Dog Bite Prevention
by Lesli Richardson

May 20-26, 2001, is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. The CDC in Atlanta estimates over 4.7 MILLION people are bit ever year, with over 2,000 of those being mail carriers. An average of 700,000 people are bitten severely enough to send them for medical treatment. An average of 15 dog attacks every year are fatal, with more than 300 deaths since 1979.

Is it the dog's fault?

Absolutely not. It's the fault of the owner who failed to properly restrain, train, and socialize their dog. After a well-publicized death in San Francisco earlier this year, many are calling for breed bans on "vicious" dogs. The problem is, breed bans don't work. They may restrict or prevent "notorious" breeds, but the people who are usually the irresponsible owners of vicious dogs will simply switch breeds to get around the ban. People (and dogs) who will suffer are owners of gentle pet animals that have never shown an ounce of aggression. Plus breed bans don't impact those small dogs who are repeat biters, but because they inflict less damage, the victims (usually owners or household members) may never seek medical attention and therefore go unreported.

What can you do to prevent dog bites? Spay/neuter your dog. Unaltered animals are three times more likely to bite than unaltered ones. Restrain your dog - in a house, kennel, or securely fenced area. Train your dog - teach your dog respect for humans and make sure they know their place in the pack order is submissive to humans. Never play "fight" games with your dog; they can't recognize real from play. If your dog shows aggressive tendencies, seek professional assistance immediately, and never allow questionable dogs to go unrestrained. Teach children NEVER to pet a strange dog, and to ALWAYS make sure a dog knows you are there and acknowledges you before petting.

If threatened by a dog there are a few strategies you can use: DON'T run! This will activate an aggressive dog's prey drive. Stand still, quiet, and do not make eye contact. (Play "tree.") Once the dog starts to lose interest in you, SLOWLY back away until the dog is out of sight. If attacked, "feed" a dog your jacket, bag, purse, bicycle - anything you can use as a barrier between yourself and the dog. If attacked, fall to the ground, roll up in a ball, and cover your ears with your hands. Try to remain motionless and not scream. If your dog is attacked, do not put yourself between the animals. Use a hose, broom, tree branch - anything you can safely use without putting yourself in harm's way.

If your dog bites someone, regardless of whether it was unprovoked or not, cooperate with authorities investigating the incident. Get witness statements, and voluntarily follow outlined procedures in your community regarding quarantine issues. Make sure your dog is up to date on all inoculations, and keep vet records handy in case of an unfortunate incident.

And don't think that just because you own a "safe" breed that it can't bite - any dog with teeth can bite. Breed doesn't matter. Obviously, larger breeds can do more damage, but every year, thousands of dogs that are "safe" breeds are euthanized because they have bite problems, usually due to poor or no training or abuse.

Educate yourself and your family and respond rather than react to a situation. If you have a problem dog in your neighborhood, go after the owner, not the dog. Ultimately, it is the owner who is responsible for a dog attack. The dog is simply being itself.