The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and veterinarians around the country are participating in National Dog Bite Prevention Week from May 20-26.
Studies reveal that 4.7 million people in this country are bitten by dogs every year, children are by far the most common victims, 800,000 Americans receive medical attention for dog bites each year, most dog bites affecting young children occur during everyday activities and while interacting with familiar dogs, and senior citizens are the second most common dog bite victims.
Animal bites are public health concerns! From the risk of Rabies (which has been documented in Summit County) to bacterial infections, bites are a big, big deal.
Two of the best ways that you can help are to:
- Socialize your dog to all sorts of situations: kids, seniors, noisy places, unfamiliar places, etc.
- Teach children that ALL dogs can bite and to not approach dogs that they do not know.
To learn more about why dog bites (and cat bites, for that matter) are such a big deal, what steps to take in the short term if there is a bite, and what you can do to be a part of the solution, visit the AVMA’s Dog Bite Prevention fact page.
