Most Dog Bite Victims in Benicia are Adults

In 2010 State Farm Insurance Company paid out more that $11 million to victims of dog bites in California.  According to the company nearly 5 million people nationwide are bitten by dogs and most of those are children.

Benicia saw 16 reported dog bites last year.  Adults made up the majority of the victims with 11 reported incidents and children under 12 made up the balance.

The dogs involved represented a variety of breeds.  There were two pit bulls and two pit bull mixes, two Dalmatians, two border collies, a german shepherd mix, a chow and a lab.  There were also small dogs who bit people last year. A Chihuahua, a miniature pincher and a shih tzu.

2011 has seen six reported bites so far though only five incidents because one dog bit two people.  So far there have been no incidents in Benicia involving pit bulls this year but in a repeat from 2010 one of the attacking dogs was a Chihuahua.

 Following are a few facts offered by State Farm:

• Children make up more than 60 percent of all dog bite victims though that wasn’t the case in Benicia
• The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates half of all children 12 and younger have been bitten by a dog
•  Tragically, of the 33 dog bites that resulted in death last year, 20 of these fatalities were young children (California accounted for seven of the fatalities)
• The elderly and home service people like mail carriers and meter readers also are high on the list of frequent dog bite victims

State Farm also offers a few tips on how to avoid being the victim.

• NEVER leave a baby or small child alone with a dog.
• Be on the lookout for potentially dangerous situations.
• Start teaching young children -- including toddlers -- to be careful around pets.
• Children must be taught NOT to approach strange dogs.
• Always ask permission from a dog's owner before petting any dog.