Dog Bite

Americans are a nation of dog lovers, and most are responsible dog owners. While we often view pets as part of the family, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that dogs are animals and must be trained, socialized, and sometimes restrained for the safety of others. Dogs can be unpredictable and territorial, and any dog can bite. Any dog, regardless of its great temperament, should be carefully supervised around children, restrained when the postman and tradespeople are due to arrive, and carefully introduced to people with whom they are not familiar. When off the home property, every dog should be on a leash.

Biting dogs are a problem in Texas—even more so than in other states: State Farm Insurance, a company that writes homeowners’ insurance policies, reports that Texas is number three in the nation in the amount of compensation they paid to animal attack victims in 2012.

Even worse, in 2014, Texas led the nation in the number of deaths from dog attacks, with seven dog bite fatalities, of which six were caused by pit bulls. In spite of these numbers, Texas does not have any breed-specific legislation in place regarding pit bulls or the second most likely breed to kill, Rottweilers.