From what I've seen, many New Yorkers are dog-crazy. We love to have them as fur babies and we love to engage them when we see them around. But, experts warn that if you see a dog with a red collar, red leash, red harness, or red bandana, you should not immediately approach the dog, as you might normally. Red on a dog can mean several things - but they each warrant caution before approaching. It could mean that the dog is potentially aggressive to strangers - think of it as a stoplight. It could also mean that the dog is a service or emotional support animal that should not be petted. While not every pet parent follows these collar guidelines, to be on the safe side, you should wait until you are able to get clarification from the owner. You should also keep this in mind when it comes to choosing the appropriate color collar for your furry family member. I'll admit, I was today's years old when I found this out myself. Collar colors have different meanings, you can see each of them below.

Here's The Meaning Of Dog Collar Colors

7 Dog Breeds New York State Considers Most Vicious and Dangerous [List]

While New York State does not ban these dog breeds outright, there are certain types of dogs that are labeled as dangerous and can legally be excluded from insurance coverage. New York City's Housing Authority does ban certain dogs outright, including,

Full- or mixed-breed Doberman Pincher, Pit Bull, and Rottweiler dogs of any weight are no longer allowed unless they were registered before January 31, 2010. If they were not registered before January 31, 2010, they must be removed from NYCHA property.

Even though they are considered "man's best friend," the MKP Law Group states that dogs are actually among the top 5 deadliest creatures on earth,

Dogs are the 4th deadliest creature on earth. Looking at the average annual number of worldwide deaths, a Statista report shows dogs cause 35,000 human deaths each year (behind #1 mosquitoes, #2 humans, and #3 snakes).

The New York State Insurance Department issued a statement saying that the following dogs can be excluded by an insurance company from coverage,

Coverage for any injuries to others or property of others caused by certain animals owned by or in the care of the insured will be excluded. This dog liability exclusion is added to exclude the following types of pure bred dogs:

1. Pit Bulls (American Staffordshire Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, or Staffordshire Bull Terriers)

Photo by Duncan Sanchez on Unsplash
Photo by Duncan Sanchez on Unsplash
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2. Doberman Pinschers

Photo by Anna Deli on Unsplash
Photo by Anna Deli on Unsplash
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3. Rottweilers

Photo by Alan Meraz on Unsplash
Photo by Alan Meraz on Unsplash
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4. Chows

Photo by Wai Siew on Unsplash
Photo by Wai Siew on Unsplash
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5. Presa Canarios

Photo by Damir Spanic on Unsplash
Photo by Damir Spanic on Unsplash
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6. Wolves

Photo by Guillaume Archambault on Unsplash
Photo by Guillaume Archambault on Unsplash
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7. Attack Dogs (Any Breed)

Or any dog trained to attack or fight,

Dogs that have been trained to attack persons, property or other animals;

dogs that have been trained guard persons or property;

any dog used in any manner, as a fighting dog or bred specifically for fighting;

any dog with a prior history of biting or attacking persons, property or other animals as established through insurance claims records, or through the records of local public safety, law enforcement or other similar regulatory agency.

Photo by Nick Bolton on Unsplash
Photo by Nick Bolton on Unsplash
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Many people who own these breeds of dogs will testify that their dog is friendly and has never threatened anyone, so this article is not to villanize any particular dog breed.

The Top 5 Fatal Dog Breeds are:
1. Pit bull - 284 (65.6%)
2. Rottweiler - 45 (10.4%)
3. German shepherd - 20 (4.6%)
4. Mixed-breed - 17 (3.9%)
5. American bulldog - 15 (3.5%)

According to data from 2005 - 2017 via the MKP Law Group 

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