DOG BITE PREVENTION WEEKS

April has two Dog Bite Prevention weeks.  National Dog Bite Prevention Week was April 7-13, 2019.  This is followed by the U.S. Postal Service Dog Bite Prevention Week April 14-20, 2019.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), estimates that  350,000 people received medical treatment for dog bites in the United States in 2017.  Approximately 10,600 of these were children two years old or younger.

The American Medical Association (AMA) states that dog bites are the second leading cause of childhood injury.

According to the U.S. Postal Service, 5,714 postal employees were attacked by dogs in the United States in 2018.  The Postal Service has taken steps to reduce these attacks, which are down 500 from 2017 and down more than 1,000 from 2016.  It is reported that Pennsylvania had 252 such incidents in 2017, down from 277 the preceding year.

Any dog might bite.  Be careful as dog bites tend to increase during the warm weather starting in May.