The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has some startling information about dog bites in the United States, but one that stands among the rest is that dog bite injuries affect more children each year than mumps, whooping cough and measles combined. According to the CDC, of these cases of dog bite injuries each year, 26% of all children who are bitten by dogs require medical attention.
Children are much more likely than adults to get bitten by dogs and the largest population group that experiences these injuries are boys from 5 years of age to 9 years of age. The most common area that a child is bitten is the face, neck and head.
So, what are parents to do? There are vaccines for mumps, whooping cough, and measles, but no vaccine for the neighborhood dog. Parents should take the following steps to keep their children safe;
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Teach your child to avoid strange dogs that they have not met before.
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Remind your child that dogs do not like to be startled and that if they are approaching an animal to pet her/him they should approach in a gentle manner and in a way that the dog can see them approaching.
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Talk to your child about not approaching a dog unless and until the owner allows it.
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Children should not approach dogs if they are not on a leash.
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Your child should not stick her/his fingers through a fence to pet a dog. While this can be tempting to a child, it can be agitating to the animal.
If you are teaching your child proper safety when they are around dogs and other animals they should be safe. While accidents do happen, when all are taking the proper precautions we can live safely with animals and avoid any Connecticut dog bite injuries.
Dog bites cost upwards of $1 billion per year and can be costly both financially, physically, and emotionally to those involved. If you or a loved one is bitten you should not hesitate to seek compensation for your injuries and an attorney can help you with that. Contact our office and speak with an experienced attorney today to discuss your options.
