Need some help please..my dog bit someone

[Aussie Red]

Here are the facts about a dog bite.
You are responsible for the actions of your dog
Most all places have leash laws
Just because your pet is leashed does not relieve you of your responsibility for
what your dog does
You are financially responsible for all incurred expenses to the victim
In most all areas the victim has the right to compensation for pain and suffering in dog bite cases
The victim has the right to compensation for any and all time lost from work for dog bites
Most often judges award jurisdictional limits on compensation
that can be three thousand dollars to five thousand dollars depending on the jurisdiction and if it is in small claims court
A.C. will more likely then not opt to allow you to keep your dog if you have sufficient records and they deem you as stable so you will not take the dog and run.
Dog will have a bite record and if there is another occurrence it will then be deemed aggressive
third bite is PTS
Sorry to tell you this but it is your fault and you ought to settle this by paying her medical bills and hope she goes no further.
The only way you are not at fault is if your dog is secured at home or in your vehicle and someone enters uninvited and is bitten or if you are being physically threatened ( assaulted)Either way the right thing to do would be to cooperate and pay her medical expenses and to try to show her that you really are concerned for her welfare.
This is why I tell people that when I re-home a dog to them they really ought to consider insurance for this very thing.

 

[carlar]

It's a sad situation but owning a dog carries with it certain responsibilities. This is one of them. I know that your dog isn't very big, but what if it had been a child. Be thankful that the person that was bit wasn't hurt very bad and take the necessary steps to try to insure that it doesn't happen again.

 

[wehkah]

Everyone has spoken some good true advice here. I just wanted to agree with everyone that no mater how small the bite is every one is sugnifigant!!! I never want any of my dogs to bite anyone!

I also have retractable leashes but never keep them long enough for them to go anywhere, it really defeats the purpose of a retractable but they are sometimes nice to have.

When we're out walking and I run into a neighbor I ALWAYS have one eye and ears on my dogs at all times! Too many distractions that they can get into. It's for their safety! No one will mind if you have to recall your dog in the middle of a conversation I'm sure they'd understand.

IMO if my dogs DID bite anyone even if it's a scratch and the person went to the doctor to check it out I'd still offer to pay their bills. To me it shows that you are truly being sincere and concerned about their situation. I'd require to see the actual doctor bill of coarse and then just pay it.

 

[Buckshot]

I would rather have a 3 inch long cut a half inch deep than a couple of half inch deep punctures. Punctures are very hard to keep from infecting, particularly those from animal bites. I used to get so POd when someones little nipper bit me while I was working on their home. I didnt go to doctors, and just dealt with the infection by trying to keep the wound open. I never had the heart to try and make a profit on the situation, but thats just me. I would have rather stabed the owner in the leg with a dirty screwdriver and called it even. I know it probably isnt legally sound but I would be taking an active interest in that womans condition and worry less about what is going to happen to me.

 

[bubbatd]

I agree with all ^^^^.... you and your dog were at fault and I would bend over back wards to appease this lady .

 

[SharkyX]

A friend of mine got bit by a dog once... the owners of the dog refused to do anything for him so he and his parents (he was a kid at the time) took them to court over it.
Now this bite was on his face so it did leave a scar and what not damaging his appearance permenantly... but he was awarded $32,000.00.

I would think it would be less expensive to compensate somebody outside of a courtroom setting... because in court you can bring up things like mental anguish and stress and any other wild thing lawyers can come up with.

 

[Renee750il]

There is one word everyone has left out regarding the medical bills (which, incidentally, you should offer to pay as long as you receive an itemized statement from the clinic/physician's office). That word is REASONABLE. You offer to pay REASONABLE medical expenses. There really are people out there who will soak you for everything they can. Just because you might try to do the right thing doesn't mean the other person is fettered by the same conscience. It happens all the time. Even to me. When I was 18 I got purposely broadsided by a woman who caused accidents for a living. Thankfully, I was smart enough to call the cops when she started calling and threatening me if I didn't "pay up," even though it had already been turned over to insurance, who, incidentally, refused her claim. She was uninsured.

Do the right thing, but keep your eyes open while you're doing it.

 

[otch1]

LovethatCollie was right on the money. I've had quite a few owners come to me, over the years, in this predicament. No, they will not take your dog on a first offense of this nature, but certainly she's called Animal Control and your dog does now have a bite record. Animal control may come to your home to see the dog and notify you of this, so make sure he's under control! There can not be another incident or you will most likely have him confiscated. You are legally responsible for her medical bill. That bill should entale an exam, wound treatment and possible antibiotic. That's approx. $200.00 in my area without insurance. Make sure you have offered to pay her initial medical bill, aquire a copy before payment, have a professional look at it then draw up a liability release, before you consider paying anything. It's just an hour of an attorneys' time, at approx. $100.00 per hour on average. Costing you maybe $300.00 to clear this up now, as you should. But if you let this go and she has any complications or an infection, you'll be looking at much more than $300.00 and then, when it does go to court you'll be in a tricky spot trying to prove this wasn't negligence on your part for not taking care of it sooner. Try to keep this from going that direction, and if you're under 18, by all means, get your parents involved immediatly! Good luck!

 

[~Jessie~]

I think you should pay those medical bills.

and thats one reason i hate retractable leads. it was your responsibilty to watch your dog and you didnt.
any bite is a BIG deal.

good luck

^^^ Completely agreed. It is your responsibility to watch your dog.

Also, your dog weighs 9lbs. All dogs under 10lbs should be on a harness... and I would never put a small dog on a retractable leash attached to its collar. Sounds like a recipe for a collapsed traechea.

 

[Love That Collie]

In addition to my previous post on this thread, I have also been on the victim side of the coin. Twice. Once when I was a teenager (many moons ago) and once just two years ago this month. And I have to say that, no, I was not hurt that bad, it could have been worse, but the skin was broken and any bite, no matter how small, that breaks the skin, has the capacity to turn into something really nasty and is prone to possible infection. It was the meds that cost me.......$110.00 for some high powered antibiotics and $89.00 for the antibiotic ointment and then around $100.00 for emergency care because I wanted it treated FORTHWITH, didn't have time to wait on a doctor in a private practice. These dogs hadn't had shots for 3 years.

But what concerned me most of all is that it could have been a child and they bit through my winter weight jeans and if it was a child they would have done some serious damage. And all I did was knock on the woman's door, she opens it and BAM the dogs tag team my leg, in the SAME place, no time to even react. The second thought I had was SHEAR ANGER....OVERWHELMING SHEAR ANGER, so I can see why the woman reacted in the way that she did. It's EXTREMELY startling and scary to be bitten by any dog and my first reaction was (after she got them off of me and no they weren't large dogs) was to vent my anger at her and call the police. Doctor's here are legally bound to report ANY dog bite to authorities no matter how small.

 

[squirtsmom]

Good advice from all. Listen to them.