News Moms Need » National Dog Bite Prevention Week

Once when I was a kid, I was riding my bike, and a neighbor’s dog ran out and bit me on the leg. I cried all the way home. I love dogs, but I also respect them.

Next week is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. Thanks to dog vaccinations  and other public health efforts, rabies is rare in the United States. But it’s still a serious concern. And dog bites can also cause infection and serious injury.

Here’s what you and you family can do to protect yourselves from dog bites:

   * Don’t approach an unfamiliar dog.

   * Don’t run from a dog or scream when you’re around a dog.

   * Be “still like a tree” if an unfamiliar dog approaches.

   * If a dog knocks you down, roll into a ball and lie “still like a log.” 

   * Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.

   * Don’t disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies.

   * Before petting a dog, let it see and sniff you.

   * Report stray dogs or dogs acting strangely to your local animal control agency.

For more information, read Dog Bite Prevention on the Web site of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.