Map of life expectancy at birth from Global Education Project.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Man bites dog

Specifically, that would be U.S. Postal Service public affairs officer Mark Saunders. Well, only metaphorically. He writes to remind us that it's not a myth or a funny cartoon scenario: 5,581 postal employees were attacked by dogs last year. That may sound like a lot but it's only a bit more than 1/1,000th of the 4.5 million people who were bitten by dogs in the U.S., half of them children. Sayeth the CDC,885,000 people required medical attention for dog bites, and 27,000 people needed reconstructive surgery.

We don't like to acknowledge this because most people love dogs and feel like their dogs love them. They probably do, whatever that means to  dog, but they're still wolves and they are also dangerous. Most people do not take this seriously. From CDC:


  • Spay/neuter your dog (this often reduces aggressive tendencies).
  • Never leave infants or young children alone with a dog. Seriously folks -- not a joke! You could really, really regret it. No matter how well you think you now Fluffy.
  • Don’t play aggressive games with your dog (e.g., wrestling).
  • Properly socialize and train any dog entering your household. Teach the dog submissive behaviors (e.g., rolling over to expose the abdomen and giving up food without growling).
  • Immediately seek professional advice (e.g., from veterinarians, animal behaviorists, or responsible trainers) if the dog develops aggressive or undesirable behaviors.

Teach children basic safety tips and review them regularly:

  • Do not approach an unfamiliar dog.
  • Do not run from a dog or scream.
  • Remain motionless (e.g., "be still like a tree") when approached by an unfamiliar dog.
  • If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and be still.
  • Do not play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.
  • Immediately report stray dogs or dogs displaying unusual behavior to an adult.
  • Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.
  • Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
  • Do not pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.
  • If bitten, immediately report the bite to an adult.

 

6 comments:

Don Quixote said...

Well, Ziggy and Rocky take issue with this post! Many dogs are utterly trustworthy with humans. Some of that stuff is nonsense--avoiding direct eye contact, for example: a well-trained dog looks away first. Therapy dogs are hugged by many millions of kids and grownups with only positive consequences. Etc., etc.

Don Quixote said...

P.S. Cervantes, I bet if we took all the guns in the USA away from everybody (cops included, soldiers included), and replaced each gun with a dog, there would be a lot fewer deaths, accidental injuries, and domestic violence incidents. But there would probably be a marked increase in LOVE!

Don Quixote said...

P.S. Cervantes, I bet if we took all the guns in the USA away from everybody (cops included, soldiers included), and replaced each gun with a dog, there would be a lot fewer deaths, accidental injuries, and domestic violence incidents. But there would probably be a marked increase in LOVE!

Don Quixote said...

Hmm, haven't mastered this "publish your comment" thing :-)

Cervantes said...

Well, the thing is, not all dogs are Riggy and Zocky, nor are they well-trained; and even R&Z might react unpredictably to a stranger some day. I've been bitten by dogs quite severely, twice in my life, and both of them were the pets of friends and neighbors. Horrible things have happened to lots of children. It's worth pointing out how to be a responsible dog owner.

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