Articles Posted in Dog Bite Injuries

In just a 9-day time span, two Florida toddlers have lost their lives because the family pet suddenly attacked them in separate vicious, unexplainable attacks.

A pet 8-year-old male Weimeraner bit Liam Perk, a two-year-old from Cape Coral, on the neck on December 22nd. Tragically, the boy died after being rushed to the hospital for treatment. The dog, which by all reports was a well-behaved, indoor pet, bit Liam as he walked past the animal. On December 13, 2009, a 20-month old boy, Dallas Walters, was killed in New Port Richey, Florida, after being mauled by his aunt’s pet Rottweiler inside her residence. In Liam’s case, although the story reported by the AP Wire services and picked up around the country stated the dog apparently attacked without provocation, there are those that feel that is unlikely.

Lee County Chief of Animal Services, Adam Leath, seems to be of the belief that there must have been something Liam did to cause the dog to turn on him. “Animals will react in a fight or flight response depending on the circumstances,” Leath told the Fort Myers News-Press. There are still other experts in the field of animal behavior who feel that even the most mild mannered, well trained dogs will lash out if they feel they are being mistreated, attacked or provoked to fight for their lives. Patrick Logue, an advanced dog behavioral therapist and trainer, adds this advice.” Dogs use body language and vocal tones to communicate,” he said. “You want to make sure kids don’t play too rough with a dog, even if they’re having a good time. A dog might nip at a child even if it’s playing because that’s how a dog communicates.” We have all heard stories about young children who will playfully pull a dog’s ears or tail, and the dog may go years, or even its entire lifetime, seemingly unfazed by that type of treatment. But the fact of the matter is it may not take much to cause the dog to snap back, or worse.

Dog bites and attacks are in the news again in Ft. Myers, FL. On August 6, 2009 the Ft. Myers Police responded to a call where a Pit Bull inflicted serious injury on a 5-year-old child. The dog had just been purchased the day before and has been turned over the Animal Control Services. Before and after purchasing a dog you should be informed. Look at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) web site http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Dog-Bites/biteprevention.html

for helpful information that may prevent more dog bites from happening.

The United States has almost 75 million dogs, including many that bite people. According to the CDC each American has a 1 in 50 chance of getting bitten by a dog in any given year. During an average year, 4.5 million dog bites occur in the USA and more than three-quarters of a million people require medical care.

Each year, more than 4.7 million people are the victims of dog bites, and over 800,000 require serious medical attention. Those at the highest risk are children between the ages of 5 and 9, and there are an average of a dozen deaths annually. Sadly, these incidents are largely preventable through the responsible ownership and proper training of dogs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, (AVMA).

Part of the problem is the belief that only so-called “aggressive” breeds of dogs are likely to attack and bite a person. In fact, there is little scientific evidence to support that claim, and even the most loveable appearing dogs may actually be the ones to attack. The bottom line is that whether it is a pit bull or a poodle, safety and caution remain the rule when one is near a dog of any kind.

Florida personal injury lawyers are vigilant in cautioning people who may be at risk of serious dog bites, and urge the use of some preventative measures to ensure their safety. Since children are most often the victims of dog bite attacks, it is recommended you should NEVER leave an infant or young child alone or unsupervised around dogs. Kids need to be taught how to properly behave around not only strange dogs, but their own pets as well. Sudden movements, disturbing a dog that is sleeping, caring for their pups or eating can result in startling the animal, and triggering its natural protective mode. Other tips include never running past a strange dog, or attempting to pet it while reaching through or over a fence. Dogs are naturally inquisitive, and will approach humans to initially determine whether they pose a threat. Even though their tail may be wagging and the dog appears friendly, it is advised that you remain still while the dog investigates you by sniffing your scent.

Dog bites and dog attacks in Southwest Florida made news again this week when Cape Coral authorities announced they were searching for two Rottweilers that attacked a 74-year-old man walking his two Schnauzers.

The dogs have not been located, making it likely the man will have to undergo a 30-day period of rabies shots at a cost of $1,500 unless the dogs can be quarantined for 10 days, according to an article in The News-Press of Fort Myers.

The dogs apparently attacked the man on Nov. 6 as he was walking his mini-Schnauzers at 10:30 p.m. They carried off one of the small dogs and the man was knocked down and bit on the left hand and leg while retrieving his pet.

While many of us have loving pets that are like members of the family – nationwide, more than 1,000 people each day suffer dog bites serious enough to visit the emergency room and three times that number require some lesser form of medical attention, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Being a dog owner also comes with responsibilities. If you or someone you love is bitten by a dog, there may be things you can do to protect your rights.
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