Child safety programs for primary school children decrease the injury severity of dog bites

Kienesberger, Bernhard; Arneitz, Christoph; Wolfschluckner, Vanessa; Flucher, Christina; Spitzer, Peter; Singer, Georg; Castellani, Christoph; Till, Holger; Schalamon, Johannes

doi:10.1007/s00431-021-04256-z

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…A study conducted in the Philippines among children showed no significant change in dog bite rates 62. A recent low-quality Austrian study investigating an intensive child and parent-directed education programme on dog safety likewise showed no reduction in hospital presentations, with mean hospitalisation rates not reported 95. This is unsurprising, given child-directed education is not advocated for or commonly used in other areas of unintentional trauma in young children,36 96 and is consistent with research showing that dog bites in children and adults are frequently unprovoked, or occur with a minor interaction such as patting a dog 11 13 97.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Systematic review of dog bite prevention strategies

et al. 2022

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BackgroundThe prevention of dog bites is an increasingly important public health topic, as the incidence of serious injury continues to rise.ObjectivesTo evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to prevent dog bites and aggression.MethodsOnline databases were searched (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Google Scholar), using the search terms: dog/s, canine, canis, kuri, bite/s, bitten, aggression, attack, death, fatal, mortality, injury/ies, prevention, intervention, for studies between 1960 and 2021. All study designs were considered. Outcomes of interest were the incidence of dog bites or dog aggression. Non-English studies, and those without full-text access were excluded.ResultsForty-three studies met the review criteria, including 15 observational and 27 interventional studies. Fifteen studies investigating dog-control legislation, including leash laws, stray dog control and infringements indicated this can reduce dog bite rates. Breed-specific legislation had less of an effect. Six studies investigating sterilisation, showed while this may reduce dog bites through a reduction in the dog population, the effect on dog aggression was unclear. An alcohol reduction programme showed a significant reduction in dog bite rates in one study. Seven studies assessing educational approaches found that intensive adult-directed education may be effective, with one study showing child-directed education was not effective. Eight studies on dog training (two police-dog related), and six evaluating dog medication or diet were generally low quality and inconclusive.ConclusionsMultiple strategies including effective engagement with indigenous communities and organisations will be required to reduce dog-bites and other incidents involving dog aggression. This review provides some evidence that legislated dog control strategies reduce dog bite rates. Available evidence suggests greater restrictions should be made for all dogs, rather than based on breed alone. Due to a burden of child injury, protection of children should be a focus of legislation and further investigations. Prevention strategies in children require redirection away from a focus on child-directed education and future research should investigate the effectiveness of engineering barriers and reporting strategies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Systematic review of dog bite prevention strategies

et al. 2022

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“…There are numerous dog bite prevention programs that teach children how to interact with unfamiliar dogs [ 13 , 79 , 80 , 81 ] or recognize potential risk factors with a family dog [ 82 , 83 ]; fewer programs address how to recognize and interpret specific dog body language including dogs’ behavioral responses and their stress signals [ 74 ]. Yet, an understanding of species-specific signaling and stress signs are critical in supporting positive human/dog interactions, especially in a home with young children [ 83 , 84 , 85 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

US Adults’ Perceptions of Dog Breed Bans, Dog Aggression and Breed-Specific Laws

Kogan

Packman

Erdman

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Dog aggression directed towards people is a leading reason for relinquishment and a major public health hazard. In response to the threat of dog aggression and dog bites, breed-specific legislation has been introduced in numerous cities within the United States and countries throughout the world. There is limited evidence, however, to suggest that such laws are effective. This study explored, through an online, anonymous, cross-sectional survey, US residents’ views about the bite risk of common dog breeds, breed-specific legislation, and alternative options for improved public safety. A total of 586 surveys were completed by adult US residents, 48.8% female and 48.6% male. Approximately half of the respondents reported feeling that dog bites are a serious public health issue. Although 70% of respondents were opposed to a breed ban, only 56% felt that banning specific breeds creates an animal welfare issue. Females were less likely to support a ban or agree that specific breed bans improve public safety. When participants were asked to indicate their support of several alternatives to breed-specific legislation, the most frequently endorsed options included public education about animal welfare and animal behavior, and stricter leash laws. Further research pertaining to the most effective public education dissemination methods is warranted.

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“…Furthermore, different educational interventions have emerged over the years, from books to websites (Schwebel et al, 2016;Jakeman et al, 2020). Bite prevention programs are being used in many countries, targeting both children and adults, and present promising results with a reduction in the prevalence of dog bites and/or a decrease in injury severity (Isparta et al, 2021;Kienesberger et al, 2022).…”

Section: Risk or Detrimental Effects Of Child-dog Interactions Formentioning

confidence: 99%

Are Children and Dogs Best Friends? A Scoping Review to Explore the Positive and Negative Effects of Child-Dog Interactions

Giraudet¹,

Liu²,

McElligott³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Our wellbeing is greatly influenced by our childhood and adolescence, and the relationships that we form during those phases of our development. The human-dog bond started thousands of years ago. The higher prevalence of dog ownership around the world, especially in households including children along with the growing number of people studying dogs most likely explain the growing literature focusing on child-dog interactions. We review the potential effects of child-dog interactions on the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of both species. A scoping search of the SCOPUS database found several hundred documents meeting selection criteria. It allowed us to define the numerous ways in which children and dogs can interact, be it neutral (e.g., sharing a common area), positive (e.g., petting), or negative (e.g., biting). Then, we found evidence for an association between interacting with dogs during childhood and an array of health and mental benefits like stress relief and the development of empathy. Walking a dog and playing with one are perfect physical activity opportunities. Additionally, interacting with a dog can help lower stress and may have a role in the development of empathy. Nonetheless, a number of detrimental outcomes have also been identified in both humans and dogs. Children are the most at-risk population regarding dog bites and dog-borne zoonoses, which may lead to a subsequent fear of dogs or even death. Moreover, pet bereavement is generally inevitable when living with a canine companion and should not be trivialized. In terms of dogs, children sometimes take part in caretaking behaviors toward them which include going on walks. They are opportunities for dogs to relieve themselves outside, but also to exercise and socialize. In contrast, a lack of physical activity can lead to the onset of obesity. Dogs may present greater levels of stress when in the presence of children. Finally, the welfare of assistance, therapy, and free-roaming dogs remains underexplored. Overall, the study of the effects, positive as well as negative, on both species still requires further development. We call for more longitudinal studies and hope for cross-cultural research in the future in order to better understand the impact child-dog interactions might have.

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Child safety programs for primary school children decrease the injury severity of dog bites

Cited by 8 publications

References 14 publications

Systematic review of dog bite prevention strategies

Systematic review of dog bite prevention strategies

US Adults’ Perceptions of Dog Breed Bans, Dog Aggression and Breed-Specific Laws

Are Children and Dogs Best Friends? A Scoping Review to Explore the Positive and Negative Effects of Child-Dog Interactions

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