The hair-raising bark of an angry dog. The sight of sharp fangs and incisors.
These signs of danger may drive many people to run and scream, but local experts said that might not be the best thing to do in case of a dog attack.
There may be no sure way for an unarmed person to escape such a situation without suffering an injury, according to Amy Eckert, a state licensed dog cruelty officer for the Hillside SPCA, Pottsville, and Dr. Johanna Andrews, a veterinarian with Mountain Shadow Veterinary Hospital, Schuylkill Haven. But they offered tips on how a dog attack victim can react to reduce the dog's anxiety.
"The big thing people do is run and scream. It's kind of hard not to because it goes against your instincts. That tends to get the dog even more excited. It's hard to tell someone like a child not to scream. But the higher pitch makes that child sound more like a prey animal. The screaming and quick movement tend to make things much, much worse," Eckert said.
The best thing to do in such a situation is to "stand as still as a tree," Eckert said.
"Right. You don't want to challenge the dog and try to hit it to get it away from you because that's just going to elevate the dog's rage," Andrews said.
"Of course, it's kind of hard if the dog is actually biting at that point. But if you stand still, a lot of times it will prevent it from going any further and escalating," Eckert said.
"If you remain standing up, you're higher away from their territory. If you get down on the ground, you're in their territory," Andrews said.
If a dog bites and no one is around to provide assistance, Eckert said dog attack victims might want to take some affirmative action.
"If you can grab the dog near the collar or the ear, most dogs will let go. A lot of times a more forceful voice will help, where you're saying 'No!' Oftentimes that will help," Eckert said.
The website for State Farm Insurance contains tips on preventing dog bites.
"If a dog threatens you, remain calm. Don't scream. If you say anything, speak calmly and firmly. Avoid eye contact. Try to remain still until the dog leaves, or back away slowly until the dog is out of sight. Don't turn and run," according to State Farm's site.
If a dog attack victim is knocked to the ground, according to the State Farm site, they should curl into a ball with their hands over their face and neck.
Eckert is also a dog trainer who started Brierwood Boarding Kennels in Pottsville eight years ago. Since December, she's been training dogs at Schuylkill Mall, Frackville, in the space next to Bath & Body Works.
"We do a lot of in-home classes where we come right to the house, and do classes at the mall as well," Eckert said.
She offered tips to dog owners on how they can reduce the stress levels on their dogs to prevent the dogs from attacking.
"The big thing we see is the lack of socialization. Chained dogs, for example, tend to be more aggressive. They get teased a lot more. They get to watch everybody else running around and playing and they get very frustrated. It's not something we recommend at all, to ever chain a dog," Eckert said.
If a dog must be kept outside, Eckert said it's better to put the dog in a pen.
"Of course, we'd rather see the dog inside as a house pet because they're going to be much more well-behaved. And they're more friendly and socialized then, too," Eckert said.
Dogs bite more than 4.7 million people nationwide annually, and key experts believe that public education can help prevent these bites, according to the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In 2010, State Farm Insurance had roughly 3,500 claims and paid more than $90 million in the United States, according its website.
State Farm Insurance said Pennsylvania ranks sixth among the top 10 states for dog bite claims it handled in 2010, with 155 claims and an estimated $3,931,039 paid out for claims. California lead the way with 369 claims and an estimated $11,296,642 paid.
Children make up more than 60 percent of all dog bite victims, according to the State Farm website.
Dog-bite prevention tips
- Teach children basic safety around dogs.
- 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.
Source: www.cdc.gov