Let's Talk About Dogs

Take a look at any park, beach or sidewalk this summer and you'll likely see someone walking a dog. Normally, this wouldn't give anyone any pause, but even though the majority of pet owners are careful with their animals, there are still over 350,000 dog bite victims seen in emergency rooms each year. Insurance companies pay over $1 billion each year in injury claims related to dog bites.

While there are absolutely unpreventable examples of dogs biting and attacking people, there are some steps you can take to prevent being involved in an incident with your dog. The first, and easiest way to prevent an accident is to always make sure your dog is on a leash, regardless of how well trained and where you are. Keeping control of your pet means you are in control of the situation. Next, be sure you are only walking your dog in safe areas, and away from things that could stimulate a reaction, such as fireworks or large groups of parties.

Finally-and this can be a difficult for some people-take extreme caution with your pet around children. Children love animals, and plenty of parents do not exercise the appropriate caution when it comes to allowing their children to pet a "stranger" dog. If your dog has ever exhibited any aggressive behavior, take extreme caution before allowing a child to pet your dog.

As with most things, simple steps can go a long way. Be sure to also discuss with your insurance professional to make sure you have enough personal liability coverage to protect you and your family in the event that something unfortunate does occur. With how litigious society is today, it's absolutely critical to make sure that everything you've worked for is protected in the event of an accident, and your insurance professional can go through the many options available to protect you, your family and your pet!