Oregon Children Are at Risk of Dog Bite Injuries

Dog attacks can occur at any time. Nationwide, there are nearly 800,000 dog bites every year that require medical attention. The insurance industry pays out over $1 billion a year in dog-bite claims, which are often covered by homeowners' insurance.

Today is Halloween - a time of elevated risk of dog bites. Many children will be venturing out trick-or-treating, walking up to houses they usually don't visit. And many of those houses have dogs.

Children are highly vulnerable to dog attacks. Indeed, fully half of dog bite victims are children under the age of 12. Moreover, 7 out of 10 dog-bite deaths occur among children under 10.

Overall, counting both adults and children, there are about 16 dog bite deaths every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Of course, dog owners often claim that their pets are harmless and wouldn't bite anyone. Too often, that is merely wishful thinking on the owners; part. It does not conform to the fact that dog bites are a frequent form of personal injury.

And it's not as if only pit bulls and Rottweilers and other high-profile breeds are the only ones that bite, either. All types of dogs can bite, even little Chihuahuas.

There are many steps dog owners can take to reduce the risk of dog bites. Those steps start with getting input from veterinarians and other animal care professionals about what type of dog would be appropriate for a given household. One a dog is chosen, it is important to socialize and train it properly. Aggressive behavior toward humans should not be tolerated, especially considering the dog bite statistics cited above.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Dog-Bites/dogbite-factsheet.html