Pups, Pit Bulls and Pounds

Although dog attacks on humans have made big news recently, the annual incidence of dog bites is actually on the decline — at least in St. Paul.

Bob Stephenson, head of St. Paul animal control,  told the City Council on Wednesday that since 2001 there have been fewer than 250 dog bites per year. The number of dogs impounded also has dropped in the past four years, dropping below 1,200 a year.

Animal control records going back to 1966 showed that bites were highest in 1971 with a recorded 1,346 bites, five times more than in recent years.

Stephenson estimated that 50 percent of the bite incidents involved licensed pets. “But that’s just an educated guess,” he said.  Council Member Dave Thune suggested that a push to be tougher on licensing.

  Under current practice, animal control officers will issue a warning ticket to purchase a license if they spot unlicensed dogs with their owners. If the owners fail to buy a license, they receive a citation. Owners of impounded, unlicensed pets are charged an extra $50 and are required to purchase a license when their pets are claimed.

The report compared bites by all dogs against bites by pit bulls in the first trimesters of 2007 and 2006. The report also broke the data down by ward. In the 2006 period, pit bulls were responsible for 10 of the 35 bites. In the same period this year, pit bulls caused 15 of the 37 bites. While some victims of dog bites have called for a ban on pit bulls, Minnesota law doesn’t allow bans on specific breeds of dogs.

Find out about licensing your pooch in St. Paul.