Doggone Safe Newsletter Vol 2 Issue 7

I received a phone call from a mother, upset because her child was bitten by a friend's dog and because she did not know the proper procedure to follow to report the incident and had been trying all day to speak to a "real" person rather than listen to recorded messages from her local animal services department.

The child, an eight year-old girl was playing at a friend's house. The girls went into the garage and were crawling around playing on the floor when the family dog attacked. There was no adult present to supervise. The little girl sustained serious damage to her eye and required specialist medical attention.

Doggone Safe was able to help by finding the correct phone number for the local animal services department and by finding out the proper reporting procedure.

Here is what to do if your child is bitten by a dog...

Obtain immediate medical attention; ensure that other children do not remain in danger from the same dog while you attend to the injured child.
Report the bite to your local health department. It is essential to find out whether the dog has had its vaccinations. Do not take the owner's word for this and do not worry about the dog owner "getting in trouble". Your child's health is more important than your relationship with the dog owner.
Report the bite to your local animal services or animal control officer. If you do not know who this is, call your local town hall to find out who is responsible for animal control and public safety in your area. It is important that a record be established for the dog so that if it has bitten before, or does so again there is basis for taking further action.
Report the bite to police - they will be able to tell you whether the situation warrants a police investigation.
If you feel that other children remain in danger because of the dog and lack of supervision, report this to your local children's services agency so that they can investigate and take action if required.
Obtain a professional opinion about the need for trauma counseling if your child seems fearful, acts differently from normal, suffers from nightmares or otherwise seems upset or disturbed in the days following the incident.
If you would like to speak to others who have had a similar experience, join the Doggone Safe Victim Support Group.
If you feel that you need information about legal issues related to the bite incident, visit the Dog Bite Law Center online.
If you would like information about plastic surgery for dog bite victims visit the website of Dr. Bermant.

July 2005			Volume 2 Issue 7

A non-profit organization dedicated to Dog Bite Prevention


Doggone Safe is the first federally incorporated non-profit organization in Canada dedicated to dog bite prevention education and victim support. Doggone Safe provides services in Canada, the US and around the world through its website and network of volunteers.

In This Issue Kids do the Darndest Things! Member Update Doggone Safe in the Media Case File - My Child was Bitten - What Should I Do? Upcoming Events Our Sponsors

Join the Dog Bite Victim Support Group - this is a forum for families of child dog bite victims to talk about their experiences and concerns, learn from and support each other. Join Doggone Safe or donate to the Courtney Fund

Kids Do the Darndest Things!...

It's summertime and school's out, bringing kids and the family dog into closer proximity for longer periods of time. There is less structured routine for many families in the summer compared to school time and more heat, both of which can cause anxiety and stress for the family dog. Kids are suddenly all over the place, doing things that can be very exciting or very disturbing to dogs. Parents need to be reminded that many normal kid activities can cause a dangerous level of excitement in the family dog. Things that kids do which could lead to an over-excited dog and a biting accident include: playing catch running sliding down a slide swinging on the swings playing hopscotch playing frisbee jumping rope playing with toys that move or make noises riding bicycles skate boarding roller blading playing in the sprinkler Even with adult supervision, these types of activities could lead to a reaction from the dog that is too fast to prevent. When kids are going to be engaging in exciting activities, especially when multiple kids are involved, the best place for the dog is in a cool spot in a crate with a stuffed Kong or a bone to chew on. The dog needs exercise too and this can be planned as a supervised activity outside the realm of children's play time. Read more about summertime safety for kids and dogs.

Member Update...

The Doggone shipping department will be closed for vacation from July 30-August 13. Join Doggone Safe and become part of a growing movement of professionals dedicated to dog bite prevention education. Get a free calendar when you join - while supplies last. The Member section of the website is now on-line. If you are a Doggone Safe member and have not received your password - please send an email and your password will be sent to you. Topics covered on the member page are: Members-only Yahoo discussion group for presenters - discuss presentations issues with other members and program creators Logo Usage - download member logo versions for use in print and on on-line Member wall certificate - download the member wall certificate that you can personalize and print Sponsorship Proposal - view the Doggone Safe sponsorship program description Educational Give-Away Materials - order free materials to give away at your presentations or public events Send us information about any community events you will be attending so that we can include these in the newsletter and on the website. Give-a-ways you can order: Calendars - free (you pay for shipping) Bookmarks - free (you pay for shipping) Fridge magnets - $0.75 each

Doggone Safe in the Media...

Listen to Doggone Safe US Vice President Jennifer Shryock on Army Wife radio.


Case File - My Child was Bitten - What Should I Do now?...

This month's case file was kindly provided by Joan Orr - Doggone Safe President and Co-founder I received a phone call from a mother, upset because her child was bitten by a friend's dog and because she did not know the proper procedure to follow to report the incident and had been trying all day to speak to a "real" person rather than listen to recorded messages from her local animal services department. The child, an eight year-old girl was playing at a friend's house. The girls went into the garage and were crawling around playing on the floor when the family dog attacked. There was no adult present to supervise. The little girl sustained serious damage to her eye and required specialist medical attention. Doggone Safe was able to help by finding the correct phone number for the local animal services department and by finding out the proper reporting procedure. Here is what to do if your child is bitten by a dog... Obtain immediate medical attention; ensure that other children do not remain in danger from the same dog while you attend to the injured child. Report the bite to your local health department. It is essential to find out whether the dog has had its vaccinations. Do not take the owner's word for this and do not worry about the dog owner "getting in trouble". Your child's health is more important than your relationship with the dog owner. Report the bite to your local animal services or animal control officer. If you do not know who this is, call your local town hall to find out who is responsible for animal control and public safety in your area. It is important that a record be established for the dog so that if it has bitten before, or does so again there is basis for taking further action. Report the bite to police - they will be able to tell you whether the situation warrants a police investigation. If you feel that other children remain in danger because of the dog and lack of supervision, report this to your local children's services agency so that they can investigate and take action if required. Obtain a professional opinion about the need for trauma counseling if your child seems fearful, acts differently from normal, suffers from nightmares or otherwise seems upset or disturbed in the days following the incident. If you would like to speak to others who have had a similar experience, join the Doggone Safe Victim Support Group. If you feel that you need information about legal issues related to the bite incident, visit the Dog Bite Law Center online. If you would like information about plastic surgery for dog bite victims visit the website of Dr. Bermant.

Upcoming Events...

Here are some events at which Doggone Safe members will be speaking or at which Doggone Safe will have a booth. Please find us and say hi!
NC Time Warner Pet Project		July 16 9-12 AM	Lake Crabtree - Morrisville NC - Jen Shryock
German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater Raleigh		Aug 3	Raleigh NC - Jen Shryock
International Professional Dog Training Assoc Conference		Oct 29-30	Kitchener ON - Joan Orr and Teresa Lewin

Our Sponsors ...

Thanks to our sponsors. Their generosity and community spirit help us to spread the Doggone Safe educational messages more effectively.
	Trade show booth sponsor; educational material sponsor
	Adopt-a-classroom sponsor - St. John's Newfoundland
			Bookmark Sponsor
For More Information...

For more information about Doggone Safe and for useful tips about bite prevention please visit the Doggone Safe website. Any materials found at the site can be used at websites or in printed matter without permission (unless specifically noted) provided proper credit is given. A link back to the Doggone Safe site is appreciated.

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