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Cases of dog bites on the rise in California

The vast majority of animal bites in the United States are inflicted by dogs, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

<p>Young Alaskan Malamute is trying to bite human hand</p>

The vast majority of animal bites in the United States are inflicted by dogs, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

California has specifically seen an increase in dog-bites especially during the past 11 years.

The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) compiles data every year based upon dealing with the number of Emergency department treat and release visits due to dog-bites.

From the six-year span of 2005 to 2010 the California statewide number saw a total of 181,618 people visit the Emergency department, but in just the past five years from 2011 to 2015 the total is 187,448.

This increase is a large margin considering the fact that the first accumulation of numbers had an extra year, the lowest total being 26,403.

Below are how the numbers have changed for the Sacramento county:

Though these numbers could be seen as a small sample size compared to the population in Sacramento, the gradual increase of emergency visits from dog-bites over time cannot be denied.

The cumulative 2016 data has yet to be released because the year is not over, which is why it's missing from the list.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and a few other sources constructed a 2014 report about animal bites in California.

Between 2006 and 2010 they discovered that 77-percent of all animal bites reported in California were by domestic dogs.

From data received in 2011, Pit bull terrier's (29 percent), German Shepherd or Shepherd mixes
(15 percent) and Chihuahua's (11 percent) were the three breeds most frequently reported in bite incidents, according to the report.

Also, in California between 2006 and 2009, incidences of animal bites, by emergency department visits, was greatest in children between one and 6-years-old. Incidences with adults were approximately half that of children.

Recently, a 4-year-old girl from Michigan died due to a dog bitting her neck. And while the tragic occurrence was not obviously in California, it shows that fatalities can happen.

It's hard to predict whether or not dog bites will continue at the rate it has, but the increase must be acknowledged.

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