You’re out for an evening jog when you notice a dog that’s off its leash. You’re already too close, and it’s exhibiting signs that it may bite. It’s standing stiffly, for example, and growling softly in your direction.
What can you do? Is it still possible to avoid a bite? What you do next is very critical.
First, you may be tempted to yell and run off. Don’t do it. The dog may just get more riled up, either thinking you’re a threat or thinking you’re prey.
Instead, try to stay calm and motionless. Keep your hands down. Watch the dog out of the corner of your eye, rather than making any eye contact — which the dog may see as a challenge.
Slowly start backing up. If the dog was just trying to get you to back off, it may think that it has “won” without biting.
If the dog does charge at you, try to get anything you can in between you and the animal. For instance, maybe you were wearing a light jacket when you started your jog, you got hot, and you took it off. You’re carrying it. Try to “feed” it to the dog so that it bites and rips at the jacket. It may back off with the jacket and allow you to leave.
Doing all of this may not fully protect you from the attack. If you are bitten, even when you did all of the right things, it’s very important for you to know all of the legal rights that you may have to compensation.
Source: The Humane Society of the United States, “How to Avoid a Dog Bite,” accessed Aug. 11, 2017
