Ohioans more likely to be killed by dogs than residents of almost every other state, new study finds

Ohio ranks sixth among the states with the highest odds of a fatal dog attack, according to a recent study from Gamble Mind.

The study analyzed federal mortality data from 2005 through 2023 and found 21 fatal dog attacks in Ohio during that period. Based on the state’s population, that works out to annual odds of about 1 in 10.8 million.

Georgia ranked No. 1 nationally, with 30 fatal dog attacks and annual odds of about 1 in 7.1 million. North Carolina, Arizona, Florida and Michigan rounded out the states ahead of Ohio. Texas ranked seventh, followed by California, Pennsylvania and Illinois. Illinois had the lowest odds of a fatal dog attack among the 10 states with the highest odds, at about 1 in 14.2 million.

California and Texas recorded more fatal dog attacks than Ohio during the study period, with 63 and 54 deaths, respectively. However, their larger populations mean the individual odds of a fatal attack were lower than Ohio’s.

But fatal attacks are only one part of the study.

Gamble Mind also analyzed 2025 dog-bite insurance claims, and Ohio ranked third nationally in that analysis. The state recorded 1,348 claims, or about one claim for every 8,828 residents. That’s 35% higher than the national average.

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The study said, “Every year, tens of thousands of Americans file insurance claims for dog bites alone, and federal mortality data records hundreds of deaths from animal encounters of every kind, from bee stings to bear maulings. Since 1999, animal encounters have killed 6,080 people across the US, an average of one death roughly every 38 hours.

Michigan had the highest odds of a dog-bite insurance claim, at about 1 in 7,073 residents, while Texas had the lowest among the states analyzed, at about 1 in 23,832.

While fatal dog attacks remain rare, dog bites and injuries are much more common across the country. The Insurance Information Institute estimates that about 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs annually in the U.S.

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