Methodology & sources
BiteDB is being designed as a source-transparent incident database, not a list assembled from headlines.
Incident inclusion
A record can enter the public database when there is enough source material to identify a distinct incident and support core facts such as date/location and that a bite or attack occurred. Missing details remain unknown.
Deduplication
Articles, police updates, court stories and follow-up reports are attached to the same incident when they describe the same underlying event.
Injury severity
BiteDB preserves source wording and uses a controlled scale: fatal; critical/life-threatening; severe/major; moderate; minor; no physical injury reported; or unknown/insufficient information. It does not infer severity from photographs or sensational language.
Breed attribution
Breed is never identified by BiteDB from appearance alone. Records distinguish official/documented descriptions, owner or witness reports, media descriptions, mixed/unknown labels and conflicts.
Statistics
Raw incident counts are not risk rates. Breed-specific rates require defensible breed-population denominators, consistent case capture and transparent methodology. Geographic comparisons similarly require coverage context.
Corrections
When later official information changes an earlier report, BiteDB will preserve a dated correction trail and update structured fields without erasing the history of the record.
Methodology references
AVMA states predictions about aggressive behavior should not be based solely on breed.
Open source
Discusses limitations in breed identification, unknown bite denominators and incomplete breed population data.
Open source
National historical emergency-department surveillance reference; not used as a current BiteDB incident total.
Open source
Recent local public-health example showing underreporting and missing owner information in dog-bite surveillance.
Open source
Current incident source library
| Date | Record | Source type | Confidence | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-24 | Wellington, KS | Local publication reproducing police notes | Secondary source reproducing police blotter information | Wellington Police Notes: Monday, Aug. 24, 2026 |
| 2026-08-22 | Madison, WI | Police incident report | Primary source | Animal Disturbance — Madison Police Department |
| 2026-08-21 | Miramar, FL | Local news citing police chief | Secondary source with named police attribution | Dog fatally shot while attacking man in Miramar, cops say |
| 2026-08-12 | Opelousas, LA | Police press release republished by local outlet | Police press release reproduced by local outlet; corroborated by KATC and an Aug. 13 police follow-up | OPD Investigating Fatal Dog Attack; Dog Owner Arrested |
| 2026-08-12 | Allentown, PA | Local news citing police | Secondary source citing police | Loose dog bites several people before being shot dead by Allentown officer |
| 2026-08-08 | Falcon area, CO | Sheriff’s office release | Primary source | Update: Off-Duty K9 Styx Involved in Incident; Investigation Underway |
| 2026-06-08 | Nashville, TN | Metropolitan Nashville Police Department media release | Primary law-enforcement release | Woman Seriously Injured in Dog Attack Inside Her Home |
| 2026-05-24 | Santa Monica, CA | Police press release | Primary source | Santa Monica Police Department Provides Update on Downtown Assault |
| 2026-05-14 | Anderson, SC | Local news citing sheriff and coroner | Secondary source with sheriff/coroner attribution | Officials: 5-month-old dies, adult hurt after dog attack in Anderson |
| 2026-04-06 | Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles Police Department preliminary incident release | Primary law-enforcement preliminary release; facts may be updated as investigation evolves | Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation NRF018-26eo |
| 2026-03-19 | Alachua area, FL | Local news citing medical examiner, police and animal resources | Secondary source with official attribution | Medical examiner confirms Alachua County woman died from dog attack |
| 2026-02-18 | Independence, MO | Local news citing Independence Police Department | Secondary source citing police | Man dies in dog attack Wednesday in Independence |
| 2026-01-11 | New York Mills area, MN | Regional newspaper citing sheriff’s office | Secondary source citing sheriff | Officials identify toddler mauled to death by dog in enclosure outside Minnesota home |
| 2025-07-31 | San Bernardino, CA | San Bernardino Police Department release | Primary source | Fatal Dog Attack Under Investigation in San Bernardino — Case 2025-0088901 |