out the severity of bites and what causes the attacks.
Key Takeaways About Pit Bull Attacks
- Unneutered male pit bulls were involved in 94% of Pit Bull attacks, because they had higher testosterone.
- Pit Bull owners are more irresponsible than other dog owners
- Pitbull related incidents are often covered up by law enforcement.
- Pit Bulls do not account for 65% of fatal dog attacks. This information is false and misleading
- Pit Bulls do not have jaws that lock or a brutal bite force of 1600 psi.
- 60% of pit bull-type dogs seen, are often misidentified leading to false media reports and statistics.
- Most people that were attacked or killed by Pit Bulls were women and children.
- 39 deaths by dog bites in 2019 were caused by Pit Bulls
- There is a 213% chance that you are more likely to be severely injured from a Pit Bull, than from any other dog breeds.
- Pit Bulls face more abuse than every other dog breed.
- Over 20 other dog breeds are mistaken by people as being Pit Bulls because of the similarities in characteristics.
Pitbull Bite Statistics
Pitbulls have undeniably contributed to the overall number of dog bites on humans. Here are some statistics that back up there severity and frequency:
1. 20 states in the USA, confirmed that pit bulls were involved in most bite incidents that occurred between 2013-2021. (Pawsome Advice)
2. More humans are bitten by Pit Bulls than by any other dog breeds. (Dog Bite Law)
3. Pit bull bites are considered to be deadlier than bites of other dogs. (Dog Bite Law)
4. In 2020, 33 combinations of pit bulls, 4 additional bull breeds, and 3 mastiff-type guard and war dogs, were responsible for 40 (87%) of all deaths caused by dog bites. (Dogs Bite)
5. Statistics from 2020 reported that 15 (33%) victims of fatal dog bite were children aged 9 years or younger, 3 (7%) were 10-18 years which was an infrequent age group for dog bites fatality, and 28 (61%) were adults aged 19 years or older. (Dogs Bite)
Pitbull Aggression Statistics
With over 3,397 attacks and 295 deaths, pit bulls are reputed as being one of the most aggressive dog breeds, according to statistics.
Although, this does not mean that pitbulls are naturally aggressive and many times a Pittie’s behavior is a reflection of training by the owner.
However, if you do want to get a pitbull, these are some Pitbull aggression statistics for you to note:
6. Unneutered male pit bulls were involved in 94% of Pit Bull attacks. This shows that canines with higher testosterone, display aggressive behavior more. (Pawsome Advice)
7. Pit Bull owners are more irresponsible than other dog owners, and often show excessively bizzare and vicious behavior. (Dog Bite Law)
8. More than half the time Pit Bulls attack, they kill or maul their owners, owner’s family, or visiting babies. (Dog Bite Law)
9. Pit Bulls do more home invasions than other dogs. In the years 2015-2017, Pit Bulls entered the home of strangers to kill or injure pets or people. (Dog Bite Law)
10. Deaths or disfigurements due to Pit Bull attacks are on the rise. (Dog Bite Law)
11. Law enforcement officers purposely or unknowingly cover-up Pit Bull related violence. (Dog Bite Law)
Death By Pitbull Bites Statistics
You know that Pit Bulls bite people and injure them, but has Pit Bull ever killed anyone? These statistics sampling deaths by pit bull bites shed more light on this question.
12. In 2020, Pit Bulls caused 33 deaths of adults aged over 20 years. (Pawsome Advice)
13. More than 75% of people killed by dogs were by Pit Bulls which are considered the number 1 canine killers. (Dogs Bite)
14 Pit Bulls caused 22 of 28 adult deaths (79%) and 16 (57%) people killed were females. (Dog Bite Law)
15. 3 male victims aged 25, 26, and 27 although they were above the typical age in mauling deaths, were killed by Pit Bulls in 2020. (Dogs Bite)
16. Pit Bulls are the top dog killers of children, killing over half of the children who were killed by dogs. (Dog Bite Law)
17. 11 of male victims older than 25 (92%) who were killed by dogs, were murdered by Pit Bulls. (Dogs Bite)
18. More than half of the females (women and girls) who were killed by a dog, were mostly killed by Pit Bulls. (Dog Bite Law)
19. Pit Bulls caused death in almost all age groups in 2020 – 9 (0-2 years), 2 (5-9 years) 3 (19-29 years), 2 (30-49 years), 2(50-69 years), and 8 (70+ years). (Dogs Bite)
20. Pit Bulls have deadlier bites than other dog breeds. (Dog Bite Law)
Misleading Pitbull Statistics
There are a lot of incorrect statistics about deadly dog attacks pinned on dogs which have been tagged as pit bulls. These inaccurate data are spread by the internet, the media, and by city councils in most countries like the USA.
The misleading statistics circulating about Pitties are usually gotten from unscientific and unproven organisations or special interest groups who support discriminatory breed-specific legislation. Alarmist blogs and websites also spread isolated incidents, informal accounts, and myths and stereotypes that have been deflated.
So, to exonerate Pit Bulls, these are some misleading Pit Bull statistics that have been falsified about fatal dog attacks ascribed to pit-bull type dogs.
21. Pit Bulls account for 65% of fatal dog attacks – This statistics is false and obtained by classifying all dog bite-related incidents to the 4 unique pit bull type breeds, the 20+ bully-type breeds which are misidentified as pit bulls, and other different mixed dog breeds mislabeled as pit bulls. (PitBullInfo)
22. Pit bulls are ruthless killers with a jaw that locks and brutal bite force of 1600 psi – This is false, as 86.8% of Pitties passed their temperament test. They ranked four out of 122 breeds tested, doing better than golden retrievers, beagles, and collies. (Business2Community)
23. 60% of pit bull-type dogs are misidentified – This often leads to inaccurate information being spread by the media and inaccurate dog bite statistics. (PitBullInfo)
24. More than 20 other dog breeds are mislabeled by individuals as Pit Bulls because they have the same characteristics as Pitties. This puts some doubts on the truthfulness of some pit bull attack statistics. (Pawsome Advice)
25. Pit Bulls get a bad reputation for being aggressive, but make excellent family and therapy dogs. Due to mislabeling and twisted statistics, they get an unfair reputation of being dangerous. (Pawsome Advice)
26. 84% of Pitties involved in deadly Pit Bull attacks were abused, neglected and forced to fight. (Pawsome Advice)
Pit Bulls are often considered to be an aggressive dog breed. But while they can attack people or bite, you have to understand that other dog breeds like Rottweilers, Huskies or Chihuahuas can also display aggressive tendencies and attack people too.
No Pit Bull is born aggressive by nature and is often turned that way by irresponsible and bad owners who knowingly breed these dogs to fight and sometimes kill people and other household pets. Matter of fact, you might want to take a closer look at a dog’s owner or breeding history if you want to understand why most dogs act the way they do.
While these statistics exist, it is important to note that Pit Bulls are very loving and adorable dog breeds who want nothing more than to impress you. As long as you train and care for them well, there will be no reason for it to attack you or anyone else.
Similarly, you can make your Pittie more people-friendly like enrolling it for obedience class and socializing it at an early age with other people and pets.
Statistics Gotten From:
Ryan is a service dog puppy raiser/trainer and founder of The Pit Bull Center, a dedicated Pitbull blog that has been visited by tens of millions of people since its inception.
