HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 78
(By Delegates Anderson, Argento, Azinger, Barker, Beach, Blair,
Border, Butcher, Campbell, Canterbury, Caputo, Cowles, Crosier,
Doyle, Eldridge, Ellem, Ferro, Givens, Hall, Hunt, Hutchins,
Ireland, Klempa, Kominar, Longstreth, Louisos, Manchin,
Marshall, Martin, Michael, Moore, Morgan, Overington, Paxton,
Perdue, Pethtel, Phillips, D. Poling, M. Poling, Porter,
Reynolds, Rodighiero, Romine, Rowan, Shook, Shott, Skaff,
Smith, Stephens, Stowers, Susman, Swartzmiller,
Talbott, Webster, Wells and White)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the
need to update the West Virginia Code to include a definition
of vicious dog and the confinement of such dogs.
Whereas, There currently are 74.8 million dogs in the United
States of America; and
Whereas, A survey by the National Center for Disease Control
and Prevention in Atlanta concluded that dogs bit nearly two
percent of the United States population - more than 4.7 million
people annually. Almost 800,000 bites per year, one out of every
six, are serious enough to require medical attention; and
Whereas, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention
estimates half of all children twelve years of age and under have
been bitten by a dog. According to the American Medical
Association, dog bites are the second leading cause of childhood
injury, surpassing playground accidents; and
Whereas, The median age of patients bitten was fifteen years,
with children, especially boys aged five to nine years, having the highest incident rate; and
Whereas, Approximately twenty people die every year as a result
of a dog attack in the United States. By far, the majority of the
victims are children; and
Whereas, The Center for Disease Control reported that twenty-
five breeds of dogs were involved in two hundred thirty-eight fatal
dog bites from 1979-1998. More than fifty percent of the deaths
for which the breed was known were caused by Pit Bull type dogs and
Rottweilers; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to study the need to update the West Virginia Code to
include a definition of vicious dog and the confinement of such
dogs; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the Regular Session of the Legislature, 2010, on
its findings, conclusions and recommendation, together with drafts
of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.