The Insurance Information Institute has released incorrect information pertaining to the increase in dog bite payouts from 2006 to 2007. Their web page entitled Dog Bite Liability states, "In 2007 dog bites cost insurers $356.2 million, up 10.5 percent from the previous year."

The reference to 10.5 percent is incorrect. In 2006, insurance payouts were $351.4 million according to their own reports. See the Insurance Information Institute, Dog Bite Liability, from the Internet Archive dated September 29, 2006, which states: "In 2006 dog bites cost insurers $351.4 million, up 10.8 percent from the previous year." In fact, therefore, the increase from 2006 to 2007 was only $4.8 million, or slightly more than 1%. This is nowhere near 10.5 percent.

Because her dogs killed two neighbors, Diane Cockrell of Howell, Michigan, will have to pay restitution and go to prison for up to 15 years.

She had 10 bulldogs that freely roamed her property. It had a fence for horses, not bulldogs. On September 13, 2007, the dogs got out and killed 91-year-old Edward Gierlach in his driveway, and 56-year-old Cheryl Harper, who was walking or jogging nearby. (Click here to read the article.)

On September 12, 2008, a 4-month-old baby girl in North Las Vegas was killed by her parents' pit bulls. This infant was in her stroller, watched by her grandmother. The dogs were in the backyard and they somehow got into the house. When they attacked the girl, the grandmother wrestled her away from them. But they managed to get the baby away from her, and finished the child off. (Click here to read the article.)

This happened in Nevada, a one bite state. These states tell dog owners that they don't have to worry about liability for dog bites until their dogs have actually hurt someone or clearly demonstrated the desire to do so. Until then, dog owners don't have to take any extra precautions.

Is that all we expect from dog owners? From parents? Most American states have modified the one bite rule in some way, and even replaced it with strict liability laws. Isn't it time for the entire USA to repudiate this old English rule?

How many children have to die before we tighten the leash on dog owners?

Although I have said this time and again on TV news shows, it bears repeating:

Your city's animal control department is understaffed. Those dogs that you see wandering the street have not been investigated, nor have they been certified as nondangerous. Animal control departments are not picking up the loose dogs, the ones that could be dangerous, the fighting dogs that have been thrown out of cars. Unless you address this with your city government, and demand action, you and your children and your grandchildren are in danger from these dogs.

This is graphically illustrated by an article in the Seattle Times entitled "Pit Bulls on the loose? You may be on your own." But do not think that Seattle is the only place that has this problem. Your city has it also.

On September 6, 2008, a 6-day-old New Jersey girl was attacked in her crib. Her parents owned a 3-year-old Husky. They had left her and the dog alone for only a few minutes. New Jersey is a strict liability state. (Click here to read the article.)

Parents need to thoroughly review the do's and don'ts of dog safety. There are some things one must never do. Among them is leaving an infant in the same room as a dog.

I have just learned about another canine homicide that took place in 2007. Four year old Tori Whitehurst of Phoenix, Arizona, was killed by her parents' American Bulldog at their house, on November 5, 2007. (Click here to read the article.)

This means that the total USA human fatalities in 2007 came to 33, not 32 as I previously reported.

We are doing much better this year. For some reason fatalities are down by 50%.