Dog Bite Procedure
Dogs Are Fantastic Pets
Dogs are loyal companions and bring a great deal of joy to many people, but not every dog is friendly. If a dog isn't yours, or you are not it's handler then you should be respectful of the dog and the wishes of it's handler or owner.
Today, there are about 75 million dogs in the United States. About 4.7 million dog bites are reported each year. That means that about 6.5% of dogs will bite a human seriously enough to be reported. Out of those 4.7 million reported bites, about 800,000 or one out of six is serious enough to require medical attention. That means that, each year 1% of dogs will bite somebody hard enough that they need to go to the hospital. And that is assuming that each dog bite comes from a dog who has never bitten before. Most dogs are well behaved and are not vicious, but people still need to know how to interact with dogs so they stay safe around them and aren't injured by a dog bite. Most bites are not the result of vicious and aggressive dogs, but rather the result of people who are not aware of the boundaries of these animals. Dogs will bite when they feel threatened or scared and they will bite in self-defense.
Dog Bites Are Easy To Avoid
Most dog bites shouldn't happen in the first place. Knowing the limits of dogs and what makes them feel threatened is the best way to prevent them. You should never pet a dog when it is eating or when it is sleeping. Dogs are animals and their first priority is self-preservation. A dog is defenseless when sleeping, so if it is startled it's instinct is to bite. This is a reactionary bite that a dog can not control and doesn't even know is happening. Another step to avoid being bitten is to avoid putting your hands above the head of a dog, especially if you are not familiar with the animal. A dog's neck is a very vulnerable place they will instinctively try to protect it. Putting your hand over a dog's head is something the animal may see as a threat. Another thing that a dog may see as a threat or challenge is direct eye contact. With dogs that you are not familiar with you should avoid direct eye contact because the dog may take it as a challenge. When you interact with a dog that does not belong to you, ask the owner or handler if it is okay to interact with the dog and respect whatever they tell you, even if they tell you "no" or if they ask you to approach the dog in a certain way, you should listen. They know if the dog is well-behaved or not and it is their decision to allow you to interact with their animal. Even smaller dogs can do damage with a bite as there are many forms of bacteria in the mouth of a canine.
Dog Ownership is Responsibility
In most states the owner of a dog is liable if the dog bites. It makes no difference if the dog has no history of biting or how well it is generally behaved. Dog law usually requires that the owner provide monetary compensation to the victim of a dog bite for medical bills and may require that the dog be quarantined or even put down.
What To Do If You Are a Dog Bite Victim
The first thing you need to do if you are a dog bite victim is to identify the dog who bit you and identify the owner. You should make sure that the dog is up-to-date on all it's vaccinations. If the dog isn't, or you were bitten by a dog you can't identify you may want to get a rabies shot although rabies in dogs is not much of a concern now-a-days. If the bite is serious enough, or if you can't identify the dog's owner to find out if it is up-to-date on shots then you will want to go see a doctor. About 1,000 Americans go to the emergency room for dog bites every day. If the bite was to the face or you are concerned with disfigurement then you may choose to see a plastic surgeon, because emergency rooms are not always concerned with aesthetics. If the bite isn't serious enough to get you to go to the hospital then be certain that you clean out the bite with soap at the very least. Hydrogen peroxide is preferable because dogs have a lot of bacteria in their mouths and you want to make sure none of it is transmitted to you. Due to this you shouldn't stitch a dog bite because you may be trapping bacteria underneath your skin. Just bandage the bite and let it heal on its own. Lastly you will want to contact a personal injury attorney or an experienced dog bite lawyer. A lawyer will help to protect your rights and to make sure you receive any money that you are entitled to.
What You Shouldn't Do If Bitten By a Dog
When bitten by a dog you should not discuss any financial issues connected to the dog bite until you have talked with a personal injury attorney. Additionally you should not allow recorded statements or let someone photograph your injury. You can however photograph the bite for your own personal records, but do not let others do the same. Finally you should not discuss the bite with anybody until you have first talked with a personal injury attorney or a dog bite lawyer.
Dogs are loyal companions and bring a great deal of joy to many people, but not every dog is friendly. If a dog isn't yours, or you are not it's handler then you should be respectful of the dog and the wishes of it's handler or owner.
Today, there are about 75 million dogs in the United States. About 4.7 million dog bites are reported each year. That means that about 6.5% of dogs will bite a human seriously enough to be reported. Out of those 4.7 million reported bites, about 800,000 or one out of six is serious enough to require medical attention. That means that, each year 1% of dogs will bite somebody hard enough that they need to go to the hospital. And that is assuming that each dog bite comes from a dog who has never bitten before. Most dogs are well behaved and are not vicious, but people still need to know how to interact with dogs so they stay safe around them and aren't injured by a dog bite. Most bites are not the result of vicious and aggressive dogs, but rather the result of people who are not aware of the boundaries of these animals. Dogs will bite when they feel threatened or scared and they will bite in self-defense.
Dog Bites Are Easy To Avoid
Most dog bites shouldn't happen in the first place. Knowing the limits of dogs and what makes them feel threatened is the best way to prevent them. You should never pet a dog when it is eating or when it is sleeping. Dogs are animals and their first priority is self-preservation. A dog is defenseless when sleeping, so if it is startled it's instinct is to bite. This is a reactionary bite that a dog can not control and doesn't even know is happening. Another step to avoid being bitten is to avoid putting your hands above the head of a dog, especially if you are not familiar with the animal. A dog's neck is a very vulnerable place they will instinctively try to protect it. Putting your hand over a dog's head is something the animal may see as a threat. Another thing that a dog may see as a threat or challenge is direct eye contact. With dogs that you are not familiar with you should avoid direct eye contact because the dog may take it as a challenge. When you interact with a dog that does not belong to you, ask the owner or handler if it is okay to interact with the dog and respect whatever they tell you, even if they tell you "no" or if they ask you to approach the dog in a certain way, you should listen. They know if the dog is well-behaved or not and it is their decision to allow you to interact with their animal. Even smaller dogs can do damage with a bite as there are many forms of bacteria in the mouth of a canine.
Dog Ownership is Responsibility
In most states the owner of a dog is liable if the dog bites. It makes no difference if the dog has no history of biting or how well it is generally behaved. Dog law usually requires that the owner provide monetary compensation to the victim of a dog bite for medical bills and may require that the dog be quarantined or even put down.
What To Do If You Are a Dog Bite Victim
The first thing you need to do if you are a dog bite victim is to identify the dog who bit you and identify the owner. You should make sure that the dog is up-to-date on all it's vaccinations. If the dog isn't, or you were bitten by a dog you can't identify you may want to get a rabies shot although rabies in dogs is not much of a concern now-a-days. If the bite is serious enough, or if you can't identify the dog's owner to find out if it is up-to-date on shots then you will want to go see a doctor. About 1,000 Americans go to the emergency room for dog bites every day. If the bite was to the face or you are concerned with disfigurement then you may choose to see a plastic surgeon, because emergency rooms are not always concerned with aesthetics. If the bite isn't serious enough to get you to go to the hospital then be certain that you clean out the bite with soap at the very least. Hydrogen peroxide is preferable because dogs have a lot of bacteria in their mouths and you want to make sure none of it is transmitted to you. Due to this you shouldn't stitch a dog bite because you may be trapping bacteria underneath your skin. Just bandage the bite and let it heal on its own. Lastly you will want to contact a personal injury attorney or an experienced dog bite lawyer. A lawyer will help to protect your rights and to make sure you receive any money that you are entitled to.
What You Shouldn't Do If Bitten By a Dog
When bitten by a dog you should not discuss any financial issues connected to the dog bite until you have talked with a personal injury attorney. Additionally you should not allow recorded statements or let someone photograph your injury. You can however photograph the bite for your own personal records, but do not let others do the same. Finally you should not discuss the bite with anybody until you have first talked with a personal injury attorney or a dog bite lawyer.
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