By The American Veterinary Medical Association
The coronavirus pandemic has introduced a good deal of uncertainty into our lives, as well as the lives of our pets. As people shelter at home, adopt new pets or foster dogs for sick family and friends, now is the time to reinforce safety and responsible pet ownership.
National Dog Bite Prevention Week (NDBPW) is April 12-18, 2020. Members of the National Dog Bite Prevention Week Coalition include the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), State Farm®, Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), American Humane, and the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behavior. The coalition joins forces each year to draw attention to how people can reduce the number of dog bites.
Stress can affect pets and cause them to feel anxiety. In some cases, dogs will exhibit anxious behaviors such as barking, aggressive behavior, or destructive behavior.
According to Victoria Stilwell, CEO of Positively.com and the Victoria Stilwell Academy of Dog Training and Behavior, the coronavirus pandemic has affected pets, too.
“Dogs that are used to kids being at school and adults at work are now finding themselves surrounded by their families 24/7,” says Stilwell. “Most welcome the company but some dogs are having a hard time adjusting to the constant noise, attention and lack of space.”
Members of the NDBPW Coalition will share information during several webinars this week focused on how COVID-19 is impacting pets and pet owners. Experts will provide safety tips for sheltering at home with dogs, how to support animal shelters and rescues, and release 2019 dog-related injury claims data.
* Wednesday, April 15, 11 AM EST – Zoom webinar for media and bloggers (registration required)
* Friday, April 17, 2 PM EST – Zoom webinar for the general public. The public is invited to join this free webinar to ask questions related to dog behavior, bite prevention, and how COVID-19 impacts pets. (registration required)
–
See also:
It’s National Dog Bite Prevention Week Did you know that most dog bites are preventable, and there are many things you can do at home and within your community to help prevent them?
Learn more here: https://t.co/I625dr1x2v
— citypawsvet (@citypawsvet) April 16, 2020
*
It’s National Dog Bite Prevention Week! Click on the infographic to learn more! pic.twitter.com/p3l7rTDFZ8
— Farmers Alliance (@farmersalliance) April 16, 2020
*
It’s National Dog Bite Prevention Week! As much as we love our dogs and even if they’re well trained, it’s important to know that any dog can bite. Check out this infographic to learn more and together we can #PreventDogBites#xinsurance #dogsbite #dogs pic.twitter.com/PmQVGLf4Ke
— XINSURANCE (@Xinsurance) April 16, 2020
Posted on April 16, 2020