🐶 The Urgent Need for Action:

Dog attacks cause serious injuries and emotional trauma, affecting millions each year in the U.S. alone:

• 4.5 million people are bitten annually
• 800,000 of these bites require medical attention
• 29.4% of fatal dog attacks involve toddlers
• 56.7% of fatalities are children and teens

Despite these alarming statistics, there's a glaring lack of required training for dog owners and minimal guidance on handling attacks. 

📣 Our Call to Action:

We urge the introduction of free training videos on how to prevent and deescalate dog attacks for all owners at the point of fostering, adoption, and licensing.  See below for more details on our actionable plan, starting with NYC and the top online marketplaces for breeders and rescue shelters.

❤️‍🩹 Luna's Heartbreaking Experience (here):

Our beloved Luna, an 8 lb Toy Cavapoo, was viciously attacked by a dog ten times her size while on leash and simple standing on a street corner last fall. With a vice-like bite around her back, Luna was yanked into the air and vigorously shaken. I felt helpless in my desperate attempts to unlock the 80 lbs dog's clenched bite from Luna which left me bruised and scratched. Luna barely survived the ordeal and spent three days in intensive care due to health concerns of potential lung and kidney damage at only 9 months old. What was most upsetting is that no one knew what to do. Afterwards, it took me hours of online research to find actionable solutions on how to deescalate a dog attack. Sadly, our story is not unique.

👶 Echoing Tragedies: 

Just a month before Luna's incident, our friend Molly, a wee human toddler was also bitten, and countless similar stories have surfaced since. These are not isolated incidents but a widespread issue that demands immediate action.

✍️ Join Our Movement:

Help us make our communities safer for everyone, both two-legged and four-legged. By signing this petition, you're advocating for preventive measures that can save lives be taken by shelters, breeders and local governments. Paws for Safety Pledge change agents are welcome to leverage this campaign to take action in your local municipalities. This initiative aims to empower owners with knowledge on proper pet handling and understanding canine behavior to prevent future tragedies. 

Once we reach our target, we'll go to the NYC Health Commissioner and CEOs of the top online marketplaces for pet breeders and rescue shelters.  We will provide organizations a template including a list of social media video links from vetted professional trainers recommended by this community so that they can easily get started on their pledge for a safer pet community.   

💬 Share Your Story & Recommendations: 

In the comments, please share your experiences and recommend professional trainers who produce excellent educational social media content. 

🚫 No discrimination

Bullying of any breed, size or background will not be tolerated. This campaign is inclusive to protect all dogs. We believe that with the right resources, every dog can be trained to foster a safe environment.

🐶  Dedicated to our brave pups and humans: 

• Luna (@Lunamytoycavapoo): Survived an unprovoked attack following $7k in ER bills; ptsd 
• Baby: Toy poodle who tragically didn't survive an attack #JusticeForBaby
• Molly Z: 17 month human toddler bitten by a large dog; see story in comments
• Erin: Courageous dog walker who protected her client’s pup and sustained injuries
• Lunita (large dog): attacked 2x by another dog; took multiple people to get the aggressor dog off her
• Barney (golden retriever): Suffered ptsd for the last 1.5 years despite $6k of behavioralist therapy
• Pixee Rose (maltese): Survivor that was grabbed and pulled out of her stroller at 7 months. Her thick harness saved her life. 
• Murphy (@theweinieking): Attacked 2x
• Toby: large dog painfully bitten on her nose by a small dog 
• Roxie: rat terrier who had PTSD the rest of her life after a severe injury resulting in surgery. RIP
• Teddy the mini: While on a walk in the neighborhood, Teddy was jumped by a dog and had his ear bitten at 8 months old. 

** Please recommend professional trainers, share your personal stories, and suggestions for change in the comments ** 

🗣️ Spread the Word:

Every share, every story, and every signature brings us closer to a safer world for all. #PawsForSafetyPledge #TrainingSavesLives #PreventDogAttacks

Future Updates:

We will recognize responsible breeders, shelters, professional trainers, and brands that support our initiative here.

This is a grass roots volunteer campaign.