HELP FIGHT COVID-19 BY STAYING SAFE AROUND DOGS - Merseyside Dog Safety Partnership

MDSP PRESS RELEASE (24/04/2020)

CAMPAIGN: HELP FIGHT COVID-19 BY STAYING SAFE AROUND DOGS

COVID-19

The spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has resulted in the UK government introducing social distancing measures since the 23rd March 2020. Many serious cases of the COVID-19 disease has put increased demand on the NHS and all efforts are needed to help hospitals and their staff focus on tackling the virus and avoid non-virus related hospital admissions where possible.

How does this relate to me and my dog?

As a result of the current restrictions, the normal workday routine has, for most people, drastically changed. Most people are adhering to government guidance by staying at home, including children as schools are closed. Consequently, many of us are now spending the whole working day with our pet dogs. Due to the disruption to their routines and the extra attention, dogs may be more stressed and behave out of character. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the appropriate behaviour around them to ensure they are comfortable, not overwhelmed and there is low risk of human injury. In addition, postal workers are a particular risk during this time due to increased deliveries and children at home opening doors.

It is important to highlight that:

Any dog can bite and cause injury regardless of how well you know the dog.
Between April 2019 – March 2020 there were over 8,500 hospital admissions in England as a result of being bitten or struck by a dog.¹
Most dog bites occur within the owners’ own home, from the family pet.
Many people feel a dog bite will not happen to them.
Seven postal workers each day are bitten by dogs in England.

MDSP Campaign – HELP FIGHT COVID-19 BY STAYING SAFE AROUND DOGS

The Merseyside Dog Safety Partnership ( https://merseydogsafe.co.uk/ ) consists of several key partners such as Royal Mail, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, and animal charities, and is coordinated by the University of Liverpool. The aim of MDSP is to encourage positive dog interactions, improve human-dog relationships and ultimately, prevent dog bites. Due to the increased frequency of contact with dogs during the COVID-19 restrictions, the Merseyside Dog Safety Partnership (MDSP) has developed an educational poster highlighting the top tips about how to prevent dog bites in the home. Following this advice will help to reduce the risk of unintentional injury whilst keeping your dog comfortable and happy. Safe behaviour around dogs is relevant to all members of the household. It is also crucial to manage dogs during external visits such as shutting a dog in a room whilst answering the door to postal/delivery workers.