Steps to Avoid Dog Bites
As warm weather vacations take people outdoors more often, the Texas Department of State Health Services and the North Richland Hills Animal Adoption & Rescue Center remind people that they can reduce the chances that they, their children or others will be bitten by a dog.
An estimated 400,000 dog bites occur in Texas each year. About 40 percent of severe bite victims are children under age 11, and 20 percent of the people who die from dog bites are over 70.
State and local officials offer these suggestions:
- Spay or neuter a dog to reduce aggression but not protectiveness.
- Spend time with a dog before buying or adopting it. Use caution when bringing a dog into the home of an infant or toddler.
- A dog with a history of aggression is not appropriate in a house with children.
- Train and socialize a puppy early in its life. Do not tolerate or encourage aggressive behavior.
- Never leave infants and young children unsupervised around any dog, even the family pet.
- If you see a pack of dogs running loose or any animal behaving strangely, go inside and call local animal control.
State and local officials also advise teaching children these basic safety precautions:
- Don't go near strange dogs
- Don't surprise or tease a dog that is sleeping, eating, playing with a toy or caring for puppies.
- When you first come near a dog, let the animal see and sniff you. Walk up to the dog from the side, not from the back or directly from the front.
- If a dog acts as if it might bite, stand still. Don't scream or run.
- If a dog attacks, protect yourself with anything you have - backpack, purse, jacket or bicycle. If you are knocked down, try to lie face down or curl up in a ball with your hands over your ears. Be still and quiet until the dog goes away.
If a bite occurs, immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and apply an antiseptic. Contact a physician for care and advice and report the bite to the local animal control agency. In North Richland Hills, bites should be reported to the Animal Adoption & Rescue Center at 817-427-6570.
Responsible pet ownership also is an important part of dog bite prevention. Lillian's Law, House Bill 1355 that took effect September 1, 2007, increased penalties for dog owners who fail to reasonably secure their dogs, resulting in an unprovoked attack on a person and causing serious injury or death. The owner of a dog who injures someone can be charged with a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison. The charge becomes a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison when the injury results in death. The law was named for Lillian Stiles, an East Texas woman killed in her front yard by a pack of dogs.
Pet owners need to be sure that their animals are up to date on required shots. State law requires pet owners to vaccinate their dogs and cats against rabies by the time they are 4 months old. To prevent the spread of rabies, the City of North Richland Hills requires that all pets be current on their rabies vaccines and wearing their rabies tag.
Pet owners should always obey the City's leash law. This law requires that dogs be kept indoors, in a fenced yard, or on a leash at all times. The City does allow dogs to exercise and run off leash at Tipps Canine Hallow Dog Park. For more information about the dog park, click here.
