Spike In Dog Bites Calls For Greater Awareness

A recent analysis of dog bites over a 15-year period has confirmed that the number of dog bites in the US has actually increased. According to the study results which were published in the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, between 1993 and 2008, the number of hospital visits resulting from dog bites increased by 100% from 5,100 in 1993 to 9,500 in 2008.

According to the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, an average of 4.5 million dog bites occur every year. In 2008, an average of 866 people were injured in canine bites, and these injuries were serious enough for the person to be taken to the emergency room. Approximately a quarter of these bites involved children and teenagers. Out of these, 26 patients had to be hospitalized.

So, what is behind this increase in dog attacks nationwide? The obvious answer is the increase in the human and canine population. However, this increase is not being blamed entirely on population factors. According to the experts, only a small part of this increase has to do with population factors during this period of time. The researchers however don't have many answers about the cause of the increase.

In 2007, a study found that most bites involved a scared or hurt dog. Other bites involve dogs who had been disturbed while resting or sleeping. Dogs were also more likely to bite when they had a toy, food or something valuable that they want to protect. What was more concerning was that most of the dogs in the study had been spayed or neutered, and more than 50% had gone through obedience training. California dog bite attorneys and dog experts typically recommend fixing (staying or neutering), dog obedience training and socialization as ways to prevent unprovoked bites. The study shows that police training and spaying/neutering cannot guarantee against an attack.

Federal data from 2008 shows that dog attacks are a bigger problem in the rural areas than in the city. People living in rural areas made four times as many hospital visits for dog bites than people living in urban areas. Besides, people living in rural areas involved in a dog bite were more likely to suffer serious injuries, and end with a higher chance of having to be hospitalized.

Not surprisingly, most of these attacks in the US involve children. Children are at the highest risk of getting bitten, and most of these attacks involve dogs that are known to the child. This could include either a family pet, or neighbor's or friend's dog. In many of these cases, California dog bite attorneys see that there that these bites are caused when the child is trying to pet or hug the dog. Most of these bites therefore, can be prevented through education and awareness. There is a strong need for more dog bite safety education targeting children.