Dog Bite Prevention Week
Posted by James Calihan on 22 May 2015
As we come to a close in 2015’s bite prevention week, May 17th-23 #dogbiteprevention, I thought it was important to point out how real, and ultimately avoidable this is.
According to CNBC, “Dog bites and other canine-related injuries accounted for $530 million in homeowner’s insurance liability claim payments last year—more than one-third of total U.S. homeowner claim payouts, according to an analysis by the Insurance Information Institute. While total dog bite claims fell nearly 5 percent from 2013, the average cost per claim jumped 15 percent.
Going back to 2003, claims have dropped 2 percent, but cost per claim has soared 67 percent”
The good news is the number of claims has dropped, this is excellent considering that dog ownership has increased dramatically from 2003 to 2015, but the cost is just crazy.
And it’s not just the cost financially, dog bites result in emotional expenses. Does the dog get put up for adoption, carrying around the stigma of a bite or worse; does it get put down?
Dog bites can happen for a myriad of reasons, one that Pet Health Academy would like to mention is when a dog is injured. I don’t care how much trust you have with your dog, when they are in pain and you unintentionally inflict more just by trying to help, you will get bit.
That lovely picture above is of a client of mine. His dog sustained an injury, he went to check it out before muzzling his dog and he sustained this lovely lip souvenir. While it’s nice to be able to remember your pup for the rest of your life every time you look in the mirror, this is not the way I would go about it.
If you share your lives with dogs, don’t wait until bite prevention week to learn how to prevent them. Learn the signs, teach children how to be appropriate around pups, and when your dog is injured, learn how to build a muzzle. #getcertifiednow.