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to the "POINTER VIEW"April 26, 2002
Return
to the "POINTER VIEW"
April
26, 2002
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A biting reminder about animals and children
Dog bites are a major public health hazard in the U.S. today.
According to the Center for Disease Control there are over one million dog bites reported every year and experts estimate that’s only a small percentage of the bites that occur.
According to Melissa Veraldo, the Animal Control Officer for the City of Newburgh, most dogs bite family members, friends and relatives.
"It’s rare for an owner to run to the police department and say, ‘Look, my dog just bit me. I want a record on file about this incident,’" Veraldo said.
Still, she continued, there are approximately four to five bites reported weekly in her district alone.
And the problem is closer than you think. Recently a West Point community member’s daughter was severely bitten by a dog she was very familiar with and a breed not known for aggression.
"Breed doesn’t determine whether a dog is prone to bite," Veraldo said. "It could be one of the gentlest breeds around and still bite or one of the nastiest breeds around and gentle as a pussycat."
Theoretically, there are over 10 million dog bites a year in the U.S. alone. But does that mean cities are full of mean, aggressive dogs?
"No. Dogs that bite are generally loving, sweet, adorable, affectionate, obedient and wonderful 99 percent of the time," Veraldo explained. "It’s that 1 percent of the time when something out of the ordinary makes the dog bite."
That extraordinary circumstance could be as simple as a painful spot on the dog’s body that you touch or as complex as animal abuse. In order to help you and your dog avoid becoming a statistic, we are going to discuss the causes of dog bites and what you can do right now to prevent it from ever happening to you.
One major cause of biting is due to lack of socialization in the early stages of a dog’s life. Lack of socialization results in fearful or aggressive behavior.
"The two major reactions a dog has to something it is afraid of is to avoid it or to act aggressive in an attempt to make it go away," Veraldo explained. "This is the most common cause of children being bitten. Dogs that are not brought up around children might bite them."
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officials, one of the best ways to keep your children safe is to teach them to never just run up to strange animals.
"Many parents don’t think twice about letting their children run up to a dog on a leash," ASPCA officials said. "And sometimes that’s a most dangerous situation."
A dog on a leash may feel trapped and threatened by a child running noisily towards it and could react aggressively, officials explained.
Another thing parents can do -- and teach their children to do -- is recognize dog body postures, they said.
"Dogs often display their state of mind with body language," ASPCA officials said. "By taking careful note of ear position, tail carriage and body weight distribution, you can usually tell whether the animal is relaxed or fearful."
For example, an animal whose ears are down and tail is tucked is not a good one to approach, while an animal with a relaxed body, wagging tail and perked ears should be okay.
But, they added, the first rule of safety is to ask the owner, something Veraldo agrees with wholeheartedly.
"If your child wants to pet a dog on a leash or a dog in a yard, ask the owner if it’s okay," she explained.
Veraldo said parents should always use common sense even if the owner said the animal is gentle.
"If the dog is barking excessively or jumping at the child, don’t let them go near it," she said. "Sometimes the owners don’t even know whether their animals are okay around children, and you don’t want your child to be the test case."
The following are some tips for children from the ASPCA:
n Never approach a strange dog.
n Stand still if a strange dog approaches you.
n Never pet or touch someone else’s dog without asking permission first.
n Never run or scream if you have been approached by a strange dog.
n Never put your face close to a dog’s face.
n Never try and take a bone or food from a dog.
n Never go near a dog when it is eating or sleeping.
n Never pull a ball from a dog’s mouth, wait for the animal to drop it.
n Never play tug-of-war with a dog.
n If someone gives you permission to pet their dog, always extend your hand slowly, keeping your fingers tucked way in.
"Dogs that are properly socialized and well-treated and children that are well-educated about animals can have wonderful times together," Veraldo said.
She said parents must play an important part in helping this friendship to develop.
"Before people buy or adopt a dog, they should find out all they can about the breed or background of the animal and take a few days to consider whether this is the right choice for their environment," Veraldo explained.
Parents must also teach their children to respect and love the new family member.
"Dogs who are brought up in a loving and caring environment tend to give love back," she said. "Children that pull ears or tails and hit animals with toys generally create one of the hundreds of animals that become a bite statistic."
Finally, she said, it’s owners who are the real responsible party in all this.
"If you know your dog is aggressive, you should walk it with a muzzle in place and post ‘beware of dog’ signs on your property," Veraldo said. "Owners who do not take these steps are liable when their animal hurts someone."
Editor’s note: The dog featured above is Ranger, a City of Newburgh K-9, handled by Officer Jay Albrechtsen.
