How do you avoid being attacked by stray dogs if you encounter them on the road?

Weather of Arabia - Stray dogs that live without a home and may move between residential neighborhoods pose a great threat to the safety of people around the world. Some become aggressive and may carry disease, and passers-by can attack and bite, which may cause severe injuries to the human body because the dog's fangs are capable of On breaching human skin and tearing muscles, so we offer a set of tips on how to avoid the attack of stray dogs.

Tips to avoid stray dog attacks

If you decide to go for a walk or on a bicycle, be conscious and monitor the area near and far from you. This level of awareness should not make you anxious and spoil your enjoyment of the picnic, but it is always better to know who and what is around you, and always try to take a mobile phone with you.

Here are some tips that will protect you, God willing, from the attack of stray dogs if you come across them on the road:

Do not approach stray dogs

It is important first not to approach stray dogs, as they are usually hungry and thirsty, but they may also be afraid, so they try to defend themselves, their food or their territory, so it is not worth the risk and approaching them even if you are a fan of pet dogs.

Find a safe haven

If you see a stray dog approaching from a distance, find a safe place. Walk into a fenced area, enter a workshop, or knock on a neighbor's door. It is always better to be safe than to risk a potentially dangerous encounter.

Avoid passing near garbage collections

Dogs resort to garbage collections to search for food, and sometimes when anyone accidentally walks near a garbage collection that the dog was looking forward to, it considers it a threat and may attack.

Use food as a distraction

If you encounter a stray dog approaching you and you carry some food with you, you can use it to divert the dog's attention away from you. Since stray dogs are always hungry, throw the food away from you so that the dog focuses on the food while you retreat to a safe place.

In case you are carrying a rock or a stick

Constantly throw stones at the dog until it turns away, or wave the stick at the dog several times.

Don't run away and don't try to run

Dog training experts from the " Park Busters " website advise not to run away, but to use your mind to overcome your instinctive desire to flee, and if you run, there is a high probability that the dog will chase you and attack you, but if you stand still, it is likely to sniff you and go on its way, So try to stand still, hold your arms in front of you, and clasp your hands together so that the melasma does not find a prominent limb to bite you from, and do not move, the sudden movement is considered by the dog as a threat and may attack.

As confirmed by the experts from the animal welfare organization "Four Paws ", where they consider the most important point to remember is that you should never run away from a stray dog, running away can stimulate the dog's hunting instinct and it will chase you, it is better to stay still or move away slowly To avoid triggering this instinct, if you are on a bicycle or motorcycle, stop slowly and wait for the dog to leave.

Avoid sending threatening signals to dogs

Dogs are very good at reading our body language. There are some types of human behavior that dogs find threatening, and these include: staring at them, yelling, waving arms, and walking directly toward them. Instead of trying to communicate threatening signals, it is better to send calming signals.

• Keep your eyes down and watch the stray dog with your peripheral vision.
• Don't stare at the dog. He could interpret this as a threat.
• Let the dog sniff you if he wants to, but don't remove your hand, as this could be interpreted as a threat.
• When the dog leaves, don't turn your back on it, move back slowly, so you can keep an eye on the dog.

(A surveillance camera documented the incident of a group of stray dogs attacking a girl who was passing in the morning from a neighborhood in Zarqa, Jordan)

Worst case scenario: being attacked by dogs

If the worst case scenario happens and you are attacked by dogs, try to fend them off with a backpack or a stick. If you end up on the floor, protect your head and vital organs, roll your body into a ball and cover your face and head with your arms, bring your legs together, pull your knees to your chest, and then try to remain still until the dog is gone.

This can be difficult, but dogs are likely to lose interest in you quickly if you remain calm. Once the dogs are away, get up slowly and leave, get to a safe place and visit the hospital as soon as possible.

Contact the animal control authorities in your area. To take appropriate action with dogs to protect residents and passers-by.

alert!

Stray dogs are vulnerable to health problems, due to the lack of preventive medical care. Many dogs carry fleas, ticks or other parasites, and some may carry serious diseases such as rabies, which is caused by a deadly virus. Rabies can be transmitted to humans, mainly through bites.

If a dog has bitten you, it is essential that you seek medical attention immediately. There are vaccines that can protect you from infection, but they must be given very soon after being bitten.