Keep Your Children Safe from Dog Bites on Halloween

With the ‘back to school’ rush over, kids and parents are preparing for the next big seasonal event: Halloween!

With social distancing restrictions easing in New York and the Bronx, kids are looking forward to dressing up as their favorite character or ghouls and satisfying their sweet tooth on boatloads of free candy.

But monsters and witches aren’t the only things kids and parents need to be afraid of this season. Dog bites are an all-too-common occurrence in the Bronx, especially on Halloween.

Each year more than 350,000 dog bite victims find themselves in emergency rooms across the nation, with Halloween being a night when the chances of an attack are higher than usual.

Vicious Dog, Or Just Trying to Scare You?

Even the cutest of dogs, including those stubbornly sporting Disney costumes can turn from adorable to vicious when scared, startled, defensive or anxious. Turns out, the chances of your kid being bitten by a dog are much higher on Halloween than on other nights of the year.

Why Are There So Many ‘Child Bitten by Dog’ Headlines After Halloween?

On this night of fun and excitement, humans aren’t the only ones getting spooked. While we understand that the flashing lights, loud noises, scary costumes, and loads of strangers walking around are all fun and games…dogs do not.

Halloween can be an incredibly stressful night for any pet. Overwhelming scents, strange noises, unfamiliar people, sights, and more can all make a dog uneasy, anxious, scared, and defensive.

Steps to Keep Your Child Safe from Dog Bites on Halloween

• Avoid Strange Dogs: Teach your children to never go up to a dog they do not know. Even those they know should be approached with caution, slowly, especially if in costume.
• Close Supervision: Be on high alert on this night. Children fueled by sugar and excitement can dart off at a moment’s notice, disregarding instructions, and may find pets, especially those dressed in costume, to be too cute to not touch.
• Avoid Eye Contact: For dogs, direct and sustained eye contact can be seen as a sign of aggression or a challenge for territory. If you find yourself facing a dog that is growling, showing its teeth, or barking at you loudly, look to your periphery while keeping the dog in your sight in case it charges. Do not run or make any sudden movements.
• Call Ahead: Visiting friends or people you know? Ask them about confining their pets while your kid’s visit due to them being in costume and a potential source of anxiety for the pet.

Child Bitten By a Dog? – get the help you need and the justice you deserve

The Law Offices of Stuart M. Kerner, PC is dedicated to helping our clients recover compensation for injuries caused by negligent dog owners. If your kid was bitten by a dog and sustained physical and/or emotional injury, we can help.

New York takes dog bite injuries seriously, with the law designed to protect the rights of victims of vicious dogs and negligent owners.

Reach out today for a free dog bite consultation by Kerner Law Group, P.C. and to find out if we can help you get the compensation you deserve.