FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kathy Voigt

President

Phone: 847-223-5084

Cell: 847-322-4179

e-mail:

Our mission to help keep children safe continues…

National Dog Bite Prevention Week

May 18th – 24th2014

Theme: Responsible Dog Ownership

Dog bites are a public health and safety issue of epidemic proportion. That is why Prevent The Bite has joined forces with a coalition for National Dog Bite Prevention Week, the third full week in May.Prevent The Bite is part of a team of experts working together toraise awareness of the problem of dog bites and educate the public. Together we are stronger and better able to make a lasting impact on reducing the incidence of dog bites.

Kelly Voigtknows all too well about the lasting physical and emotional effects of a dog bite. The victim of a serious dog attack at the age of seven, Kelly, along with her mother Kathy, founded Prevent The Bite, a nonprofit dog bite prevention education program geared toward children, the leading victims of dog bites. Kelly will be demonstrating PTB safety techniques with the help of Victoria Stilwell, internationally-renowned dog trainer, author, and television personality, and handler Leah Brewer and her therapy dog Elle, theAmerican Humane Association’s 2013 Hero Dog of the Year. The demonstration will take place at anevent at the National Press Club in Washington, DCon Thursday, May 15th at 10:30 am ET. The event will include letter carriers describing their dog attacks as well as other coalition spokespersons.

“Children treat dogs like their friends”, says Kathy Voigt. “They like to get down on their level, put their face up to the dogs face, look them in the eyes and give them hugs. The PTB program helps them understand and respect the differences between dogs and people. This allows for a happier and safer relationship between children and dogs”. According to Victoria Stilwell, “All dogs must receive a humane canine education to help them live successfully in a domestic situation. While large dogs can inflict the most devastating and potentially fatal injuries, a well-placed bite from a small dog can also cause major damage, especially to a child’s face.”

  • Dog bite numbers from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC

Age Groups

1-4 5-9 10-14

201238,556 46,565 32,629

201141,616 44,996 37,058

201039,542 42,199 36,062

  • As reported by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control CDC, from 2003 – 2012, dog bites were the ninth leading cause of nonfatal injury to children ages 5 – 9 (451,063) and the eleventh for ages

1- 4 (382,864) and 10 – 14 (354,989).

  • Dog bites accounted for more than one-third of all homeowners insurance liability claim dollars paid out in 2013, costing over $483 million, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) and State Farm®, the largest writer of homeowners insurance in the United States.
  • The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates the U.S. dog population was approximately 70 million at the end of 2011, down from approximately 72 million in 2006.

-2-

  • According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there were 26,935 reconstructive procedures to repair dog bites in 2013.
  • The United States Postal Service reports that 5,581 postal carriers were bitten or attacked by dogs in 2013.

Fiscal Year 2013U.S. Postal Service Dog Attack City Ranking

Ranking / City, State / Attacks
1 / Cleveland, OH / 46
2 / Houston, TX / 44
3 / San Diego, CA / 43
4 / Chicago, IL / 41
  • The American Humane Association states that unsupervised newborns are 370 times more likely to be killed by a dog than an adult.
  • In 2013, State Farm had 3,727dog bite claims and paid more than $104 million as a result of dog bites.

Top States for State Farm Dog Bite Claims in 2013

State / Number of claims / Claims paid (estimated)
California / 449 / $14.7 million
Illinois / 309 / $8.9 million
Ohio / 221 / $4.2 million

Basic Principles of Responsible Dog Ownership

1.Educate yourself on canine body language and dog bite prevention techniques.

2.NEVER leave a child or infant alone with your dog.

3.Make regular visits to the veterinarian for shots and check-ups.

4.Train and socialize your dog beginning at an early age.

5.Use positive reinforcement. NEVER hit or yell at your dog.

6.Do NOT play aggressive games with your dog, like keep-away and tug-of-war.

7.Do your research before adopting a dog. Avoid impulse adoption. Make sure you are bringing the proper dog into your environment.

Coalition Partners:

Prevent The Bite (PTB), , The United States Postal Service, ;the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM), ; the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), ; the Insurance Information Institute (III), , State Farm Insurance, , the American Humane Association, and Victoria Stilwell,Positively.com.

A nonprofit organization devoted to keeping children safe from dog bites, Prevent The Bite meets the national standards of education, and makes it possible for anyone to teach children how to avoid being bitten. They have appeared on Oprah, the Today Show and People Magazine. Dog attack victim Kelly Voigt is available for interviews.Contact:Kathy Voigt,, 847-322-4179

Prevent The Bite P.O. Box 2101, Palatine, IL 60078

All dog safety information is meant to be regarded as suggestions only.
There is no way to guarantee that these techniques will prevent injury or death.