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Seven Tips to Keep Safe if Attacked by a Dog

Dog-Attacks-image

According to the American Humane Association (AHA), there are about 4.7 million dog bites each year in the U.S, close to 800,000 of which require emergency medical care. Most involve children. In fact, over 80% of the emergency room visits due to dog bites involve children under age 15.

The AHA encourages parents to educate their children with its Kids Interacting with Dogs Safely program.

Florida law states that the owner of a dog that bites a person in a public place is liable for the injuries suffered by the dog bite victim. The dog owner also may be liable if the dog attack occurred on private property, including the property of the owner of the dog. The dog owner is liable for the dog’s behavior, regardless of whether the dog has previously acted viciously.

Let’s say you are enjoying a lovely day in the park when a snarling dog approaches and prepares to lunge at you. What should you do? First of all, keep calm and try to diffuse the situation:

  • Don’t Panic. If you panic and scream, then you may appear more threatening to the dog. That may increase the likelihood of the dog attacking you.
  • Be Still. It may be counterintuitive, but it’s important to stand completely still. Don’t make eye contact (stand sideways and keep an eye on him using your peripheral vision). Don’t wave your arms or kick your legs, all of which could be perceived as threatening to the dog and cause him to lunge. If you ignore the dog, there’s a good chance he will lose interest and leave. First, he may come close and sniff. Stay calm.
  • Don’t run. By running, you’ll only play into the dog’s instinct to chase animals and cause him to become even more excited.
  • Give the dog something to bite (other than you). Give him whatever you have handy… your backpack, baseball cap, water bottle, anything to distract him long enough to get away.
  • Face the dog and sternly say, “back away.” If being still and ignoring him isn’t working and he continues to act in an aggressive, threatening manner, face the dog and firmly direct him to leave, but continue to avoid eye contact.
  • If the dog attacks, fight back. If your efforts to prevent an attack fail, you’re left with no other recourse than to defend yourself. Kick and hit the dog in vulnerable areas, e.g., his throat, nose, head, which may stun him long enough for you to get away. Yell for help as you fight. If you’re not able to break the dog’s grasp, try to use your entire body weight on him, pushing down on him with your knees and elbows. Try straddling the back of the dog and applying pressure to the back of its neck, which may immobilize him until help arrives.
  • Protect your throat and face. These are the most vulnerable and sensitive areas where bites may inflict significant damage.

If you or a loved one has been injured by an animal, it is important to contact a personal injury attorney immediately to protect your rights. The experienced attorneys at The Law Firm of Pajcic & Pajcic will conduct a thorough investigation of all the facts surrounding the incident, and if warranted by the law and evidence, aggressively pursue a claim for money damages on behalf of the injured victim.