Russell George, Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire, was delighted to attend the "Be Dog Smart" reception hosted by the Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, at the National Assembly for Wales last week (21st May).
The aim of the reception was to launch the "Be Dog Smart" campaign which aims to teach parents how to keep children safe around dogs.
Following the reception, Russell George said:
"With over 580,000 dogs currently in Wales and rising, it’s more important than ever to be dog smart.
"After some high profile cases of dog attacks and the rate of hospital admissions for dog bites highest amongst the 2-4 age group, it is essential that parents take preventative measures and ensure that their children are well educated about the potential of a dog to bite or snap when they are worried, scared or hurt.
"During the event, I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with the Dogs Trust Wales’ Education Officer, Claire Kendrick, who was on hand to offer advice and answer queries about dog safety.
"The message which she asked me to take away was for parents to never leave a child alone with a dog and the importance of teaching children how to behave safely around dogs."
The Dogs Trust recently revealed that over half of primary school children questioned believed that a growling dog was smiling and approachable. To demonstrate the importance of understanding a dog’s behaviour, Russell George AM was put to the test and encouraged to study a series of photographs to correctly identify dogs’ emotions including signs of fear, worry or stress.
Russell George AMadded:
"I was delighted to achieve "full barks" in the Be Dog Smart test and to achieve my "I’m Dog Smart" certificate.
"The Dogs Trust run a fantastic education campaign and I’m pleased that the Dogs Trust is taking a preventative approach towards tackling dog attacks which will ultimately be a positive step in ensuring dog welfare."