Public given advice on how to avoid dog bites

Karen Zekan

Wednesday, June 10, 1998 | 11:10 a.m.

A 5-year-old girl was recovering today after being bit on the face by a family dog, a current reminder of the realities prompting this week's National Dog Bite Prevention campaign.

The child, transported to University Medical Center moments after Tuesday's 9 a.m. incident, was treated and released, a nursing supervisor said.

Las Vegas Animal Control officers were still looking into the incident this morning.

Officer Roger Van Oordt said the Husky that bit the child was left at the home, having been found secured in the backyard on McDowell Drive, near Cimarron and Gowan roads when officers arrived.

Van Oordt said Huskies have bitten Las Vegans before, although the breed is a rare one to make bite statistics.

And such is a central point to the dog bite prevention campaign.

"Even a good dog can bite, if provoked" is among the slogans topping various reminders circulating in the valley this week as part of the ongoing awareness campaign to reduce dog bite statistics.

Each year, between 500,000 and 1 million recorded dog bites require medical attention. About a dozen people die from dog bites.

In the Las Vegas Valley last year, record books show that the county had 955 bites, the city had 702 bites, Henderson reported 274 bites and North Las Vegas had 152.

The numbers could even be bigger, because often bites aren't reported, authorities said.

Children make up 60 percent of all dog bite victims. The elderly and home service people -- mail carriers and meter readers among them -- also end up high on the victim list.

Craig Hiedel, an individual claims superintendent with State Farm Insurance, said his company paid out $80 million for dog bite claims last year, and approximately $2.5 million of that claim money went to Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona.

Yet experts are confident the numbers can come down by increasing awareness and educating the public on why dogs bite.

Five cuddly puppies appear on brochures and posters circulating in the valley, above them the words "Don't worry, they won't bite."

And they won't, if people help.

Dog owners share the greatest responsibility. Campaign literature suggests that carefully selecting an appropriate breed, and learning the dog's personality. Socializing the dog also is recommended so the animal feels at ease around strangers.

Further, dogs should be trained to respond to basic commands, be up to date on all vaccinations.

The public must equally be up to speed. Experts recommend that children be taught to be careful around pets, never approach strange dogs, and ask permission before petting a dog. Babies and small children should not be left along with a dog. If ever threatened by a dog, stay calm, don't scream, avoid eye contact with the dog, and back away slowly.