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Fresno County Dog Bite Report for 2005 Prepared for: Fresno County Analyst:
Introduction Dog bites are a health concern not adequately understood by the public. A national survey by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that total dog bites occur at a rate of 18 per 1000 human population. However, dog bites are believed to be significantly under reported by as much as 50-90% depending on the efficiency of the reporting system. Reported dog bites range between 0.45-4.6 bites per 1000 human population. There is no national surveillance reporting for dog bites, hence the efficiency in identifying bites in a community depends on the cooperation of the victims and public health authorities. Analysis and interpretation then of dog bites relies on information reported to public health authorities and animal control. The information on dog bites regarding the characteristics of the victims and the dogs can be misleading and give a biased perception of bite incidents. The discrepancy between reported and unreported dog bites leaves many unanswered questions about the dogs, as well as the victims involved. It is difficult to draw recommendations or conclusions about dog bites because a great deal depends on the effectiveness and accuracy of the reporting system The following report is an analysis of dog bites reported in Fresno County for 2005. In Fresno County, animal bites are reported to the Environmental Health Division as part of the rabies surveillance program since a bite inflicted by an unidentified dog or other animal raises the fear of rabies even if the bite is minor and requires no medical treatment. The aim of the report is to better understand dog bites, the dogs and the victims implicated and to address the problem in a manner that is beneficial to the public’s health and safety.
Demographics of Fresno County Fresno County in the San Joaquin Valley of California encompasses 15,585 square kilometers (6,017 square miles) with an estimated 2005 population of 877,584 based on U.S. Census data ( http://www.census.gov/ ). The population of males/females is nearly 50/50 (49.4% males, 50.6% females). The city of Fresno is the largest in the county with a population of 473,249 (2004 estimate). Figure 1: Map of Fresno County, California.
FRESNO ANIMAL BITES FOR 2005: Animal bite reports for 2005 were received from the Environmental Health Division on a CD as .tif data. There were 1316 reports listed, after accounting for duplicates and non-report data, the final number of reports was 1288, which included 46 out of county reports. The out of county reports are not included in the final analysis. These included counties/towns as Davis, Dinuba, Dos Palos, Elk Grove, King, Lindsey, Madera, Merced, Mexico, Salinas, San Diego, Stockton, Tulare, and Visalia. The total number of animal bites was 1241 from 12 species. Dogs comprised the largest number of reported bites at 77.8% (n=965). Cats were second with 17.1% (n=212) of the reported bites. Table 1 lists the animals and reported number of bites. The rest of this report focuses on dog bites, the breeds and the victims involved since this is a primary issue to public safety and health. Table 1: Reported animal bites to the Environmental Health Division of Fresno County for 2005.
DOG BITES IN FRESNO COUNTY Breed: There were 52 identified breeds in the 965 dog bites in the county. Many of the dogs were labeled generically, for example as retriever, terrier, spaniel, shepherd, or hound. Table 2 lists the dogs with more than 2% of the reported bites. Figure 2 graphically shows the breeds and their percentage of the reported bites. Nearly 31% (n=296) of the dogs were labeled as unknown or mix. These dogs listed as unknown or mixes were described based on several points of a general description. Some were labeled as small, medium or large dogs. Many were listed by coat color, the dog being described as brown, black, white or mixed colors. Additionally the dogs were stated to be long haired or short haired. In many cases, combinations of the descriptive terms were used. The generic description of “pitbull” and their mixes accounted for 13.9% (n=134) of the bites. Some dogs initially identified as “pitbull” subsequently corrected in the comments to the bite report where the owner may state the breed of the dog is something else entirely. For example, the labeling of a chocolate Labrador as a “pitbull” mix. German Shepherd dogs were second of the identified breeds comprising 7.6% (n=73) of the bites. The dogs in the reports identified as “shepherd” mixes which made up 2.4% (n=23) of the dogs could be the more generic short hand term used for the German Shepherd dogs. If these are considered as German Shepherd dogs and their mixes, then they would account for 9.9% (n=96) of the bites. Chihuahuas and their mixes comprise 6.8% (n=66) of the bites. Table 2: Dog breeds and their mixes in reported bites to Fresno County for 2005.
Figure 2: Breeds of dogs identified in dog bite reports in Fresno County for 2005, number of 965 reported bites and the percentage.
Gender of dog: There is no recording of the reproductive status of the dogs. The investigation of dog bites or any animal bite in the county is for rabies surveillance, and reproductive status of the animal is not a factor. There were a few dogs specifically noted as being spayed/neutered in the reports. Of the 965 dog bite reports, the gender of the dog was either not known or not recorded in 30% (n=285). Male dogs were reported in 43% (n=423) of the bites and females in 27% (n=257). Figure 3: Gender of dogs in the reported bites in Fresno County for 2005.
Age of dog in reported bites: The age of the dog involved in a bite was recorded in 43% (n=416) of the reports. The dogs in reported bites ranged in age from very young 8 week old puppies to 17 years. The average age was 3.8 years, with a median of 3 years. Dogs ages 3 and younger accounted for 60% of the reported bites. Figure 4 shows the age distribution of the dogs in the reported bites. Figure 4: The age of the dog in 416 of the reported bites in Fresno for 2005.
Rabies vaccination: A current rabies vaccination was noted in only 24% (n=231) of the reported bites. The balance were either specifically noted as having no current vaccination (n=135) or this information was not known (n=599). Euthanasia: Of the dogs in the reports, 20% (n=193) were specifically stated as having been euthanized for the bite. The number may be larger since not all euthanasia may have been recorded, particularly if associated with surrendering the dog after the report is complete. Circumstances of the bite: The circumstances of the bite (Figure 5) were described in 963 reports as being vicious or unprovoked; a result of playfulness; helping a sick or injured dog; the dog was provoked by some action of the victim; or some “other” action. The designation “other” includes various situations, for example, breaking up a dog fight, putting the dog into a kennel/crate, feeding the dog, stepping on the dog, sitting on the dog, trying to pick up the dog, etc. Bites described as “vicious” comprised 29% (n=277), “other” accounted for 28% (n=268). Circumstances surrounding the bite were unknown in 23% (n=222) of the reports. Figure 5: Circumstances surrounding the reported dog bite in Fresno County for 2005.
The breed of dog involved and the associated circumstances was recorded in 955 of the reported bites. Table 3 lists the breeds with greater than 2% of the reported bites and the number identified as either “vicious”, “other” or “unknown”. These descriptions accounted for 80% of the bites, the remaining 20% were listed sick/injured, playful, or provoked by the victim. Table 3: Breed of dog and the number listed as “vicious”, “other”, or “unknown” in bite reports from Fresno County for 2005.
DOG BITE VICTIMS IN FRESNO COUNTY Gender of victim: The gender of the dog bite victim was reported in 931 cases, with males accounting for 524 (56%) and females 407 (44%). Figure 6. The population distribution of males/females in Fresno County estimated for 2004 is 49% males and 51% females. The relative risk (RR) of a dog bite to a male/female, compared to the population as a whole is 1.14 (95% confidence interval 1.08-1.21). While numerically, there are more males in reported bites, they are not at greater risk of a bite when considering their percentage in the population. Figure 6: Gender of the victim in reported dog bites in Fresno County for 2005.
Age of victim: There were 895 reports where age of the victim was given. Table 4 and Figure 7 shows the number of bites per age category. Children and teenagers 0-19 years comprised 46% (n=411) of the reported bites. Table 4: Age category of dog bite victim of reported bites in Fresno County for 2005.
Figure 7: Age category distribution of dog bite victim in reported bites in Fresno County for 2005.
The distribution of the reported dog bites by age category and gender is shown in Table 5 and Figure 8. The percentage of bites in any age category is given based on the total for all males or all females reported. Gender and age category was known in 888 reports. While numerically more males are likely to be bitten, the relative risk is about the same for age groups based on the percentage in the population for that category. The relative risk of a dog bite to a male aged 0-9 years compared to the number in the population is about 1.08 (95% confidence interval 0.95-1.21). The age group 10-19 years, the relative risk to a male compared to the number in the population is only slightly higher, but again non significant at 1.11 (95% confidence interval 0.98-1.26). Table 5: Age category and gender of dog bite victim in 888 of the reports in Fresno County for 2005.
Figure 8: Age distribution by gender of dog bite victim in reported bites in Fresno County for 2005.
Gender and circumstances of dog bite: The gender of the victim and the associated circumstance noted for the dog bite was reported in 929 cases. Table 6 shows the number and percent of the total for a given gender. Figure 9 shows the distribution of the circumstances and gender. Table 6: The gender of the victim and the circumstances of the dog bite in Fresno County for 2005.
Figure 9: Distribution of gender and circumstances of the dog bites in Fresno County for 2005.
Geographic location of the dog bite: There were 937 reports identifying the town where the dog bite occurred. The bites were noted to have been within city the limits or the county area. Table 7 lists the location given for the dog bite. The city of Fresno accounted for 54% (n=506) of the bites. The unincorporated areas identified as Fresno had 12% (n=108) of the reported bites. There were an additional 17 bites reported for Fresno, but it was not certain if the bites were with in the city limits or not and are not listed in the table. Including the 17 bites and the city and unincorporated bites, Fresno had 66% (n=631) of the reported dog bites.
There were 940 reported bites based on zipcode. Table 8 shows the zipcode for the county and the number of bites reported.
The city of Fresno and the unincorporated area with the 3-digit 937XX prefix for the zipcode accounted for 619 (65%) of the reported bites. Table 9 and figure 10 shows the zipcode, reported bites and percent, the population based on 2000 Census data and the incident of bites per 1000 human population. The 2000 Census data is the latest that gives detailed information on the population distribution by zipcode. Table 9: The city of Fresno and its unincorporated areas with the bites reported by zipcode. The human population is based on 2000 census data and the prevelance of dog bites per 1000 human population.
Figure 10: Dog bite reports for city and county areas of Fresno where zipcode is given.
Comments on the reported bite: In some of the reports comments were made about the events associated with the dog bite. Table 10 lists some of the comments noted, 785 of the reports noted some of the circumstances surrounding the bite. The number for any of the noted categories could probably be larger, since it was not certain where some of the bites might have occurred. Some of the events listed in miscellaneous could be at home or near the neighbors or dog owners. Clearly, the majority of the bites occurred in and around the home environment. The largest number of bites occurred at the dogs house, 27% (n=213). This number is probably larger since it was not always clear when comments were given about the events. A bite occurring at the dog’s house could be from a visit by the victim, either as a friend or as a service person doing deliveries, maintenance, or other service work. The family dog was specifically noted in 18% (n=140) of the bites. Again this number could be larger, since the family dog biting may not have been noted in all cases. Near the residence implies either near the dogs house or the victims. Other events include bicycling near the dog, either at home or near the dog’s house, playing in the park, children playing with the dog, breaking up dog fights. Any of these events may have actually occurred at home of either the victim or the dog. Table 10: Comments surrounding 785 of the reported dog bites in Fresno County for 2005.
DISCUSSION: The dog population in Fresno County may be estimated conservatively between 100,000 and more than 150,000. The estimate is based on approximately 37% of the 269,255 (2004 U.S. Census estimate) households owning a minimum of 1-1.5 dogs. Approximately 10-15% of the dog population is expected to bite, based on the CDC national survey, a Canadian study and a recent study in California. The 965 reported dog bites to the Environmental Health Division represents less than 1% of the dog population in Fresno. The incidence of dog bites is 1.1 bites per 1000 people in the county. The incidence is similar to other communities at 0.4-5 bites per 1000. And the incidence is less than the expected 18 bites per 1000 based on the CDC survey. As with many communities, a large number of dog bites go unreported and probably no medical attention is sought. Information on breed specific rates of dog bites is not possible. First, no information is available on the total dogs in the county and the distribution of the breeds in the county. Secondly, information would be required on all dog bites, those that are reported as well as the unreported ones. This is necessary since reported bites may be biased towards certain breeds or types of dogs. Large, male dogs may be overrepresented because people may perceive them as more dangerous. Particular breeds of dogs may be reported more than another. In over 30% of the reported bites the breed of dog was not known or identified, hence the number for any given breed may be skewed. With the large number of unknown mixes, as well as generic terms such as “terrier”, shepherd”, “retriever”, and “pitbull”, basing ordinances that target specific breeds alone would not be effective. Breed identification, unless the dog is registered with a known registry, is too subjective. What may be called a pitbull/lab mix to one individual may be a lab/pitbull mix to another person. It is the first breed listed or identified that is going to be the one noted on bite reports or tallied in the “statistics”. There are many other factors that are more important to consider than breed in the potential of a dog biting. Training and socialization are very big factors in having a good family pet. Another factor that is generally reported with dog bites is the large number of male dogs. For Fresno County, male dogs were implicated in 43% (n=423) of the reported bites where gender was given, with females at 27% (n=257). In 30% of the reports no information was given on the gender of the dog. The relative risk of a male dog biting depends on the distribution of male dogs in the population. If the distribution of male to female dogs in the population is about 50:50, then there may be a higher risk of a bite from a male dog. If however, there are actually more male dogs in the population than female dogs, then there may be no increased risk. No information was compiled on the reproductive status of the dogs in the reported bites. The average age of the dog in the reported bites was 3.8 years and a median of 3 years. Young puppies and juvenile dogs through 3 years accounted for 60% (n=251) of the 416 reports were age was given. Puppies can be very mouthy and young, juvenile dogs may be untrained and under-socialized.
Males were victims of dog bites in 56% (n=524) of 931 reports where gender was given. The population of males in the county is 51% based on 2004 Census estimates. While males were numerically greater in the reports, the relative risk (RR) of a male being bitten compared to the population as a whole indicates non-significance (RR=1.1, 95% CI = 1.1-1.2). That is males are not overly represented in dog bites when compared to their percentage in the county as a whole. It is important to note here that for reported cat bites, females were significantly more likely to be the victims (RR= 1.3, 95% CI = 1.2-1.4) when compared to their representation in the county as a whole. Children and teenagers, 0-19 years, accounted for 46% (n=411) of the reported bites. Two factors of note to consider. First, children and teenagers are known to behave in risky behaviors that could elicit a bite. These behaviors include running up to a dog, trying to pet a dog while the dog is eating, roughhousing with a dog, and screaming and yelling while playing that could cause a dog to get overly excited and bite. Second, a bite to a young child is more likely to be reported, even if minor, when compared to a similar injury to an adult. The city of Fresno had the largest number of reported bites, 54% (n=506) of 937. An additional 108 reported bites were out of the city limits. The city of Fresno and its surrounding neighborhood comprised 66% (n=614) of the bites. The neighboring city of Clovis had the second largest number of reported bites at 12% (n=109). The two cities combined accounted for 88% (n=823) of the 937 reports where city/town was listed.
Approximately 82% (n=642) of the 785 reports that gave information of events surrounding the dog bite indicated at or near the dog’s home territory. This number is probably higher, since it was not clear in some cases where the incident took place. In a majority of the reports, human interaction with the dog, such as petting, breaking up a dog fight, feeding, transporting, tripping over the dog, carrying, etc, are all situations where steps could be taken to minimize the potential of a bite.
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