For Seniors and Grandparents...
...Parents Against Canine Killers
10% of all attacks and 20% of all fatal dog attacks involve the elderly
The number of seniors involved in dog attack related tragedy is even higher due to the many instances where their own dog or family dog fatally bites, attacks, or fatally mauls their own grandchild. Read More: Grandmother unable to save granddaughter from pitbulls. Read More: 42 year old grandmother commits suicide after grandson killed by mother's Rottweiler. Mother left 13 month old baby, 7 year old and 16 year old together. The rottweiler grabbed the baby boy from the 7 year old's arms and killed him Dec 28, 2007.
At a time of life when they should be enjoying the comfort, rewards and respect from having served others for many years, seniors are instead increasingly subjected to vicious and severe dog attacks. While decreased sensory capabilities and decreased motor function are cited as contributing factors, predatory PACK hunting instincts, and the increasing number of PREDATOR DOGS are also factors in the large number of dog attacks on seniors. Read More: 91 year old man mauled by pit bull in his own garden, fatal.
Seniors are disproportionately represented as dog bite victims, and even more so as dog mauling fatalities.
Reasons cited include:
- Thinned skin and reduced healing capacity causing a bite to be more severe.
- Reduced sensory function causing a potentially dangerous dog to go unnoticed or misinterpreted.
- Reduced motor function causing reduced ability to flee or defend against attack. (AVMA report - A Community Approach to Dog Bite Prevention)
Another very important factor should be disclosed.
Dogs are pack predators.
Read More:Predator Dogs
Though dogs have been living in relative harmony with humans for approx 12 thousand years, predatory pack hunting instincts remains largely intact when they are in a group of 2 or more. The brutal reality of one of these instincts is to select the easier prey. Whether it’s lions, dingoes or dogs hunting in a pack, they will first attack the weakest: the young, injured, sick and old. (I experienced this first hand when a large ferocious dog leapt past me snarling and growling onto where my youngest son stood).
The other important impact involving seniors is tragic dog attacks on their grand children. The older person, particularly when they live alone, sometimes becomes fearful and acquires a dog for protection. The dog accepts this adult as its pack leader and displays appropriate respect, affection and loyalty. It is inconceivable to them that the very same dog would attack their own grandchild. In one instance the bereaved grand parent committed suicide after her dog fatally mauled her grand daughter.
Protect your parents: Pack needs donations and volunteers to get the information where it needs to go and to provide comfort and support to those who have been victim to a dog attack. Please help.
We need to create and distribute flyers and pamphlets that can be distributed to places that seniors contact: health care professionals, church groups, meals on wheels, senior activity centers.… And detail the risk factors including:
- What warning signs to watch out for.
- Situations to avoid.
- Precautions to take when grandchildren visit.
- Why dogs attack.