Texas Leads Nation in Fatal Dog Attacks in the Last Decade

Does Texas need tougher state dog bite laws and regulations? Should counties have more power to ban specific breeds? What can be done to reduce the number of serious dog bite injuries and dog attack fatalities in Texas?
Many Texas officials have different answers to the above questions, but one fact is for sure: the state of Texas has led the country in fatal dog bite attacks over the past ten years, and hundreds of children and adults visit the emergency room each year for dog bite wound treatment. In addition, a new study has shown that the number of dog bite injuries is directly related to the strictness of local dangerous dog regulations.
Currently, Texas dog bite law specifically prevents cities and counties from outlawing certain types of dogs or restricting certain dog breeds. While other counties in others states have began passing laws protecting citizens from pit bulls and other historically aggressive dogs, Texas has not. Although some people see this law as allowing citizens the freedom of owning whatever kind of dog they want, others believe that the law leads to multiple dog maulings and deaths each year.
Each year, about 885,000 people in the United States visit the doctor regarding a dog bite, and about 30,000 need reconstructive surgery following a dog attack.