Dog bite coverage over the top

Media coverage on dog bites needs to help prevent panic, not cause it, says Australia’s peak veterinary organisation.

“Increased reporting of dog bites is creating fear in the community, but not much is being done by the media to help the public prevent it from happening,” said Dr Mark Lawrie, President of the Australian Veterinary Association.

“Animals are part of everyday life and the only solution is to educate the public about how to interact with them safely.

“As more and more people have become city dwellers they have become less familiar with how to interact safely with dogs and other animals.

“The media clearly has a key role to play informing people about prevention, especially…