This week is National Dog Bite Prevention Week

We’ve all been there before. Just strolling along on a leisurely walk with our dog when the mailman pulls up and hops out of his truck to make a few deliveries. While the loving pup at the other end of your leash might bark and leap excitedly towards the delivery person, you might have found yourself uttering the phrase, “It’s okay, my dog doesn’t bite.” Still, you watch the postal worker proceed apprehensively and hurry back to his vehicle.

 

The sad truth is that over 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs in America every year with over 800,000 of them requiring medical attention. The most frequent victims are children, the elderly and postal workers. Interestingly enough, most dog bites on young children take place during normal everyday activities with familiar dogs. As loving dog owners, it’s our responsibility to educate ourselves and our families about taking the proper steps to prevent dog bites and attacks on our loved ones and strangers.

 

To raise awareness for National Dog Bite Prevention Week the United States Postal Service recently released their list of U.S. cities where the most dog attacks occurred on postal workers in 2014. A total of 5,767 USPS workers were attacked last year. The announcement also includes some tips on how dog owners can take steps to ensure the safety of their local mail carriers and any other delivery workers that may approach your front door.

 

For more information and educational documents on National Dog Bite Prevention Week, be sure to visit the following resources:

Celebrate Be Kind to Animals Week 2015

This week, from May 3rd through May 9th, marks the American Humane Association’s 100th annual “Be Kind to Animals Week”!

At Pet and Home Care we know that all of you pet owners are always kind to your pets. But this week, we urge you give a little extra love to your own companions. Also, think about ways you can contribute beyond just your own pets. All animals and living creatures that you might encounter on a daily basis—from the squirrels scurrying up the trees in your neighborhood to the small harmless spider you might find weaving a web on your back porch—deserve a little extra thought from all of us this week and beyond.

Easy ways to participate in “Be Kind to Animals Week”:

Volunteer at a local shelter, or adopt, rescue or foster a dog or cat in need. You can search HERE for animals in need near you.

  • Teach children to treat all living creatures with respect. Check out Kind News – a children’s magazine geared toward teaching our youth about the animals whom we all share the planet with.
  • Make an effort to purchase animal products that were raised humanely instead of in cruel conditions. For example, look for cage-free chicken meat and eggs in your local grocery store.
  • Report animal abuse to local officials.
  • Give your pet(s) some extra love and attention this week!

For more on how you can celebrate “Be Kind to Animals Week”, be sure to visit kindness100.org. There you will find links to pledge to be kind to animals all year round, make donations to the American Humane Association, learn about the 100-year history of celebrities and other public figures’ work toward this great cause, and educational documents you can download and share with kids in an effort to teach them more about treating animals kindly.

From all of us at Pet and Home Care, happy “Be Kind to Animals Week”! Now, where are those treats my dog loves…?