New York Injury Lawyer Blog

The holidays are over and many families found that Santa left a little, furry puppy under their Christmas tree. With new canines in homes across the state, it's a good time to review some facts and safety tips about dog bite accidents in New York and elsewhere. According to the American Humane Association, there are almost 5 million dog bite accidents in the United States every year. Of these accidents, roughly 800,000 require professional medical attention.

Believe it or not, about a quarter of all dig bite accidents involve chained dogs. The sex of the dog also makes a significant difference in the risks of a dog bite incident. More than 90 percent of fatal dog bites involve male dogs. Of these male dogs, nearly 95 percent are not neutered.

Our New York dog bite accident attorneys understand that nearly 70 percent of all these incidents happen on the victim's property. Most victims of dog bites actually know the dog. So while you think you're safe around familiar dogs, it's important to remember that they can strike at any time. Of the injuries sustained in dog bite accidents, over 70 percent of them happen to a victim's extremities, including the hands, legs, feet and arms.

These accidents are quite costly, too! Every year, insurance companies hand out more than a billion dollars for these types of claims every year. There are tons more that are never make it to the insurance agencies too. So the yearly cost is actually estimated to be much higher.

Children are highly vulnerable to dog bite injuries. Our young ones may not fully understand how to safely interact with them. For this reason, they're unable to identify a dog's agitated mood.

Dog Bites and Children:

-About half of all dog bite incidents involved people under the age of 12.

-About half of all dog bite incidents involved people under the age of 10.

-Dog bite rates are significantly higher among children ages 5- to 9-years-old.

-More than 80 percent of dig bite accidents that are treated in emergency rooms involve children who are under the age of 15.

-Nearly 70 percent of the dog bites that occur to children happen to the neck and head.

-Boy children are more likely to be bitten by a dog than girl children.

It's important to teach children how to act with dogs. It's also advised that you never leave a child alone with a dog. Everyone is urged to let a dog be when it's eating or caring for pups. You never want to approach a dog that you don't know. Lastly, if you come across a dog that is unsupervised and unfamiliar, contact the local police or animal control.

Continue reading "Puppies from Santa Increasing Risks for Dog Bite Accidents in New York and Elsewhere" »

Even the friendliest dogs are prone to biting if they are put in the wrong situation. During the holidays, it's a good time to use extra caution in preventing New York dog bite accidents, whether walking on the streets or hosting holiday parties.

Holidays to our pet feels like complete chaos (and sometimes to us, too)! Pets are used to a routine but the holidays can typically expose them to a completely different routine in which eating, exercising, sleeping and protecting the house all gets thrown out of whack.

Changes in normal routines cause immense stress to a dogs psyche.

The Centers for Disease Control Prevention reports that 4.5 million people get bit each year by a dog and about 20% of those victims have to seek medical attention. Potential victims most at risk are children, males, and households that contain a family pet. Children are mostly in danger because they only see pets as playmates, not as life threatening creatures.

The dangers of hosting a holiday party with your canine friend present can be quite serious. A dog's first priority is to protect its family so if there is constantly visitors coming to the house it could be dangerous.

There are some things as a pet owner that you can do in and around the holidays to relieve the stress on your pet. Ehow.com offers the following suggestions to maintain a peaceful environment which can reduce the risk of a dog bite occurring:

-Teach your dog how to react when the doorbell rings or when there is a knock at the door. Practice sitting and staying while a friend helps by ringing the doorbell.

-Keep their eating and exercise routine as normal as possible. Lack of exercise can lead to penned up anxiety and aggression so make sure exercise is a priority everyday.

-If you expect high activity or unfamiliar children in your home put your pet in an isolated place with a bone to chew on somewhere remote in the house.

-Exercise your dog vigorously right before expected company arrives so that they are calmer and more relaxed when the visitors arrive.

-Instruct your guests of dog-related rules like no people food, jumping, excessive barking, etc. Feeding an anxious or aggressive dog can be dangerous and lead to a medical emergency.

Being a responsible pet owner can make a world of difference with an anxious or aggressive pet. Remember that you are responsible for their actions at all times so if you suspect danger remove them from the situation.

Continue reading "Preventing New York dog bites this holiday season" »