Warning of dog attack EPIDEMIC fuelled by lockdown 'impulse buys' after slew of deaths

Egdon: Police announce death of a young boy after dog attack

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Teach Your Children to Ask Permission Before Petting a Strange Dog. There are 4.5 million dog bites in America each year, half of which happen to children. Make sure to teach your children to ask permission before petting any strange dogs.

Almost 3.2 million households have adopted a puppy since the pandemic began in March 2020.

However, there are fears that the animals' social skills could be underdeveloped due to increased time indoors and a lack of interaction with other dogs.

Instead, she said the issues are often related to a "range of management issues", such as abuse.

Dr Gaines continued: "People found themselves in a situation where they wanted some companionship, wanted something for their children to look after.

Instead of buying special Kong stuffing, stuff a Kong with cheese cubes and place in the microwave for five seconds.

"Whether that led to some impulse purchases, or impulse acquisitions for people without asking: 'Do I have the time, do I have the resources and finances to make what is a very long-term commitment?'

"We are worried that some of the incidents could be related to that."

Speaking to the Sun, she added: "Some of the increases in dog bites we've seen - they may well be as a result of that."

However, she said it is difficult to pinpoint the cause of the increase due to a lack of information in relation to each incident.

how much exercise do dogs need

READ MORE: Dad of baby mauled to death by crazed pet dog jailed for four years

She said that the RSPCA and other organisations have been calling for "more thorough investigations around the factors".

This could include canine behavioural assessments to gain a better understanding of what might lead them to attack.

The same week, an eight-year-old boy was hospitalised after being bitten on the face by a dog.

Make sure your pet is in good company. Pets get lonely and depressed just like people do when they spend too much time alone. Cats are generally better on their own, but dogs and especially puppies don’t do well left to their own devices for extended periods of time.

Between 1981 and 1991, 15 people were killed by dog attacks, ONS figures show.

But in the last decade, the number has more than doubled, taking the total to 32.

Reports of offences to police involving dogs increased by 50 percent over four years, taking the total number to 14,478 in 2019.

Find ways to enrich your pet’s environment. Your dog or cat needs your help to stay mentally stimulated. This is important not only to discourage destructive behavior in younger pets, but also to keep your older pet’s brain sharp.

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