“Something must have gotten into him”, or “She has never done that before” are probably common statements given by the owner of a dog who has decided to bite either you, or a member of your family. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dog bites happen to around 4.5 million people each year. Interestingly enough, over half of dog-bite injuries occur at or near the home with dogs that are familiar to the person who has been bitten. Studies show that statistically speaking, children between the ages of five and nine are most likely to be bitten, with that happening during daily activities.
Here are some reminders for safety around dogs:
- Do not leave children and dogs together unattended.
- Watch for warning signs that the dog is stressed or fearful. Often a growl and bite are the last signs a dog displays. Before that happens, a dog may exhibit signs such as yawning, licking pips, or avoiding eye contact, “whale eye” or seeing the whites of their eyes, rigid body or fur standing up, smiling, panting, pacing, or attempts to avoid a person or situation.
- When interacting with an unfamiliar dog, make sure to always ask the owner for permission before petting their dog.
- Avoid startling the dog. Move your hand slowly to pet it, speak quietly, and don’t hug or move towards the dog’s neck.
- If you come across a dog that is eating, sleeping, playing with a toy, sitting in a car, tied up in a yard, or sitting behind a fence it’s best to leave it alone.
As one of 90 million people in the world who own a dog, there are some steps you can take to ensure the safety of your family, friends, and neighbors around your four-legged friend:
- Allow your dog to interact often with other animals and people in a controlled setting. Socialization can help your pet get used to being around others.
- Keep your dog on a leash in public places. Consider using a harness if your dog is not leash trained.
- Use a muzzle if necessary.
- If your dog does not behave well around others, be extra cautious about where you go with your dog and other people or animals around you.
- Keep an eye on your dog’s body language. Even if a dog is normally friendly, it can become aggressive in unfamiliar situations. If your dog appears aggressive or fearful (raised hackles, bared teeth, an arched body, a stiff walk, a tail lifted over the back or tucked between the back legs, and ears pricked forward or flattened to the head), remove it from the situation immediately.
- Train your dog. Common commands such as “Stay!” and “Come!” can be extremely useful for controlling your pet in new environments.
- Install a fence in your yard. If you do not have a fence, do not let your dog outside without using a leash.
- Consider spaying or neutering your dog, as this can help reduce aggressive behavior.
If your dog has bitten you or someone else, here’s what should do:
- Encourage medical attention- Even if you think the wound may not be significant, there are a host of issues that can arise, wither immediately or in the future, from an untreated wound.
- Contact your homeowner’s insurance agency- If your dog bites someone and you notify your insurance agent right away, he or she can advise you of any policy-related time limitations. If the bite turns out to be very minor, (for example, costs less than your deductible) you can decide to pay money “out-of-pocket” and skip the insurance paperwork (with the possible subsequent increase in your premium). But if you do not notify your insurance agent or insurance carrier of the event, you may be out of luck when a minor skin injury turns into a non-healing wound.
- File a police report- An owner of a biting pet should, and inevitably, will be held legally and financially accountable for the attack. But the animal’s owner should not have to pay any more than what is legally owed. In today’s “get something for nothing” world, it is not uncommon someone in an accident to try to “milk” the injury into an unjustifiably large settlement while receiving a long period of “disability” payments. An on-site police report can actually be helpful and keep a victim from successfully claiming injuries and complications that could not possibly have been a result of the dog bite. It also proves that the dog owner stayed around to make sure that the victim’s medical needs were documented.
- Maintain vaccination records- This will help you show that your dog is current on vaccinations, and will not need to be taken away from you. Also, knowing where those records are located, will help during an already tense and anxiety-ridden situation.
- Be aware of Montana law related to dog bites and new theories of liability- New legislation and recent court rulings have broadly expanded the liability of owners of biting dogs. Some courts also have been awarding noneconomic damages to dog bite victims, (also called “pain and suffering” awards) which can go well beyond the payment of lost wages and medical care attributable to the bite. Other courts and legislatures are allowing legal claims by spouses of injured victims for bite-related expenses such as days taken off from work to drive the injured to doctor visits.