Helping to prevent dog bites

Did you know that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are over 4.7 million people each year in the United States who are bitten by a dog? Approximately 20% of those — which works out to be approximately 885,000 people a year— end up having to seek medical attention, with approximately 386,000 requiring an ER visit. A very, very small pecentage actually can be fatal (16 out of 4.7 million).

Despite these large numbers, remember that dog bites are PREVENTABLE! First of all, the more dogs you have, the more likely you are to be bitten by dogs. Adults with two or more dogs are 5X more likely to be bitten than those without dogs in their homes! Also, young children (ages 5-9 years old) are at the highest risk of being bitten (because they run and chase dogs), followed by adult males (no comment!).

While you may think it's only bad breed dogs that bite (like pit bulls, Rottweilers, etc.), know that the American Veterinary Medical Association says there’s little scientific evidence to support that claim... and in fact, recent studies (in Colorado) have shown that the top biting dog is the Chihuahua!

For a list of safety tips for children as well as things clients should consider before getting a dog, visit cdc.gov to download a fact sheet on how to prevent dog bites!