National Dog Bite Prevention Week Kicks Off

Rebecca Castell

Contributor

1 CommentPrint ArticleSubscribe

Most people believe that their dog is friendly and would never hurt a soul. Facts, however, prove that dog bites are a significant source of injuries with over 4.7 Million bites occurring each year.

In a recent article, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided the following statistics about dog bites:

Each year, 800,000 Americans seek medical attention for dog bites; half of these are children. Of those injured, 386,000 require treatment in an emergency department and about a dozen die. The rate of dog bite-related injuries is highest for children ages 5 to 9 years, and the rate decreases as children age. Almost two thirds of injuries among children ages four years and younger are to the head or neck region. Injury rates in children are significantly higher for boys than for girls.

In an effort to curtail the annual dog bite cases, the CDC has designated the third week of May as Dog Bite Prevention week. The Center hopes to increase awareness in both dog owners and individuals that come into contact with strange dogs, including children.