Dog Bite Prevention Tips

An estimated 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs each year, with 800,000 individuals-half of them children-requiring medical treatment. Most of these injuries can be prevented with responsible pet ownership and appropriate behavior around dogs, say the American Veterinary Medical Association, the United States Postal Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In an effort to help parents educate their children about basic safety around dogs during this annual awareness-raising event, the ASPCA offers the following tips:

• Children should not approach, touch or play with any dog who is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies.
• Children should not pet unfamiliar dogs without asking permission from the dog’s guardian first. If the guardian says it is okay, the child should first let the dog sniff his closed hand.
• If a child sees a dog off-leash outside, he should tell an adult immediately.
• If a loose dog comes near a child, she should not run or scream. Instead, she should avoid eye contact with the animal and stand very still, like a tree, until the animal moves away.