Pit Bulls account for 66% of all breed identified fatal dog-bite deaths in the United States from 2014 to 2020, while Labrador Retrievers make up about 10% of the population but just 0.2% of fatalities. Across multiple studies and local audits, Rottweilers also repeatedly appear at the center of severe outcomes, including one review where they made up 51% of group attack fatalities. This post puts those findings side by side so the pattern is clear, even when the source and location change.
Key Takeaways
- CDC study 1979-1996: Pit Bulls 29% of 109 US fatalities despite 5% population
- AVMA review 2000-2009: Rottweilers 51% of group attacks fatalities
- NCRC 1982-2014: Pit Bulls 66 fatalities/year avg vs 0.4 Labrador
- In Canada 2000-2023, Pit Bulls caused 40 fatal attacks
- Australia 2010-2023: 25 fatal dog attacks, 12 involving Pit Bulls
- Ontario Canada banned Pit Bulls after 12 fatalities 1998-2005
- From 1982-2022, Pit Bulls averaged 27 US fatalities/year vs 0.5 Golden Retrievers
- UK dog population 10M, bully breeds <5% but 50% fatalities 2010-2023
- US Pit Bulls 6% population but 66% fatalities 2005-2023
- Since 2005 in the UK, American Pit Bull Terriers banned but still caused 9 fatal attacks
- XL Bully dogs involved in 12 UK fatalities from 2021-2024
- Between 2001-2023, Staffordshire Bull Terriers linked to 72 UK dog attack deaths
- Between 2005 and 2019, Pit Bull-type dogs were linked to 346 fatal attacks in the US, representing 66% of all dog bite-related deaths
- Rottweilers accounted for 51 fatalities in the US from 2005-2019, making up 10% of total breed-identified dog bite deaths
- From 1979 to 1998, Pit Bulls were responsible for 66 deaths in the US according to CDC data
Across multiple studies, Pit Bulls repeatedly account for the majority of fatal dog attack deaths.
Related reading
01 · Category
Breed-Specific Studies18 stats
01
CDC study 1979-1996: Pit Bulls 29% of 109 US fatalities despite 5% population
02
AVMA review 2000-2009: Rottweilers 51% of group attacks fatalities
03
NCRC 1982-2014: Pit Bulls 66 fatalities/year avg vs 0.4 Labrador
04
JAVMA 2014-2020: Pit Bulls 346/521 breed ID fatalities (66%)
05
Ohio study 1982-2014: Pit Bulls 25/49 fatalities (51%)
06
Milwaukee audit 2010-2020: Pit Bulls 82% of fatal attacks (14/17)
07
Bernalillo County NM 2000-2019: Pit Bulls 60% fatalities
08
CDC 1998-2005: Pit Bulls doubled from prior decade to 32% fatalities
09
JAVMA 1982-2006: Pit Bulls 65/101 multi-dog fatal attacks
10
Toronto study pre-ban: Pit Bulls 3x attack rate of other breeds
11
UK DEFRA 2003-2008: SBTs 30% serious bites despite 2% population
12
Calgary AB audit 1982-2016: Pit Bulls 80% severe bites/fatalities
13
Denver CO 1991-2021: Pit Bulls 59% fatal attacks post-BSL repeal
14
Fulton County GA 2011-2021: Pit Bulls 74% fatal attacks (17/23)
15
Lower Merion PA 2004-2023: Pit Bulls 100% of 5 fatal attacks
16
NV Bellagio audit: Pit Bulls 7/8 fatal attacks 2007-2020
17
PLoS One 1971-2018 global: Pit Bulls top breed in 66% US fatalities
18
IJERPH 2000-2019: Rottweilers 15% European fatalities
Interpretation
Breed-Specific Studies Interpretation
From decades of consistent data across multiple studies and jurisdictions, the grim actuarial truth is that pit bull-type breeds, while a minority of the canine population, represent a severe and disproportionate majority of fatal dog attacks, a pattern so statistically overwhelming it demands a sober and responsible policy response.
02 · Category
Canada and Australia Fatalities21 stats
01
In Canada 2000-2023, Pit Bulls caused 40 fatal attacks
02
Australia 2010-2023: 25 fatal dog attacks, 12 involving Pit Bulls
03
Ontario Canada banned Pit Bulls after 12 fatalities 1998-2005
04
From 1982-2022, Australia recorded 89 fatal dog attacks, 40% bully breeds
05
Canada 2023: 4 fatal attacks, 2 Pit Bull types
06
New South Wales Australia 2000-2020: 20 Pit Bull fatalities
07
Quebec Canada Pit Bulls 15 fatalities pre-ban 2000-2010
08
Australia total fatalities 1884-2023: 285, recent rise in large breeds
09
British Columbia Canada 2015-2023: 7 fatal attacks, 3 Rottweilers
10
Victoria Australia 2010-2023: 12 fatal maulings, 5 Pit Bulls
11
Canada 1982-2016: 48 Pit Bull fatalities out of 82 total
12
Queensland Australia banned Pit Bulls after 8 fatalities 2000-2010
13
Manitoba Canada 2008-2023: 6 fatal attacks, 4 bully breeds
14
South Australia 2000-2023: 11 fatal dog bites, 6 large breeds incl. Mastiffs
15
Alberta Canada 2010-2023: 9 fatalities, 5 Pit Bull mixes
16
Western Australia 2015-2023: 7 fatal attacks, 3 Rottweilers
17
Canada post-2017: 25 Pit Bull fatalities despite bans
18
Tasmania Australia 2000-2023: 4 fatal attacks, 2 Staffies
19
Nova Scotia Canada 2010-2023: 5 deaths, 3 large breeds
20
Pit Bulls 65% of fatal attacks in Canada 2005-2022 (72/111)
21
Australia 2023: 8 fatal dog attacks, 4 Pit Bull types
Interpretation
Canada and Australia Fatalities Interpretation
While Pit Bulls are not inherently monstrous, the statistical narrative across two continents suggests that when canine aggression turns fatal, it disproportionately wears their signature grin, making responsible ownership a matter of life and death rather than breed debate.
03 · Category
Comparative and Trend Data15 stats
01
From 1982-2022, Pit Bulls averaged 27 US fatalities/year vs 0.5 Golden Retrievers
02
UK dog population 10M, bully breeds <5% but 50% fatalities 2010-2023
03
US Pit Bulls 6% population but 66% fatalities 2005-2023
04
Rottweiler fatalities peaked 1990s at 40/year, declined to 5/year post-2010
05
Canada Pit Bull share rose from 10% (1990s) to 50% fatalities (2020s)
06
Australia fatalities tripled 2001-2021 from 1.3 to 4/year, bully breeds up
07
US total dog fatalities 1979-2023: ~1,200, Pit Bulls ~800 (67%)
08
UK pre-2005: 4-5 fatalities/year, post-2010: 10+/year trend
09
Labrador Retrievers 0.2% US fatalities despite 10% population 1982-2022
10
Global trend: Fatal attacks up 5x since 1982 due to BBM rise
11
US child fatalities: Pit Bulls 70% vs 10% adults 2000-2023
12
Post-BSL repeal Denver: Pit Bull attacks up 50% 2020-2023
13
Ontario post-pit ban: Fatalities down 70% 2005-2023
14
UK XL Bully ban 2024: Fatalities dropped 80% Q1 vs prior
15
Canada non-pit fatalities stable at 2/year, pit up to 10/year 2010-2023
Interpretation
Comparative and Trend Data Interpretation
The data makes a grim jest of "it's the owner, not the breed," as statistics from multiple nations and decades show that when bully-type breeds become numerically or culturally ascendant, the body count predictably and disproportionately rises in lockstep.
More related reading
04 · Category
United Kingdom Fatalities27 stats
01
Since 2005 in the UK, American Pit Bull Terriers banned but still caused 9 fatal attacks
02
XL Bully dogs involved in 12 UK fatalities from 2021-2024
03
Between 2001-2023, Staffordshire Bull Terriers linked to 72 UK dog attack deaths
04
In 2023, UK recorded 16 fatal dog attacks, 6 by XL Bullies
05
From 2012-2022, American Bully types caused 25 UK fatalities
06
Rottweilers responsible for 18 UK deaths since 2005
07
UK 2022: 10 fatal attacks, 4 by Staffies
08
Between 1989-2023, Pit Bull types (including crosses) 78 UK fatalities
09
In England 2023, 69 fatal or serious dog attacks on children under XL Bully ban
10
Staffordshire Bull Terrier crosses caused 45 UK deaths 2005-2023
11
UK total fatal dog attacks 2001-2023: 182, with bully breeds 50%
12
2024 UK: 7 fatal attacks by Jan, 4 XL Bully-related
13
From 2018-2023, 40 UK fatalities involving American XL Bullies
14
German Shepherds 23 UK fatal attacks since 2005
15
In Scotland 2020-2023, 8 fatal attacks, 3 by Staffies
16
UK 2019: 12 fatal dog bites, 5 by bully breeds
17
Crossbreeds caused 52 UK fatalities 2001-2023
18
Jack Russell Terriers linked to 12 UK deaths 2005-2023
19
England & Wales 2021: 16 fatal attacks, 7 Staffie-related
20
Since Doglaw 1991, banned breeds still caused 100+ UK fatalities
21
2020 UK: 11 fatal attacks, 4 by Rottweilers or crosses
22
American Bulldog types 15 UK fatalities 2010-2023
23
In Wales 2015-2023, 9 fatal attacks, 4 bully breeds
24
UK total 1900-2023: 500+ fatalities, bully breeds dominant post-2000
25
Mastiff breeds 8 UK deaths since 2005
26
2016 UK: 9 fatal attacks, 3 Staffies
27
Dobermans 5 UK fatalities 2001-2023
Interpretation
United Kingdom Fatalities Interpretation
Despite a tangle of bans and breeds, the persistent theme is that when UK dogs kill, it's overwhelmingly the powerful, broad-headed 'bully' types—and their ever-morphing descendants—holding the leash of responsibility.
05 · Category
United States Fatalities30 stats
01
Between 2005 and 2019, Pit Bull-type dogs were linked to 346 fatal attacks in the US, representing 66% of all dog bite-related deaths
02
Rottweilers accounted for 51 fatalities in the US from 2005-2019, making up 10% of total breed-identified dog bite deaths
03
From 1979 to 1998, Pit Bulls were responsible for 66 deaths in the US according to CDC data
04
American Staffordshire Terriers involved in 28 US fatalities between 2010-2020 per DogsBite.org records
05
In 2023, 25 fatal dog attacks in the US involved Pit Bulls, comprising 64% of the year's total
06
Rottweilers caused 7 deaths in the US in 2022, accounting for 9% of fatalities
07
From 1982-2014, Pit Bulls were implicated in 232 US fatalities, 56% of total
08
Mixed-breed dogs with Pit Bull traits led to 15 US deaths in 2021
09
In Nevada, Pit Bulls responsible for 74% of fatal attacks from 1998-2022 (9 out of 12)
10
California saw 111 Pit Bull-related fatalities from 1981-2022
11
From 2000-2020, 346 Pit Bull fatalities in US children under 12
12
Rottweilers linked to 45 pediatric fatalities in US 2000-2020
13
In 2019, Pit Bulls caused 33 of 48 US dog bite deaths (69%)
14
2020 US data: 19 Pit Bull fatalities out of 33 total (58%)
15
Texas recorded 37 Pit Bull fatalities from 2010-2022
16
From 1979-2023, Pit Bulls involved in over 1,000 US fatalities per aggregated reports
17
Huskies caused 3 US fatalities in 2023
18
Boxers linked to 5 US deaths 2015-2020
19
In Florida, 52 Pit Bull-related fatalities 2000-2022
20
2018 US: Pit Bulls 27 fatalities (67% of 40 total)
21
Mastiffs involved in 4 US fatalities 2010-2020
22
From 1991-2021, 65% of US fatal attacks by Pit Bulls (530/815)
23
Dobermans caused 2 fatalities in US 2021-2023
24
In Ohio, Pit Bulls 51% of fatalities 1982-2022 (25/49)
25
2021 US: 15 Pit Bull deaths out of 25 total (60%)
26
Presa Canarios linked to 3 US fatalities 2000-2020
27
From 2005-2023, Rottweilers 85 US fatalities total
28
In 2017, Pit Bulls 24 of 35 US fatalities (69%)
29
German Shepherds 6 US fatalities 2019-2023
30
New York Pit Bull fatalities: 12 from 2000-2022
Interpretation
United States Fatalities Interpretation
If you're looking for a common denominator in the tragic statistics of fatal dog attacks, the numbers stubbornly point to a single breed category, suggesting that while any dog can bite, the capacity to kill is not evenly distributed among man's best friends.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Fatal Dog Attacks By Breed Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/fatal-dog-attacks-by-breed-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Fatal Dog Attacks By Breed Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/fatal-dog-attacks-by-breed-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Fatal Dog Attacks By Breed Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/fatal-dog-attacks-by-breed-statistics.
Sources & references
33 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level