Plan aims to mind nippers

By Bridget Brady
CHILD safety around dogs is a focus of a new protection initiative in Casey.
The council hopes to reduce the rate of dog-bite injuries to children through the City of Casey’s SafeStart initiative.
City of Casey manager of community safety Caroline Bell said dog bites were among the most common causes of injury to children who attend hospital emergency departments.
Ms Bell said some of the ways people could reduce the incidence of dog bites were to always supervise children near dogs, teach children appropriate behaviour around dogs and ensure the pets were properly trained to follow instructions.
Choosing an appropriate breed for a family’s lifestyle and environment was another important aspect, she said.
“Injuries from dog bites can also occur when families and children are visiting friends, so it is also important to remember that your family pet may react differently to children who are visiting, than it does to immediate family members.
“Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children and are a major reason for hospital and emergency admissions in Victoria. The SafeStart project aims to decrease the rate of childhood injuries presenting to emergency department in Casey.”
The 2008 community safety survey revealed a 10 per cent increase in the number of people who felt comfortable leaving their child aged 0 to 8 years alone with a dog.
“Given there has been a significant increase in this figure since the 2007 survey, the City of Casey wants to take this opportunity to remind parents and carers to always be cautious when children are around dogs.”
For more information about SafeStart, phone Casey’s child safety officer on 9705 5200 or visit the council’s website at www.casey.vic.gov.au.