JOHANNESBURG – Children are more vulnerable to dog attacks, paramedics said on Monday, warning parents and guardians over the festive season.

ER24 spokesperson Ineke van Huyssteen said that they have responded to a total of 103 dog attacks in 2017.

Van Huyssteen said a recent case was where a six-month-old baby boy was killed after he was bitten multiple times by a dog in Primrose in Johannesburg. 

A woman was also recently attacked by three dogs in Moreleta Park in Pretoria, she said. 

Chairperson of the Animal Behaviour Consultants of South Africa Shannon McKay said that children are smaller and have less knowledge of dogs, which could mean they are more vulnerable.

“A child’s smaller size and their more active body movements could simultaneously cause a dog to feel less concern for potential retaliation and their prey drive toward smaller animals could be triggered by a child’s erratic movements,” McKay said.

“Most children are also less skilled at interpreting canine body language and are thus less likely to defuse or avoid an aggressive encounter. For these reasons, parents should not allow unsupervised interaction between dogs and children.”

McKay said that it was not always possible to say why dogs attack people. 

“It would be like trying to answer why people attack other people. There is a multitude of possible reasons – poor genetics, inappropriate environment, incorrect raising, inadvertent training, poor health, past experiences, etc. If all dogs were to be ethically bred, appropriately socialised and managed according to their individual nature the instances of mauling would decrease substantially.”

She said that a possibility to reduce attacks could include the proper management of the dog and be aware of signals that a dog is moving into an “uncomfortable, anxious or aggressive mindset is crucial”. 

“Subtle signs that point to these states can be tongue flicks, yawns, turning the head or body away or even walking away. More intense signals can include closing of the mouth, stiffening of the body, growling, staring or walking slowly toward the intended victim,” said McKay.

She said these signs were often ignored or not noticed for a period of time and then an attack appears to come out of the blue, yet it had been brewing for a long time. If a dog owner has any concerns, they should consult an accredited canine behaviour consultant for immediate assistance.

African News Agency