Dog Bite Prevention Program

Doggone Safe - Be a Tree

Attention SAVT Members – Would you like to:

Perform a service for your community?

Teach children dog bite prevention techniques?

Earn continuing education credits?

Dog bite prevention presentations are extremely well-received and programs are expanding in towns and cities throughout the province. In order to make this program widely available, we need volunteers from SAVT.

Doggone Safe ‘Be a Tree’ teacher kits are available to borrow from the SVMA or better yet, you or your clinic can purchase a kit.

Borrow:
Sharon Murray, Member Services Coordinator
SVMA phone: 306.955.7868
Email:

Purchase:
Web: www.doggonesafe.com to purchase your teacher’s kit.

This program teaches children to be safe around the family dog and other dogs they may encounter. The program is delivered to school age children from Kindergarten to Grade 5. Careful concern has been implemented to ensure the program is fun and the message is positive.

Instructions for presentation are included; the format is very easy to follow. A number of technicians and veterinarians have been doing the presentations in school and playground programs, and it is very well received. This is an excellent educational opportunity.

Everyone wins! The community is educated and safer. The SAVT has members presenting themselves in a professional way. Your business gains respect in the community.

Dogs are amazing animals. They love us unconditionally. They protect our homes. They find lost children. They fetch the newspaper. They swim. They lie by the fire. They pull sleds in the snow. They predict seizures and sniff out cancer cells. They lead the blind. They hear for the deaf. They comfort the elderly. They leap from helicopters to rescue the drowning. They roll in dead stuff. They chase the cat. They dig up the garden. They die for us in war time. They sniff out drugs and bombs. They pull wheelchairs. They race agility courses. They steal the remote. They warm our feet and our hearts.

Despite 12,000 years of living with dogs, they remain largely misunderstood by humans. When a dog bites we interpret this in human terms. In most cases the bite is a normal dog behavior. The dog that bites is not necessarily a mean dog or a bad dog - he is just a dog. To prevent dog bites we need to understand what motivates the dog to bite and reduce risk through modification of both human and dog behavior.

ALL DOGS MAY BITE: dog bites are a major problem. In the U.S. there are a reported 4.5 million dog bites a year. HALF of all dog bites are from the FAMILY DOG. 50% of all children under the age of 12 will be bitten by a dog.

The Doggone Safe mandate is guided by real world events and situations that have actually happened. Doggone Safe provides educational programs to teach about dog bite prevention for schools, parents, expectant parents and workers.

This program is proudly supported by the:

Last edited:  2007-12-12