Dogs seem like man’s best friend, but it is important to teach your children to be careful around them. Children are more likely to be inflicted with a dog bite than adults. It is important to know the facts to help protect your children from a serious dog bite injury. If your child is injured by a dog attack or bite, seek medical attention for them immediately.
Statistics
According to the American Medical Association, dog bites are the second leading cause of childhood injury. With children, over 50% of all incidents occured with dogs owned by immediate family. Just being familiar with the dog does not protect you from being attacked. In a study presented in the Journal of Pediatric Study, 39% of all trauma cases studied were caused by a pitbull. The most common places for serious injury from bites among children include face, neck, and genitals. Lacerations to the face and limbs are also common. The median age for children injured by dogs in the study was 5 years old, with ages ranging from 2 months to 17 years. Male children are more likely to be injured by a dog; and male dogs are more likely to attack. Dogs under the age of 6 are more likely to attack people. According to the CDC, a chained up dog is 2.8 times more likely to bite than an unchained dog
Attack Prevention
It is important to teach your children about safe practices with dogs. Teach children appropriate ways to interact with animals. They should be taught how identify an animal they should avoid, including stray or wild animals. Tell your children to ask the owner’s permission before petting a dog.
Never leave an infant alone with a dog, even your own. Spay/neuter your dog, which can reduce the chance of an attack by up to 3 times. Take the time to train your dog to behave and be social around people. Keep your dog on a leash when outdoors.
For over 25 years, we have been assisting people in the New York/New Jersey area with injury cases of all shapes and sizes; from Auto Accidents to Dog Bites. D’Agostino & Associates, P.C., and its affiliates do not provide legal advice by articles. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for legal advice. Call 1-888-245-2924 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys. Bite Back with D’Agostino & Associates, P.C.
