Helpful Hints

Safety Around Animals

You can help protect yourself by knowing how to recognize the warning signs, how to avoid situations that might cause an animal to bite, and how to defend yourself if attacked.

Avoid these situations:

• Leave stray animals alone.
• Never enter a dog's territory (that means it's yard, home, or car).
• Never tease an animal or use an animal to scare another person.
• Always ask permission before handling someone else's pet.
• Do not bother a dog when it is eating or sleeping (even your own).
• Do not stick fingers in cages.
• Leave mother animals alone when they are with their babies.
• Leave wildlife alone. Some wild animals look cuddly and pettable, butmay bite or scratch if you touch them. They are usually afraid of humans. A wild animal that acts friendly may be sick--and could make you sick, too.

Warning signs of attack in a dog:

Growling, snarling, snapping, staring straight ahead, bared teeth or curled lips, hair standing on end. If the dog's ears are erect, the body stiff or tense, and the tail is still moving rapidly, the dog is in an aggressive posture and may attack. If the dog is afraid with ears back, the body crouched with the head down, and the tail hanging down or tucked between the legs, he may attack as well. Most animal warning signs are similar to a dog's.

What to do if threatened:

1. Be a Tree.
2. Do not run.
3. Stop if a dog is chasing you.
4. Stand facing the dog and hold very still.
5. Do not look the dog directly in the eye as this means, in dog language, that you are challenging it to fight.
6. Look over its head.
7. Act like a log if you are already sitting on the ground or the dog knocks you down.
8. Tell the dog in your meanest, lowest voice, "Dog, Go Home!" Use the animal's name if you know it.

What to do if attacked:

Try to keep the animal in front of you. If you have a bag or backpack, use it as a shield and let the animal bite it instead of you. If not, use your weak arm (the arm you don't write with) as a shield by extending it across your waist. Use your strong arm to fight off the attack. Call for help.

If you are knocked down, curl up into a ball and cover your head and neck with your arms. Play dead. An attacking animal may lose interest if you are not moving.

What to do if bitten:

• Seek medical care from a doctor.
• Remember as many details about the animal as possible (what it looked like, where the bite happened, and which way the animal went afterwords).
• Call the Animal Control office (469.2024) and report the bite. (All bites must be reported by state law.) The animal must be held in observation for 10 days in case it has Rabies.