How to avoid Animal Attacks

In 2008, an estimated 4.7 million Britons were bitten by an animal of some kind, but only 3,800 people were treated, and reported the incident. Estimates in this field can sometimes be inaccurate however, as the seriousness of the bites are not measured, a lot of the time, people don’t even go to the hospital, this is wrong and if you are ever attacked by an animal, you should go straight to your local hospital.

One of the most common animal attacks reported is Dog Attacks, everything from simply being knocked over by a rowdy dog, to more serious and genuine incidents, such as bites, and mauling.

One of the most recent cases of dog attacks has been a frequent headline among some of the leading news stations in the UK where it has surfaced that a young boy was killed by a dog in his own home. With such hard-hitting stories coming up over the UK, it’s essential you know how to protect yourself, and your family, from wild dogs, and dog attacks.

First of all, you should know that every single dog in the world is different, but they do however, share one similarity – dogs are very unpredictable, you never know what they’re thinking, or what they might do next, 70% of dog attack cases came from a dog the victim knew or was familiar with. However, if you ever see an unfamiliar dog on the street you must never directly approach it, or let your children approach it. Strange dogs can be very dangerous, and because you don’t know them, you know nothing about how they react around people, or potential threats. Some dogs can come across friendly, but can sometime see strangers as a threat, leading them to lash out and attack. Children especially can send dogs into a panic, causing them to become agitated and aggressive within second.

Children are more vulnerable when it comes to dog attacks, for a variety of different reasons, mainly due to their young age and inquisitive nature; however, this is not the only explanation.

Due to their small size, children are at the perfect level for dogs, especially larger ones, to attack them, and what’s worse is that they are far more likely to sustain injuries in more critical areas, such as the head, neck and face.

There are several different reasons to why dogs can attack, it’s imperative that you are aware of them so you can learn to avoid causing them. One of the main reasons is fear, if dogs are scared, they are more prone to lashing out, so always make sure you leave strange dogs well alone, and never act too aggressively or suddenly around dogs, this can lead to them being surprised or shocked too, which can then lead to them to act instinctively to protect themselves.

They can also lash out if they are disturbed when they are sleeping, just like humans, dogs can get really grumpy if they are bothered or frequently awoken whilst they are trying to rest, always remember that they need their rest and sleep too, and it’s always good for dogs to have some quiet time.

One of the most frequent reasons for dog attacks, especially in familiar dogs, can often be by accident; this is often caused by too much rough play, causing dogs to become too excited and they can start nipping at biting by mistake. This can cause dogs to become unaware as to the differences between play and real life, as boundaries are not properly enforced.

In order to avoid these kinds of attacks, you must be sure to always use your common sense, and keep your wits about you. Never stroke a dog without gaining the owners permission first, they know the dog better than you, and may be aware that they get afraid easily or reacts badly to unfamiliar people and have the potential to bite or nip you.

If you are ever faced with a dangerous dog, be sure not to provoke it any further, don’t shout, move suddenly, or run, as a dog’s natural instinct is to chase whatever runs from it. The best thing to do is to stand perfectly still with your hands by your sides, don’t make eye contact, and the dog that poses a threat will eventually loose interest in you and leave.

Signs of an aggressive dog can include anything such as growling, snarling, barking, stiffened body, a raised tail or even unnatural stillness can mean a dog is feeling provoked and may attack.

If you have ever been attacked by a dog, and are interested in seeing if you could be eligible for compensation, visit Accident Consults Claim Calculator, or have a look to see if you could be eligible for No Win, No Fee.

You should never suffer in silence, Accident Consult is backed by a qualified team of lawyers. Our main aim is to offer the very best advice to people who have suffered or been injured in an accident and are wishing to seek advice on claiming compensation, and don’t forget to keep updating by checking out the Accident Consult Blog.

Tags: animal attacks, britons, different reasons, local hospital, seriousness