National Dog Bite Prevention week falls on the third week of May. This tradition was started in 2008 by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to bring attention to the ongoing problem of dog bites.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), dogs bit more than 4.7 million Americans last year. Over half of these were children. Experts believe many bites can be avoided with better education. USPS, CDC the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics work together to educate Americans about dog bite prevention.
Prevention tips from these experts include:
- Never leave infants and young kids unattended with a dog even for "just a minute"
- Never approach unfamiliar dogs
- Do not "offer your hand" to a greet a dog. Let him approach you.
- Do not run from or scream at a dog that may attack. This may further agitate the dog and excite the natural chase/prey instinct.
- Avoid direct eye contact.
- Try to remain motionless; if the dog begins to retreat, back away slowly.
- If you are knocked down, curl up face down and protect your head and neck as best possible.
- If bitten, seek medical attention immediatey and report the bite to local Animal Control.
Further prevention tips and responsible dog owner advice can be found on the AVMA Public Health page, and the USPS, CDC and AAP web sites . A podcast by Dr. Bonnie Beaver is also available for download on the AVMA site.
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