Each year, millions of people go in for treatment due to dog bites. You want to do what you can to make sure you aren't one of these people. If you are a person who loves dogs, then it can be hard for you to stay away from them. Luckily, there are some things that you can do to help prevent yourself from being bitten by a dog.
Be prepared when you go on walks
While most areas require people to walk their dogs on leashes, this doesn't mean that everyone listens. Also, there are dogs that escape their yard or ones that don't have homes and can be found running the streets unsupervised. Any dog that's not under the proper control of a responsible owner can pose a risk to your safety.
When you go for a walk you should be sure you carry a solid stick with you so you can defend yourself against a dog if one does come after you and tries to bite you. You may also want to purchase a small can of pepper spray. If you do get some pepper spray, make sure it states on the can that it is wind resistant so you won't have to worry about having it blow back in your face if you do have to use it. You should also carry a very loud whistle that you can blow for help.
Never ask if a dog bites
It can be surprising how many people think their dogs won't bite someone when they really will. An owner can see one side of their dog and be completely unaware that there is another, more dangerous side to that same sweet and loving dog they curl up with at home each day.
You should never ask if a dog bites because this puts you in the position of petting a dog that very well may bite you, no matter what answer the owner gives you. It's much safer to simply avoid petting any dogs that you don't personally know.
If you do end up getting bitten by a dog, then you want to go in to have the injury treated by a doctor. Even if a dog bite doesn't look serious, it can become infected later on and lead to a whole world of problems for you. Also, you should consider going in to speak with a personal injury attorney so you can learn what your legal rights are regarding compensation.
Share8 March 2017
Too many single people assume they don't need to plan their estate. My brother fell into this category, and his unexpected passing left our entire family struggling to deal with his home, belongings, and financial accounts. It took nearly three years for the courts to set up a deal because he left no paperwork detailing how he wanted his estate divided. The situation immediately convinced me to work on my own estate, even though I'm still in my early 30's and don't have children or a spouse to worry about. Since it's a little harder to pick beneficiaries and estate managers when you're single, I collected the resources I used for making my own decisions and decided to publish them here on my blog. Use these resources before talking to an estate planning attorney so you're prepared for making hard decisions.