Pet Fall Pratfall

Science: Pet Fall Pratfall

This just in, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control: People trip over their pets.

About 86,000 Americans go to the emergency room each year because their pets or their pets' paraphernalia caused them to fall down, the CDC reports. About a third of the falls cause a broken bone, a quarter cause bruising, and a fifth cause cuts.

No doubt you are astounded by the news, as were we. Who ever would have guessed such a thing, without federal research to explore the question?

But wait, there's more!

Dogs cause a lot more falls than cats. Very young people and very old people fall down more often than other people. Most falls happen at home. About one-quarter of the falls happen when someone is taking his dog for a walk.

"We know that pets have many benefits," says a CDC epidemiologist. "We just want people to be aware that pets and pet items can be a fall hazard and can lead to injuries."

Gee, thanks very much.

This is news?

This is research?

This is your tax dollars at work.