Special to The Star-Herald
My seven-year-old daughter had basketball at the rec center last night. After the children got done their game, it was time for the dog obedience class. I was shocked to see children running up to the dogs and bending down in their faces to pet them. I guess it is a natural instinct in children to want to pet dogs and be interested in them. I had to remind even my own children to ask permission of the owner and the dog before you pet anyone’s dog, that the dog is a stranger, it may be scared. A bite can happen so quickly and nobody wants their child or their dog set up for such an incident.
Every year approximately 800,000 Americans seek medical attention for dog bite, and of those, half are children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Frightening. The risk for children is greatest for children ages 5-9. It is important that we teach our children how to appropriately approach a dog, when to leave a dog alone, and how to prevent being bitten. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention give us the following tips to being safe:
• Teach children basic safety around dogs and review regularly.
• Do not approach an unfamiliar dog.
• Do not run from a dog and scream.
• Remain motionless (“be still like a tree”) when approached by an unfamiliar dog.
• If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still (“be still like a log”).
• Do not play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.
• Immediately report stray dogs or dogs displaying unusual behavior to an adult.
• Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.
• Do not disturb a dog who is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
• Do not pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.
• If bitten, immediately report the bite to an adult.
These tips are not only good to teach children, but also to know as an adult. I have seen it with my own eyes, adults who have no clue that they are about to be bitten, just by their actions and their own behavior.
The Central Aroostook Humane Society is determined to help reduce the risk of children being bitten through education. We would like to speak to any group who is interested in learning more about dog bite prevention. This program is free. This is a huge part of who we are and what we do. For more information or to schedule a visit from a representative, please call the shelter at 764-3441.
In continuing to strive for excellence, our manager Betsy will be attending a Dr. Nicholas Dodman “Canine Aggression” Seminar. This will be very beneficial to our shelter as it is the number-one behavior problem in dogs. The seminar will focus on proper understanding of the various types of aggression and respective prevention and management. Betsy continues to impress us with her eagerness to learn more about how to manage the shelter and work with the animals housed there. Education is power and our shelter strives to keep our employees informed so they can best serve you the public and the animals we house.
If you are looking for a “friend for life,” please visit the Central Aroostook Humane Society. We are open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday or you can give us a call at 764-3441.
Please have your pets spayed or neutered.
