Dog Bite | Animal Behavior Expert Witness

Richard H. Polsky, Ph.D. CDBC
Los Angeles, California

“Bringing the science of animal behavior to attorneys”

Animal behavior expert on dog bite attacks

Richard H. Polsky, Ph.D. CDBC
Los Angeles, California

“Bringing the science of animal behavior to attorneys”

Dog Bite Injury Blog

A blog for attorneys & dog bite victims by animal behavior expert, Richard Polsky, PhD. The dog bite injury blog was created to report current news about injury caused to people as a result of being attacked by a canine. An animal behavior perspective is used. Stories for inclusion have been carefully chosen based on where the incident happened, the breed of dog involved, the nature of the injurylegal implications, and whether a canine fatality occurred.

Pitbull fatal dog attack

Partial listing of fatal dog attacks, 2024 – 2025

 Oakland California, 53-year-old man mauled by Cane Corso type dogs Three Cane Corso x Neapolitan mastiff-type dogs escaped the backyard of the property of the owner and then dragged the Read More..

Fatal dog attack by Great Dane dog pack in rural CA

The inherent dangers of dog packs and the manner in which they can cause a dog-related human fatality are addressed in other sections of this website. Below, I remind the reader Read More..

Amazon driver killed by German Shepherd & English mastiff

Amazon delivery divers making home deliveries to residential customers are at high-risk of being attacked and bitten by a territorial aggressive dog. Despite this danger, those making policies regarding worker Read More..

October 31, 2022

Texas dog bite animal behavior expert Expert witness

Dog attack kills toddler in Hunt County,Texas

Texas remains one of the American states where fatal dog attacks happen at disproportionately high rates.  Previously, I provided expert commentary on the high rate of fatal dog attacks in Read More..

July 4, 2020

Pit bull kills infant with redirected aggression in Indiana

Another tragic dog bite fatality happened in January 2020 in Lafayette, Indiana. In this instance the victim, a 26-day-old infant, was likely killed because of the dog’s redirected aggression. Circumstances Read More..

February 1, 2020

DNA to identify dogs in fatal dog attack in California

As an animal behaviorist who has testified in criminal proceedings as an expert witness regarding fatal dog attacks, I read with great sadness of the recent fatal dog attack in Read More..

May 6, 2018

Cane Corso fatal dog attack in Italy – Stripping off of clothing

Cane corso fatal dog attacks on people in the United States happen at disproportionately high rates.  I have reviewed some of these instances in previous posts on this website.   Not surprisingly, Read More..

March 29, 2017

Recent fatal dog attack statistics in the United States

Approximately 30-40 fatal dog attacks on people are recorded each year in the United States. Most animal behavior experts believe that the majority of these instances are highly preventable. This Read More..

November 2, 2016

Doberman kills toddler in Michigan while feeding the dog a biscuit

In most instances of adoption of a dog from an animal shelter, most Ph.D. dog bite experts hold the opinion that properly conducted behavioral testing, although questionable, may still be Read More..

Process server in Texas killed by Labrador retriever led dog pack

More people in Texas are killed by dogs than any other state in the United States. In a previous post, I have offered reasons for this which I believe in part may Read More..

June 30, 2016

dog bite expert

Fatal dog attack by pack a stray dogs in Dallas, Texas

A 52-year-old lady was killed in the southern section of Dallas Texas on May 2, 2016 by a pack of stray dogs. The family of the victim is demanding $5 million Read More..

Did coughing trigger a predatory fatal dog attack in California?

The circumstances surrounding a fatal dog attack in California in April, 2016 on a three-day-old infant suggests that the dog’s predatory inclinations may have been at work.  In this fatal dog Read More..

April 24, 2016

Dog bite expert North Carolina

What caused North Carolina fatal dog attack on an elderly lady?

The reasons why some fatal dog bite attacks happen are often not clear.  One such example comes from a recent North Carolina fatal dog attack that happened in March, 2016 in South Read More..

Olympia WA fatal dog attack by pack of pit bulls on 92 y.o. lady

The dangers of the pack of unsupervised pit bulls in the confines of territory exemplified in Olympia WA fatal dog attack   Territorial aggression is a common behavioral trait displayed by many Read More..

Suicide by fatal pit bull dog bite in Michigan?

People contemplating suicide have several options to choose from: hanging, drowning, slashing one’s wrist or by gunshot. Rarely, if ever however, do people commit suicide by throwing themselves “to-the dogs”.  Read More..

March 10, 2016

California dog bite expert

California dog bites fatalities update

California dog bites fatalities: summaries for late 2015 maulings   Below, I summarize three California dog bites fatalities which happened in late 2015. There are common features in all three Read More..

February 4, 2016

Fila Brasileiro fatal dog attack in Canada?

 It is rare that one reads about a Fila Brasileiro fatal dog attack. The likely reason is simple: the breed is not that popular. Unlike other more popular docile mastiff Read More..

February 4, 2016

New Mexico dog bite expert

Animal Behavior / Dog Bite Expert Witness / New York

Dog bite expert witness and animal behavior specialist, Richard Polsky, Ph.D. welcomes inquiries from New York attorneys seeking dog bite expert witness opinion and consultation. Expert services rendered by Dr. Read More..

January 31, 2016

Texas dog bite expert

Additional Texas dog bite fatalities in 2015

  Previously I listed reasons why Texas leads the nation with regard to the number of people killed annually by dogs. One may be the culture of Texas, particularly in rural areas Read More..

December 25, 2015

Texas dog bite expert

Predation likely motive behind fatal dog attack in Texas

  Previously, I’ve noted the occurrence of fatal dog attacks on young children on swings. This probably happens, in part, because a child on a swing is in motion and this kind Read More..

April 21, 2015

Arkansas dog bite expert

Fatal dog attack in Arkansas by pack of pit bulls

    Most animal behaviorists would probably agree that a pack of dogs pose greater risk to public safety than a single dog, particularly if these dogs were untrained, not neutered, Read More..

March 22, 2015

Maryland dog bite expert

Maryland dog bite expert witness | Fatal dog bite

The elderly and the very young are killed by dogs more frequently when compared with other age groups in the United States, according to dog bite expert witness Richard Polsky, Read More..

Fatal dog attacks in the USA: Forecast for 2015

Epidemiological studies indicate that about 30-40 people killed by dogs annually United States and that the victims are usually those who possess limited abilities to defend themselves against a powerful, Read More..

January 5, 2015

California dog bite expert

Guilty verdict in fatal dog attack on 63-year-old woman by pack of dogs in California

Alex Jackson really did not have much of a chance when his case came before jury in California in August 2014.  Jackson was facing charges of second-degree murder for an Read More..

akita dog bite expert

DNA analysis used in Florida deadly dog attack

Six dogs were seized from a home in the Goulds section of Miami  following a deadly dog attack on a four-year-old old boy on August 13, 2014. The incident happened Read More..

Family pit bulls attack and kill six-year-old boy in Florida

The majority of people in United States killed by pit bulls are unfamiliar with the dog.  Exceptions do occur, however.  For example, in 2011 a 32-year-old pregnant woman was killed Read More..

August 8, 2014

Cane Corso dog bite expert

Second-degree murder charges in Cane Corso fatal dog bite in Michigan

Cane Corso’s are large and muscular mastiff type dogs that have developed a reputation for aggression towards people. Cane Corsos have been disproportionately represented in a number of fatal dog Read More..

August 7, 2014

Pitbull fatal dog attack

Family pit bull with no aggressive history kills 59-year-old woman in Ohio

A supposedly non-aggressive, family pit bull mix named Polo, killed a 59-year-old woman in Madison Twp. Ohio in August 2014.  The daughter of the victim, owner of the dog, states Read More..

August 6, 2014

Animal behavior perspective on fatal dog attack in Texas

Research in animal behavior by PhD trained animal behaviorists studying dog behavior have demonstrated the reliability and consistency of aggressive like behaviorof dogs in specified contexts.  For example, in one study, Read More..

April 25, 2014

bull mastiff expert

Fatal dog attack by bull mastiff on 13-year-old boy in New Jersey

Bull mastiffs have inflicted fatal dog bites to people at relatively high rates in the last five years.  I have reported five fatal dog attacks by bull mastiffs:  a fatal Read More..

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