Protecting Yourself and Others from Dog Bites

Although unfortunate, being bitten by a dog is one of the most common causes of injury – especially in children. It is important to not only protect your own family from being injured, but it is also necessary to make sure that you have ample insurance to cover any bites that may be inflicted by your own furry friend.

Statistics about Dog Bites

There are some 78 million pet dogs in the United States and according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), 4.5 million people are bitten each year. Of these, 885,000 bites require medical attention and a vast majority are suffered by children who are between the ages of five and nine years old. Similarly, it was documented in 2012 that dog bites made up almost a third of all of the homeowner’s insurance claim dollars that were paid to consumers that year.

Your Own Pet

In order to prevent a claim from being filed against you due to your own pet, it is important to properly train your dog and also teach your family how to play with him or her. It isn’t in an animal’s nature to bite someone, but rough games like tug-of-war can teach your pet aggression and this may lead to bites. It is better to play games such as fetch and teach your dog basic obedience – sit, stay, and heel – than to encourage your dog to be hyperactive or aggressive toward anyone at all.

Someone Else’s Pet

It is also important to remember that you should never attempt to pet a dog you are unfamiliar with, and this is a lesson that should be taught to all children at a very young age. No matter how well-mannered the animal may seem, it may be skittish about being approached by a stranger and bite. You should always ask the dog’s owner before attempting to pet a dog, and you should never try to catch a dog that appears to be a stray. Rather, contact your local animal control or authorities so that trained professionals can help.

Dog Bites – The Numbers

About one fifth of all of the pet dogs in the United States are adopted from shelters, and this increases the likelihood that these pets may be aggressive due to prior abuse or mistreatment. More than 80% of the children who are bitten are bitten by their own pet or a neighbor’s pet, and a good number of these animals were adopted from shelters. 75% of the fatal dog bites that occur are inflicted upon family members or guests on another person’s property, and only 7% of all of the bites that occur are work-related, meaning they were inflicted upon postal workers, meter readers or other personnel.

With all of this information in mind, you should always make sure that your liability insurance is enough to cover any injury that your dog may cause on your property. Similarly, you should always take the time to train your pet to be well-mannered and never assume that a stranger’s dog is friendly.