British Study Claims Full Moon Could be Dangerous for Pets

You have just finished dinner, and are now strolling down the sidewalk of your neighborhood on a beautiful bright night. Suddenly, a neighbor's dog emerges from the yard ahead - no owner, no leash. Should you be wary? It may only take a simple glance at the sky to know. If you see a full moon, you may need to beware.

A study published by the British Medical Journal found that during and around the time of a full moon there were more incidents of animal bites compared with any other time of the lunar cycle. The study, conducted at an English hospital over the course of two years, looked at 1,621 patients who had suffered animal injuries. The number of bites began to increase in the days just before a full moon, and peaked significantly during a full moon. Despite common folklore that a full moon affects the behavior of animals, no study before this had ever made a connection between a full moon and aggressive animal behavior. The researchers responsible for the study, while claiming a noteworthy correlation, do encourage further testing be done in order to verify consistent results.

Before you let the moon shed an unpleasant light on your neighbor's pet, however, consider another study that claims a full moon gives no reason to fear. This study, also published by the British Medical Journal, contradicts the assertion that a full moon means more animal bites. Conducted in Australia over a one year period, researchers looked at 1,671 patients who had been admitted to all public hospitals for dog bites. Instead of finding the number of bites increasing during a full moon period, they found a slightly lower incidence of dog bites during a full moon. The only time they found an increase in dog bites was during the New Year Holiday.