CLEVELAND, Ohio —More than 1,000 dog bites were reported in Cuyahoga County from the start of 2024 through mid-2025, sparking investigations into whether the animals should be deemed “dangerous” or “vicious,” labels that carry strict ownership requirements that often result in an animal being put down.

Beagles, huskies, boxer mixes, terriers and Belgian Malinois have all been involved in recent cases. But one breed continues to dominate the list: pit bulls.

In 2024, pit bulls accounted for 121 of the 735 bites reported to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, about 16% of the total — the highest share of any breed. Labradors followed with 44, bulldog mixes with 42, and German shepherds with 35, according to a Plain Dealer analysis of bite data.

Breed information was missing in 151 cases,

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