Does Your Child Know How to Respond to Dog Dangers?

If your child ran into an “unfriendly” dog on the way home from school, would he or she know what to do? As Cape Coral injury attorneys, we know how devastating dog bite injuries can be, particularly for a small child.

While we all love our pets, dog bite injuries are more common than many might think. Approximately 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children between 5 and 9 years old are at the greatest risk. With this in mind, it is important to make sure that our children know what to do around unfamiliar dogs.

Below are several important tips from HealthyChildren.org:

  • Do not pet or otherwise disturb a dog or cat that is sleeping or eating.
  • Do not tease or abuse an animal.
  • Never pet an unfamiliar dog or cat.
  • Also, be cautious about touching puppies or kittens within view of their mother.
  • When a child is approached by an unfamiliar dog, he should not run; that can often make the dog aggressive. Instead, he should refrain from making direct eye contact, slowly back away, and avoid sudden movements while still keeping the dog within view.
  • If your child is riding his bike and is being chased by a dog, he should not try to pedal quickly away from it. Rather, he should stop the bike and dismount from it so that the bike is between him and the dog. Before long, the animal may lose interest in a non-moving "target."

The Dellutri Law Group is focused on making bad situations better and putting lives back together. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Cape Coral accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. To learn more about your legal options, contact our experienced Cape Coral injury attorneys for a free consultation.

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