National Dog Bite Prevention Week Highlights Responsibility

Just last month we wrote about the significant injuries that can result when dogs turn aggressive and attack and bite someone.  The Humane Society of the United States reports, there are over 78 million dogs owned by Americans, with nearly 40% of U.S. homes owning at least one dog as a pet.  Keeping Americans safe from these pets is the focus of National Dog Bite Prevention Week that runs May 20-26.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year.  800,000 people will seek medical attention for the bites, and approximately 386,000 of the injured will require treatment in an emergency department.  These statistics translate to a dog bite occurring every 75 seconds in the U.S. with over 1,000 requiring emergency medical care to treat these injuries daily.  Sadly, about 16 Americans die each year from their dog bite wounds.

In order to educate the public about the dangers of dog attacks, the U.S. Postal Service, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the CDC join together in sponsoring National Dog Bite Prevention Week.

Through its Facebook campaign, the AVMA asks the public to follow these guidelines to keep your family members and others safe from dogs:

• Be a responsible dog owner: keep your dog on a leash when outside; train your dog to obey basic commands; exercise your dog appropriately and keep it healthy and vaccinated; and don’t put your dog in situations where it might be prone to bite.
• Teach children to be safe around dogs: be cautious around strange dogs, and treat your own pet with respect; teach them not to approach strange dogs or try to pet dogs through fences; and teach children to ask permission from the dog’s owner before petting the dog.
• NEVER leave a baby or small child alone with a dog.

DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims’ group dedicated to reducing and preventing serious dog attacks, reports that victims of serious dog attacks may require up to one million dollars of specialized medical care treatment. Multiple reconstructive surgeries over a period of years may be necessary to alleviate the pain and to rebuild damage.

Pennsylvania law protects victims of dog bite injuries.  A dog bite victim should not have to pay for their own medical care.  If you are the victim of a dog bite injury, contact a Pennsylvania dog bite attorney to find out if you are eligible for compensation.  Dog owners can be held liable for injuries caused by their dogs.

Our Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys ask that all dog owners throughout the state take appropriate measures to prevent others from being attacked and bitten by your dog.  We also ask everyone to be cautious when encountering an unknown dog.

Contact Our Dog Bite Injury Lawyers

The Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers at Munley Law make it a point to help those who have been wronged.  Our goal is to provide exceptional legal services to our clients. We strive to achieve the highest standard of excellence for the protection of individual rights through team work and the use of our considerable resources and experience.

The law firm of Munley, Munley & Cartwright has substantial experience in the handling of dog bite claims.  If you have been bitten or attacked by a dog and feel you may have sustained an injury, contact us online for a free consultation or call us now, toll free, at 1-800-318-LAW1. We can help.