Tips To Reduce Your Risk Of A Dog Bite

In certain situations, an animal attack will be out of your control. For the most part, dog bites occur in domesticated animals that and victims encounter them on an owner’s property, in their own home, or while on a walk. Although they can happen, attacks are generally not the result of a dog running around a neighborhood biting. If you are unfamiliar with animals you may not know how to respond to them or act around them. Learning some safety tips will be helpful considering it is likely you will be in contact with a dog, at some point in your life given their prevalence as pets in America. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, almost 39% of all American households have dogs as pets.

The children and the elderly are the highest risk group for bites. Young children, in specific, who don’t have the capacity to understand threats yet and can act spastic and be loud, make them a vulnerable group for bites. If you have children you need to teach them how to act around dogs so that you can reduce the risk of a traumatic attack incident with your child. In the event that your child is bitten, the help of an experienced Janesville dog bite attack attorney can help you recoup compensation for the incident.

Tips To Reduce Risks Of Dog Bites

The AKC Canine Ambassadors make for great resources to find information about dogs and in particular risk reduction tips.

• Never pet or reach out and touch a dog you are unfamiliar with. It can startle the animal and cause them to bite even if they are not vicious by nature. Always ask the pet owner if it is ok to pet their dog.
• When you pet a dog, go slow and use the flat back of your hand to put near a dog’s snout so they can smell it. Allow them time to adjust, it is never a good idea to grab at a dog’s face until the dog becomes comfortable with you and is in a calm state.
• Always approach dogs slowly, running up on a dog can scare the animal and cause them to defensively bite. This is particularly important for children to understand as their excitement often gets the best of them and charging at an animal is very risky.
• Don’t try to intimidate or tease a dog by poking, growling, or barking at a dog. It is not just unkind, it can cause the dog to react with force.
• Be aware of the dog’s body language. If they are backing away, showing teeth, growling, or raising the hairs on the backs of their necks they are not exhibiting a friendly demeanor.
• Never leave a child with a dog alone.
• Teach your child how to interact safely with the dog. Pulling hair, riding, pulling a tail, bothering him when he is eating or sleeping is all risky behaviors that can trigger the animal.
• Teach your child that a loose dog can be dangerous and needs to be reported to an adult. If they see a dog running about that has no owner, or if they see someone hurting a dog, it is important that they tell a trusted adult.
• Do not bother services animals.
• Socialize and train your dog properly, the Canine Good Citizen Program is a helpful resource for instilling proper canine behavior in dogs.

Do You Need The Help Of An Experienced Illinois Dog Bite Attorney?

Dog bites are traumatic and scary. If you have been bitten by an animal you need to wash your wound immediately and seek medical attention to get it tested. A dog’s saliva has bacteria that can cause a serious infection beyond the flesh wound you are suffering from.

The Alexander J. Smith Law Offices have the Janesville personal injury attorneys you need for effective legal representation. We will fight so that you see your full legal justice after a dog bite attack.

The Janesville serious injury lawyers at Alexander J. Smith Law Offices will help you build a strong personal injury claim to obtain compensation for your damages. Call us today to set up a free consultation at (608) 237-7035 for residents of Wisconsin or (815) 2439686 for residents of Illinois.