Following the safety tips of an animal expert may just save your life or serious injury when being attacked by a dog. If you have already been the victim of a dog bite, call our dog bite lawyers today so we can review your claim and help you get on the road to recovery financially, emotionally and physically.
Having seen many dog bite cases in Oklahoma, our attorneys know that any dog has the capability of using its teeth as a weapon and causing injury. Dogs bite for many reasons so, unless it’s your dog, it’s best to treat every dog you encounter with caution and respect. Additionally, our Oklahoma dog bite injury lawyers have compiled a few simple dog safety tips that will help you to stay safe.
What Parents Can Do To Prevent Dog Bites in Their Children
If you are a parent of a child under the age of 18, teaching your child the following safety tips will reduce the chances of his or her being a dog bite victim. Nearly 60 percent of all dog bites in the United States requiring medical attention happen to children under 18. This is why our dog bite lawyers in Oklahoma stress that teaching children to be safe around dogs is essential to their safety and well being.
Tips for Animal Safety and Dog Safety
Tips to minimize the likelihood of you or a loved one falling victim to dog bite include:
- Don’t approach a dog you don’t know, or one that is sick or injured.
- Never leave a child or baby around an unfamiliar dog.
- Stay calm and move slowly around dogs you don’t know or that approach you unleashed. Make like a tree until the dog leaves!
- Don’t pet a stray dog or one that you’re not familiar with.
- Never try to separate dogs that are fighting, even if one of them is your dog.
- Always get a dog owner’s permission before petting his or her dog.
- Running from a dog or screaming should be avoided because it may frighten a dog or encourage it to chase you.
- Avoid direct eye contact with stray, unleashed, or strange dogs.
- Don’t taunt, tease, or startle any dog.
- Always keep your face and neck away from a dog’s mouth.
- If attacked, protect your face and neck as best you can while rolling into a ball and playing dead until you can get away—it may save your life!
- Always report a dog bite to your local law enforcement and animal control center.
What To Do If There Is a Dog Bite
If you or a loved one has experienced a dog bite injury, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) recommends that you do the following:
- Seek medical attention immediately.
- Control bleeding and wash the area of the bite with soap and water.
- Because serious dog bites can cause scarring, if you are bitten in a location where scarring is of concern, like your face, ask that a board-certified plastic surgeon treat the injury.
- Report the bite to your local public health department, animal control agency, or police.
- Provide authorities with an accurate description of the dog, the circumstances surrounding the bite, and the dog owner’s identity, if known.
- Contact a dog bite attorney.
The dog bite lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center in Oklahoma are keenly aware that injuries that occur as the result of a dog attack or bite can be devastating to victims and their families. A trip to the local emergency room for sutures, the possibility of contracting diseases such as rabies, emotional trauma, and more serious injuries like brain injury or broken bones, ongoing medical treatment, and even death can be the unfortunate outcome for victims.
To ensure protection of your rights and full compensation for your injuries, it is essential to contact an attorney skilled and experienced in dog bite law. At Oklahoma Dog Bite Law Center, located in Oklahoma City, our dog bite injury attorneys are dedicated to holding dog owners responsible for injuries caused by their dogs. For a full review of your dog bite case by our Oklahoma attorneys, please contact our personal injury lawyers today.