Dog bite liability
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there
are approximately 4.7 million dog bites per year. These bites cost
over $1 billion, with the property/casualty insurance industry paying
roughly $310 million in 1999, about 20% of total homeowners insurance
liability payouts.
Homeowners and renters insurance policies typically cover dog bite
liability. The following tips can help reduce the chances of your
dog biting someone:
- Have your dog spayed or neutered. These procedures will greatly
reduce the likelihood that the dog will bite.
- Socialize your dog so that it knows how to act with other people
and animals.
- Play non-aggressive games with your dog such as "go fetch."
Playing aggressive games like "tug-of-war" can encourage inappropriate
behavior.
- Avoid exposing your dog to situations in which you are unsure
what the dog’s response will be.
Insurers may charge more for certain breeds of dogs. The following
purebreds have been responsible for the greatest number of dog bite-related
fatalities over the 20 year period, 1979 to 1998, according to the
Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC - http://www.cdc.gov/ ). The breeds are listed
in declining order of fatalities:
- "Pit Bull"
- Rottweiler
- German Shepherd Dog
- "Husky"
- Malamute
- Doberman Pinscher
- Chow Chow
- Great Dane
- Saint Bernard
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