Viral Dog Bite Video Serves as a Warning to Protect Yourself From Dog Bite Attacks
Last year, a graphic video was posted on YouTube showing a large dog biting a woman in the face after she was soaked with a bucket of ice water during an ALS ice bucket challenge.
The user who posted the video stated that the dog bit her mother without any sort of provocation last year. The victim, identified as Brenda Rigdon of Florida, sustained horrible dog bite injuries from the attack. But she did survive and is just now ready to share her story with others, according to her family.
In her YouTube description, Mrs. Rigdon wrote that the dog, which was euthanized as a result of his attack against her, had not been properly trained. Her sister only kept the animal to stud out for the purposes of breeding. The video was posted to shame her sister, whose children in the video were also at risk of being injured.
This incident should be a warning to all pet owners to have your pet trained properly.
Dog Bite Statistics in St. Louis, MO
A dog can be “man’s best friend,” but for people who work and play outside, a dog running-at-large can mean very real danger. Pet owners have a responsibility to the public to properly train and contain their animals to prevent injuries.
According to St. Louis Postmaster Cathy Vaughn, several mail carriers know all too well the pain of an attack by an animal and they want to help educate the community.
Annually, more than 4.5 million citizens are bitten by dogs in the U.S. Last year alone, more than 5,500 mail carriers were bitten by dogs across the country. In the St. Louis area, there have been almost 40 dog bites in the past year.
According to The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), small children, mail carriers, and the elderly are the most frequent dog bite victims. Children are by far the majority, being 900 times more likely to be injured by a dog bite than letter carriers.
Dog bites are the most common reported childhood public health issue in the United States. Dog bite victims make up about 5% of trips to the emergency room.
Protect Yourself from Dog Bite Injuries and Animal Attacks
Dogs have some natural instincts that could worsen the chances of an attack. To reduce your risk of being bitten, remember these rules:
- Do not run past a dog. Be aware of the animal and move slowly and cautiously if you must pass it.
- If you are threatened by a dog, avoid eye contact and do not scream, as this will increase the likelihood of the animal engaging with you.
- Do your best to remain motionless until the dog leaves. Back away slowly until the dog is out of your line of sight.
- Do not attempt to go near a strange dog, especially if they are tied up or otherwise confined.
- If you think a dog is going to attack you, try to find something to put between you and the dog as a guard. If possible grab a large, hard obstacle like a bicycle, but even something smaller like a backpack is better than only using your arms for protection.
- If you really feel compelled to interact with someone else’s dog, always first ask the owner’s permission, then always let the dog see you and sniff you before getting close and touching them.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog bite or animal attack, CONTACT the personal injury attorneys at the Lieser Law Firm today.