(NewsNation) — From economic downturns to inflation, drug shortages to airline delays, the pandemic has often been labeled a convenient scapegoat.
However, when unexpected occurrences like a surge in dog attacks make headlines, the question arises: Is the pandemic truly responsible, or is there more to the story?
Headlines across various news outlets have all carried strikingly similar messages: Dog bites are on the rise, and experts attribute this to the pandemic.
The narrative suggests that people’s routines and behaviors changed during the pandemic, leading to a rise in dog bite incidents.
But upon closer examination of the data, a different picture emerges. Injuries resulting from dog bites have been on a steady upward trajectory for years, even before the pandemic hit.
The numbers tripled consistently over the past two decades, and notably, they also tripled from 2019 to 2020, the year preceding the pandemic’s onset. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that dog bite injuries continued to rise during the pandemic, maintaining a consistent upward trend.
Michael Gould, owner of Hounds Town USA and an expert witness specializing in forensic dog handling with more than 42 years of experience, joined NewsNation’s “On Balance” to discuss the rise in dog bites.
Gould believes that while the pandemic may have played a minor role in altering human-dog interactions due to changes in daily routines, the primary responsibility lies with dog owners themselves.
“The pandemic had an influence slightly because nobody was going out. Young children weren’t going out,” Gould said. “Dogs have to be social, they’re social pack animals. They’re born into a litter of six or eight siblings, and then we as humans take them away from that. And we raised them as human, and we project our human drama into their lives and eventually accidents happen.”
Delving deeper into the data reveals an even more intriguing twist: Pit bulls have emerged as the predominant breed responsible for dog bite incidents, accounting for a staggering 70% of reported cases.
Rottweilers followed at 10%, and German Shepherds at 5%. This pattern is not necessarily pandemic-driven but instead reflects the inherent traits and behaviors of different dog breeds.
While some argue against breed-based blame, Gould advocates for a balanced perspective, acknowledging that certain breeds may have inherent tendencies while stressing the role of responsible ownership.
“Dogs are not psychotic, so they don’t wake up one day at three years old and decide they want to become serial killers,” Gould said. “I’m a big advocate of non-breed discrimination. I am a staunch advocate of owners not understanding what they’re getting themselves into and treating their dogs as though they’re humans and not animals.”