The American Veterinary Medical Association says,
"Dog bite victims requiring medical attention in the United States number 500,000 to 1 million annually. Countless more bites go unreported and untreated. On average, about a dozen people die each year from dog bites. Fortunately, there are steps we can take to address this problem."

An estimated 4.7 million Americans will be bitten this year.  

60% of bite victims will be children.
As many as 800,000 people annually require medical treatment for dog bites.

About 12 people each year die from dog attacks.  

According to the Insurance Information Institute, insurance companies paid $250 million for dog bite liability claims in 1996 alone. 

State Farm Fire and Casualty Company paid nearly $80 million in dog bite-related claims in 1997.

Every year, more than 4 million people in the United States are bitten by dogs. Most of those victims are children under the age of 13. The Humane Society of the United States youth education division, the National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (NAHEE) hopes to change that.
NAHEE's dog bite prevention resources are designed to help you keep kids safe around dogs, reduce the number of dog-bite-related injuries in your community, and enhance the bond between people and dogs. The resources are perfect for use by teachers, humane educators, and parents.
The BARK (Be Aware, Responsible and Kind) Dog Bite Prevention Program is the only one of its kind proven effective in teaching elementary-school students how to behave safely around dogs. The programs consists of Dogs, Cats & Kids, a 25-minute video and a fun, easy-to-use 31-page activity book of lessons, reproducible worksheets and coloring pages designed to teach kids how to avoid being bitten.
In addition to teaching children important lessons on avoiding dog bites and providing hours of fun, Play It Safe with Dogs/Fuera de peligro en compania de perros lets kids learn Spanish or English. The 32-page coloring book features English and Spanish text and large, easy-to-color pictures on reproducible-quality paper.
The complete BARK Dog Bite Prevention Program costs $23.95. (The video and activity book can also be purchased separately for $19.95 and $5 respectively.) The Play It Safe with Dogs/Fuera de peligro en compania de perros coloring book is just $3. Discounts for large quantities are available.
Order online at the NAHEE website or send a check or money order to:
NAHEE
67 Norwich Essex Turnpike
East Haddam, CT 06423-1736
Please add 6% sales tax for orders shipped to CT.