Indiana Ranks Ninth In Dog-Related Injury Claims

Last updated on Wednesday, April 11, 2018

(UNDATED) - This week (April 8-14) is National Dog Bite Prevention Week®, and with an estimated 89.7 million dogs living in U.S. households, accidents are bound to happen. Most dogs will never bite, but it is important to remember that any dog CAN bite regardless of breed or type.

In 2017, State Farm paid $132 million as a result of 3,600 dog-related injury claims across the United States. Indiana ranked ninth with 124 claims last year resulting in $4.6 million paid for these claims.

State Farm, celebrity dog trainer Victoria Stilwell and members of the National Dog Bite Prevention Coalition have joined forces during National Dog Bite Prevention Week to educate adults and children on ways to reduce dog-related injuries. Other members of this Coalition include the United States Postal Service, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Humane, and the Insurance Information Institute.

"Educating the general public about dog bite prevention is more vital than ever," says Stilwell. "As a dog behavior expert, I support the need to raise awareness and stop these incidents from occurring." Stilwell urges people to join the discussion and share tips on being safe and responsible around dogs by using the hashtag #preventdogbites.

State Farm is one of the few insurance companies that does not have a breed restriction list and does not exclude homeowner or renter insurance coverage because of the breed of dog owned. Instead, the insurance company educates about responsible pet ownership and understanding dog body language. Being bitten or attacked by a dog can leave physical and emotional scars, and children make up more than 50% of all dog bite victims. The elderly and home service people like mail carriers are also high on the list of frequent dog bite victims.

The following tips are recommended to keep people safe from dog bites.

Learn canine body language. Too often people misunderstand or miss signals that a dog is uncomfortable. For example, a dog that yawns might not necessarily be tired. Yawning can also be a sign of stress.

Give dogs space. Dogs can feel threatened when strange people touch them, so take pressure off by giving them the choice to come into your space first to say hello.

Be humane. Dogs that are raised and trained humanely are more confident and less likely to bite than dogs that are trained using punitive methods or equipment designed to intimidate and cause pain.

Homeowners should talk to their insurance agent about coverage under a standard homeowner policy. Pet owners should consider a personal liability umbrella policy (PLUP) to provide extra coverage in case their dog does bite someone. Renters should consider getting renters insurance because most landlords do not provide coverage should there be a dog bite incident.

About State Farm®:
The mission of State Farm is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its nearly 19,000 agents and approximately 65,000 employees serve more than 84 million policies and accounts - more than 81 million auto, fire, life, health and commercial policies, and more than 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 33 on the 2017 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.

About Victoria Stilwell

Victoria Stilwell is a world-renowned dog trainer, TV personality, author and public speaker best known as the star of the international hit TV series Greatest American Dog and It's Me or the Dog, through which she reaches audiences in over 120 countries. The torchbearer for force-free positive reinforcement dog training methods, Stilwell is the Editor-in-Chief of Positively.com, the CEO of both Victoria Stilwell, Inc. and Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training (VSPDT): the world's premier global network of positive reinforcement dog trainers and the President and Founder of the Victoria Stilwell Academy of Dog Training and Behavior. A co-founder of the National Dog Bite Prevention Task Force, Stilwell is also committed to helping the cause of animal rescue and rehabilitation, working closely with organizations around the world to increase awareness about puppy mills, dogfighting, animal abuse, pet overpopulation, dog bite prevention, breed-specific legislation and other animal-related issues. Appearing frequently in the global media, Stilwell is widely recognized as a leader in the field of animal behavior. She serves on the Advisory Boards of DogTV, Dognition, RedRover and Canine Assistants. She is also the CEO of the Victoria Stilwell Foundation, providing animal behavior expertise and funding to smaller rescue shelters and positive training-based canine assistance organizations.

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