On August 30th, a 66-year-old man was killed by his two American Bully XL dogs in Rotterdam. The fatal attack highlights a broader trend: dog bite incidents are on the rise across the EU. But are dangerous breeds really to blame, or is the issue more complex?

According to Eurostat, there have been a total of 599 registered fatal dog bite incidents in the EU. A number that grossly underestimates the actual number of fatal incidents, as there are EU countries with several years of missing data on these fatalities. In 2016 there were 45 fatalities caused by dog attacks. And one must bear in mind that the fatal cases are only a very small tip of the problem of dog attacks. A study based on an American survey found that for every person killed by a dog, as much as 200,000 people are bitten, and around 40,000 so severe that they seek medical attention for their dog bite. How do we respond to these numbers?

The perception of “dangerous breeds” is often skewed by which incidents reach the media. Hondenosteopaat Sammie, a dog behavior expert, highlights this discrepancy by noting that while high-risk breeds get the most attention, they are not the only ones prone to biting. Sammie shares a personal observation from professional practice: “In my work as a behavioral therapist, I have been bitten three times, and all three times it was by a Dachshund”. This suggests that while a bite from a larger breed like a Pitbull is more likely to make the news due to its severity, the underlying issue of aggression is not confined to these specific breeds

A controversial yet often enacted measure is banning specific breeds, also called a Breed-specific Legislation (BSL). Recently, the UK banned the American Bully XL, which prohibits ownership, breeding, sale or import of the breed. A costly act, as UK forces estimate to have spent about 25 million pounds on enforcement,according to British broadcaster BBC. The aggressive dog breed being the sole problem serves as a red herring to the complex cause of this fatal trend. Before the ban of the American Bully XL, the UK government already tried to similarly decrease dog bite incidents by introducing the Dangerous Dog Act (DDA) in 1991. A law that bans possession of dogs that possess certain physical attributes associated with aggressive behavior.  Yet, a review of the DDA 5 years after its implementation, found on ScienceDirect, show no significant decrease in dog bite incidents. According to a 2021 study, dog bite incidents in England even tripled from 1998 to 2018.

This shift toward owner responsibility is a sentiment echoed by experts in the field. Hondenosteopaat Sammie emphasizes that the human element is often the root cause of behavioral issues, stating, “It usually goes wrong with the owner. They have a lot of influence on such a dog”. Sammie argues that the solution is not to ban breeds, but to ensure owners are properly equipped to handle their pets. To achieve a long-term reduction in incidents, Sammie suggests that “we will achieve a lot if we make owners aware of what kind of dog they are bringing into their home”, even advocating for mandatory dog courses to help owners recognise their dog’s signals and provide proper socialisation.

The questionable effectiveness of BSL measures is among the reasons of countries like the Netherlands and Italy, that have tried to shift from BSL to more owner accountability and dog welfare. In some parts of Spain they introduced the PPP Law: A law that characterizes dogs not on breed but physical attributes. Based on these characterizations a screening, training and licensing is enforced upon the would-be owner.  Outside Europe, other models also show how accountability can work. Like the Canadian city Calgary. Calgary enforces the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw, a law that holds owners accountable, avoiding Breed-Specific laws and takes a more individual approach. Calgary also educates the public on how to safely respond and recognize dog behavior. Like the “Wise Whiskers” campaign, designed to educate fifth and sixth graders – a susceptible and vulnerable demographic to these attacks – on animal behavior. Moreover, there is a national reporting center for dog bite incidents, so the municipality has clear data on what works and what does not.  These combined measures have proven to decrease dog bite incidents, long-term.

So, what can we learn from this? While not all EU countries have the means to enforce the same measures as a city like Calgary. It does prove that focusing more on preventive accountability measures instead of outright banning dog-breeds is most effective in reducing (fatal) dog-bite incidents. Uniform regulations within the EU enforcing these measures are an effective way of lowering the death toll and polarization.