Animal

Most animal bites are potentially preventable. Animal bite prevention involves all parties associated with a potential bite incident. this includes the bite victim, animal owner, and the community at large. Each has a role to play in reducing the occurrences of animal bites. Did you know it is estimated that 30% to 90% of dog bites are in some manner provoked?

Behavior is the way an animal acts. An animal's action or response to a stimulus is a behavior. Walking, swimming, flying, eating, blinking, and breathing are all examples of behavior. Animals behave in specific ways for four primary reasons. Animal behaviors are primarily strategies for survival. Animal training is the act of teaching animals specific responses to specific conditions or stimuli.

Wild animals usually avoid people. They might attack, however, if they feel threatened, are sick, or are protecting their young or territory. Attacks by pets are more common. Animal bites rarely are life-threatening, but if they become infected, you can develop serious medical problems.

Most (est. 80%) animal bites cause no or only minor injury, which can be adequately managed in the home with cleansing and first aid. However, of the nearly five million dog bites sustained in the U.S. each year, approximately 800,000 dog bite victims seek medical attention for their injuries.

Animals provide numerous benefits to humans, and interaction with them can enhance both physical and psychological health. However, such interactions are not always benign or without adverse consequence. When threatened, many animals will bite as a defensive behavior. An animal may bite in response to fear or pain, in an attempt to assert dominance, or to protect its territory, food, and offspring.