Raising Awareness during National Dog Bite Prevention Week
This May, the week from 16th to 22nd is being commemorated as National Dog Bite Prevention Week. It's the right time to bring attention to the fact that there are more than 4.5 million dog bites occurring annually in the United States.
Dogs have a special place in our hearts as man's best friend. Unfortunately, they're also involved in a large number of attacks and injuries every year. Out of the 4.5 million dog bites that occur on an average every year in the country, an overwhelming majority involve little children. In fact, children make up about 60% of the total number of dog bite victims in the country.
Most dog bites are entirely preventable. You can't completely predict animal behavior, but you can create safe conditions for those who might be at risk of attacks, including visitors to your property, guests, little children etc.
As New Jersey dog bite lawyer, I would like to recommend the following steps for dog owners to prevent animals from being involved in attacks.
- Get your dog spayed or neutered. These dogs are less likely to attack.
- Invest time and resources in training your dog. This isn't an easy process, and it takes great patience to train our dog even to obey simple commands. However, it's worth the effort. A well-trained dog is much less likely to be involved in attacks.
- Socialize your dog. This involves exposing your dog to a variety of people and environments. A dog that's confined within the yard or in your home is more likely to view other human beings as threats. This will make the dog anxious and stressed, and may provoke an attack.
- Invest in getting proper treatment for your dog when he begins to exhibit abnormal behaviors. Don't assume that your dog will simply get over these behaviors. If he suddenly seems anxious, stressed or aggressive, consult an animal behaviorist .
