National Dog Bite Prevention Week

This week, May 20th - May 26th, is a national dog bite prevention week. During this week dog owners and their neighbors are paying a closer attention to their dogs’ behavior. Every year more than 4.7 million people become the victims of dog bites, mostly young kids, and the outcome can be lethal.

Here are some thoughts on keeping everyone safe, and happy.

What you can do to prevent dog bites.

Choose breeds that are less violent.

Puppies are cute, and sometimes we forget that a puppy is not a toy, but a responsibility. When adopting a puppy, assure that you will be able to train and control the adult dog. Some dogs, such as Pit Bulls, tend to be more violent, and require special training.

Train your dog properly.

If you own a large dog, it is more important to train it properly. Large dogs tend to scare small children more than small dogs. Buy a training book, take the dog to a training school, and make sure that it understands and responds to your commands. Dogs like to play, no matter their size, and sometimes they may not
understand that their fun can injure someone. Teach your dog to respond to your commands immediately; one of these commands may save somebody’s life.

Keep your dog healthy.

Do not forget to feed and play with your dog, and give your dog plenty of exercise. Take your dog to a vet regularly. Spend some quality time with Fido. A healthy dog is a happy dog, and happy dogs do not tend to bite.

Be cautious around strange dogs.

Do not try to play with a strange dog. Always ask the owner’s permission, and teach your children to do the same. Children are the most common victims of the dog bites, and often it happens because they may not know how to behave around dogs.

Do to leave your baby or a small child alone with a dog.

The situation may be dangerous. Small children may hurt the dog, and the lovely pet may react violently. Watch your children at all times, especially with a big dog nearby.

What to do if a dog bites you.

Get needed medical attention. If you do not initially know who owns the dog, try to find out from neighbors. If you know the owner’s identity, ask the owner for the name and contact information for their homeowner’s insurance company. You can tell them that usually these insurers will pay medical bills. Ask the owner if the dog has been vaccinated and has a rabies license. Contact the veterinarian clinic to validate the rabies license. Call an attorney as soon as you can to get additional legal advice.

How an attorney can help you.

You have the right to be compensated. This includes money to pay medical bills, and additional money for any pain, suffering, disruption of your life, scarring, and other “negative” consequences of being bitten. An attorney will be able to provide a realistic evaluation of your claims, and will always be able to secure more for you, even after any fee is deducted, than you can obtain on your own. Insurance companies do not want to pay you. Having an attorney will place you in a much better position to recover compensation than if you attempt to represent yourself.