We’ve all been there. Strolling down the road, enjoying a nice afternoon when a dog suddenly comes running down the sidewalk toward us, barking and angry. Or during a bike ride, a dog lunges out from behind a car, snarling and nipping at our heels. Runners encounter dogs all the time, and though most situations don’t become a case of dog bite injuries, some do and every year, in fact, dog bite occur.
The statistics are surprising and, considering that there are dogs in every neighborhood across the country, they’re downright scary as well. In 2010 there were 34 dog attack fatalities and there are over 350,000 dog bite victims each year, with approximately 800,000 requiring some type of medical attention. According to the Centers for Disease Control, between 2001 and 2003 there were 4.5 million dog bite victims per year.