Even something as simple as going for a jog through your own neighborhood can become frightening when other people don’t take proper care of their pets. Off-leash dogs may charge, bark, and even bite when they see you approaching what they think of as their territory.
Below are three key statistics that can help you understand the scope of the problem:
4.5 million bites happen annually
This does take into account the entire United States, not just Oregon, but it’s still a striking number. It shows that bites may be far more common than you first assumed.
1 person out of 72 will be bitten
When you run the numbers, 4.5 million annual bites means one person out of every 72 will suffer a bite each and every year. For the year of the report from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the population in the United States was 325.8 million, from which that rate is derived. This helps to paint a clearer picture of the frequency of dog bites and the odds you face every day.
900,000 bites will need treatment after they get infected
All bites should be treated quickly. Often, this can help to prevent infection. However, the statistics still show that nearly 1 million bites are going to get infected. This can lead to extensive pain, extra medical care, longer healing times and permanent scarring.
If you are bitten by a dog, especially when it wasn’t contained properly by the owner, you need to know if you have a right to financial compensation for all of the costs you could be facing.
Source: Canine Journal, “Dog Bite Statistics,” Sara Logan Wilson, accessed Oct. 24, 2017