I ran across some interesting dog bite statistics earlier this week.  The
information is indirectly related to ferrets, since biting is often brought
up as a reason for banning ferrets.
 
According to an article in the Rochester [NY] Democrat and Chronicle,
attributed in turn to the Los Angeles Times, about 2% of the population is
bitten by dogs *each year*.  About 26% of dog bites in children require
medical attention, and 18 people die from dog bites each year, 60% of them
children under 10.  Last year, State Farm paid out $70 million for liability
claims for dog bites, and $3 million for claims for all other animal
injuries combined.
 
And *ferrets* are a threat to public health?  (I have nothing against dogs.
Why do so many people have something against ferrets?)
 
--
- Pam Greene
Ferret Central <http://www.optics.rochester.edu:8080/users/pgreene/>
            or ftp://ftp.optics.rochester.edu/pub/pgreene/
            or send INDEX FERRET in email to <[log in to unmask]>
[Posted in FML issue 1906]