Need some help please..my dog bit someone

[Freddie]

Hey everyone,

I have a small 9lb terrier who bit someone the other day and now that person is saying Im responsible for her medical bills and that she is calling animal control to have my dog taken away. My dog was on a leash when it happened but i had a retractable leash and I was talking to someone else when it happened so i didn't even noticed my dog going after her. Anyways, I was wondering if anyone had been through this or could give me some advice as to what to do. It was a small little bite and nothing serious at all. My dog has been vaccinated and is very healthy. I apologized to the lady and I feel that is all i could have done. She is taking it waay out of proportion but I need to get some advice on what I can do. I will be so hurt if my dog actually does get taken away because he is like my son and for something so small, it would be a shame.

 

[Saje]

I wouldn't think of it as a small thing. You seem to think this is normal behaviour? Does your dog bite a lot?

I would get all of your medical paperwork in order so you can prove he's had his rabies shot. I'm not the best person to advise on this so I'll see if I can find someone better.

 

[Renee750il]

Make sure you've got his vet records. IF she does carry through and animal control comes to investigate they should want to see them. It wouldn't hurt to go ahead, RIGHT NOW, and get you and your dog enrolled in some behavioral training. That shows that you are being responsible and serious. If there is an investigation, there will be a record made and you need to be aware of that and make absolutely sure that you and your dog are never put into a situation like that again.

Get rid of the retractable leash. Now. I'd suggest a harness for a Terrier too. They are very resourceful when it comes to slipping out of collars

And try to remember what the woman was doing when she got bitten. It's rare that a dog bites without any provocation. It happens, but not that often. Even my little Terrier, Mickey, who was a biter, never bit anyone who wasn't provoking her.

 

[Doberluv]

I doubt if they'll take the dog away. It is not good that you weren't keeping the dog on a closer leash while talking to someone and not paying attention. We have to always pay attention when our dogs are around people. That said, it is not a small matter that any dog bites. It is likely they'll bite again, once they bite. With a 9 LB dog however, I doubt that one bite caused a huge amount of damage or medical bills. So, this would have to be proven by a doctor, photos etc, I think. Second, like Saje said, have all your vet bills prepared. They may want to have you quaranteen your dog for 10 days.

I was bitten by a larger dog, about 30lbs and that dog caused a LOT of damage. I was rushed to the hospital, bleeding profusely, torn open chin, puncture wounds all over my neck, throat, arms, wrists, stiches all over the place. My car, on the outside, before I found a newspaper to hold over my face looked like an ax murder had taken place. I drove the mile or so home and my neighbor drove me to the hospital. That dog was not taken away from them. She was quaranteened and that was that. THeir insurance had to pay my bills and then some.

You did all you could by apologizing for now. I'd just wait. Did this person ask you for your phone number? How far from home were you? Does she know where you live? How bad was the bite? If you had had a camera on you, you should have insisted on a photograph of the bite. Oh well.....

Don't panic.....it may be all right. However, your dog needs professional help so this doesn't happen again. Plus, you best put the dog on a shorter regular leash and do pay close attention to keep the dog from other people. Good luck.

 

[Denaluvscorgis]

Make sure you've got his vet records. IF she does carry through and animal control comes to investigate they should want to see them. It wouldn't hurt to go ahead, RIGHT NOW, and get you and your dog enrolled in some behavioral training. That shows that you are being responsible and serious. If there is an investigation, there will be a record made and you need to be aware of that and make absolutely sure that you and your dog are never put into a situation like that again.

Get rid of the retractable leash. Now. I'd suggest a harness for a Terrier too. They are very resourceful when it comes to slipping out of collars

And try to remember what the woman was doing when she got bitten. It's rare that a dog bites without any provocation. It happens, but not that often. Even my little Terrier, Mickey, who was a biter, never bit anyone who wasn't provoking her.

Like Renee said...no retractable leashes and harnesses are great!!! Chloe slips out of her collar with one sweep of her head.

 

[Freddie]

I doubt if they'll take the dog away. It is not good that you weren't keeping the dog on a closer leash while talking to someone and not paying attention. We have to always pay attention when our dogs are around people. That said, it is not a small matter that any dog bites. It is likely they'll bite again, once they bite. With a 9 LB dog however, I doubt that one bite caused a huge amount of damage or medical bills. So, this would have to be proven by a doctor, photos etc, I think. Second, like Saje said, have all your vet bills prepared. They may want to have you quaranteen your dog for 10 days.

I was bitten by a larger dog, about 30lbs and that dog caused a LOT of damage. I was rushed to the hospital, bleeding profusely, torn open chin, puncture wounds all over my neck, throat, arms, wrists, stiches all over the place. My car, on the outside, before I found a newspaper to hold over my face looked like an ax murder had taken place. I drove the mile or so home and my neighbor drove me to the hospital. That dog was not taken away from them. She was quaranteened and that was that. THeir insurance had to pay my bills and then some.

You did all you could by apologizing for now. I'd just wait. Did this person ask you for your phone number? How far from home were you? Does she know where you live? How bad was the bite? If you had had a camera on you, you should have insisted on a photograph of the bite. Oh well.....

Don't panic.....it may be all right. However, your dog needs professional help so this doesn't happen again. Plus, you best put the dog on a shorter regular leash and do pay close attention to keep the dog from other people. Good luck.

The person doesn't have my phone number but does have my email address. She is being pretty ugly about it. I have vet records and I enrolled him in a petsmart training class I took him to like 2 years ago i dont know the significance fo that right now.

 

[misticaleclipse]

Hey everyone,

I have a small 9lb terrier who bit someone the other day and now that person is saying Im responsible for her medical bills and that she is calling animal control to have my dog taken away. My dog was on a leash when it happened but i had a retractable leash and I was talking to someone else when it happened so i didn't even noticed my dog going after her. Anyways, I was wondering if anyone had been through this or could give me some advice as to what to do. It was a small little bite and nothing serious at all. My dog has been vaccinated and is very healthy. I apologized to the lady and I feel that is all i could have done. She is taking it waay out of proportion but I need to get some advice on what I can do. I will be so hurt if my dog actually does get taken away because he is like my son and for something so small, it would be a shame.

Maybe its just me but it makes it sound like you think a dog biting someone is not a big deal...

Frankly as a small dog owner I find it offensive when people do not take them seriously as dogs and understand that a dog bit is a dog bite. Your dog biting someone is not acceptable regardless if they are 100lbs or 5lbs.

If your dog bites someone you not only should apologize, you should also pay their medical bills. It is our responsibility to watch our dogs at all times and if this occurs then we need to take responsibility for it.

That being said, I do not think they would take your dog away from you or anything of that sort. You may get animal control at your door though so make sure you set a good impression by having your dog under control when they visit.

 

[Zoom]

Agree with what Renee said. Also, a Petsmart class 2 years ago holds ZERO significance now. Talk to your vet and see who they recommend as a BEHAVIORALIST in your area. Your average trainer is not going to cut it in this type of situation.

Depending on what the lady was doing to/around your dog, I too would be very upset if this dog just came up out of nowhere and set teeth to my skin. I despise retractable leashes just for this reason. So the size of the bite may make all this ruckus seem out of proportion, but the fact still remains that she was bitten at a distance that should have been safe.

 

[dogsarebetter]

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

 

[ToscasMom]

I don't know that they will take the dog, but I do know that you are both morally and legally responsible for any medical bills she has incurred as a result of your dog's bite.

 

[jason_els]

The ONE thing retractable leashes are useful for is training in an isolated place far away from everyone else. Otherwise never, ever, use one.

Do you have any friends who are lawyers? She may sue you depending how angry she is. It's good to offer to pay her medical bills but just making the offer could be used as evidence of admission of guilt. Find a lawyer tomorrow and get a consultation before deciding what to do. Either way, keep your vet records on-hand and get a halter and a good 6 foot leash.

 

[IliamnasQuest]

I doubt that they would take your dog if he is current on the rabies vaccination and you can prove that.

However, you are responsible for any medical bills that may occur because of this bite. Dog bites, regardless of size, can create infections that can be really bad. It would be one thing if this woman was attacking you and your dog was protecting you. That's not the case here, though.

Apology doesn't fix physical injury. I would encourage you to request copies of the medical expenses the woman incurred due to this bite and that you pay her for those. You may want to ask a lawyer about a release form that the woman would sign once you pay her bills that would state that she won't pursue legal means to have your dog destroyed.

You don't want this to go to a lawsuit. A lawyer once told me that dog bite cases were pretty much automatically money in the bank for him and for his clients. You'll lose much more if you don't take care of this now and she chooses to pursue legal action.

Excuses shouldn't be made for a dog that bites. Proper provocation only includes threat of injury or worse from the woman. A dog that bites without proper provocation is 100% at fault. The owner of the dog is responsible.

Melanie and the gang in Alaska

 

[Love That Collie]

As a licensed investigator who worked for insurance co. attorneys for over 15 years and who has investigated a number of dog bite cases (in additon to criminal, other civil and domestic cases) you are legally responsible for the medical bills........and morally responsible.

If she did contact animal control they most likely will investigate and your dog will have a "bite record" it's just like a criminal record, only for dogs, unless you or a witness saw the woman beating the dog for no reason. If they do investigate they may have you quarantine your dog for 10 days. They may want to see the vet records etc. as the others have said previously.

And true, if you offer to pay medical expenses it could mean an admission of guilt........BUT, the dog DID bite, so there is guilt and IF she wasn't harming the dog first then you would lose in a court of law with submission of evidence.

 

[Bahamutt99]

Basically agree with what has been said. (Except the harness thing. I think harnesses are easier to escape than properly-fitted collars. Get a martingale collar if you're worried about your dog slipping out of it.) Step up your training, improve your methods of restraint. If you are determined to try and keep the dog, document everything. Get your dog temperament-tested, get statements from others who know your dog's temperament (like his veterinarian). If you do have to go to court, show them everything that you've done to be a responsible owner. (Obedience classes, neutering, strong fence, insurance, etc etc etc.)

If you are going to pay her medical bills, make sure you get an attorney to draft you a release form for her to sign so she cannot turn around and sue you anyway. Make sure you see the bills and make copies of them. Don't just hand her cash.

One more thing: If AC wants to quarantine your dog for 10 days, I suggest you tell them you're going to board your dog with a veterinarian instead. Maybe I'm just paranoid from my previous experiences, but it seems like once AC gets a person's dog, they don't like to give them back. And they don't seem to take good care of dogs that are there on bite cases.

 

[tempura tantrum]

In agreement with those that have said to try martingale collars. My dogs can slip out of any other kind, but martingales hold them fast. I tend to like them better than harnesses, because harnesses generally foster pulling behavior.

As far as medical bills- you are most certainly responsible for them. Point blank the reason this woman got bit is because you weren't doing a good job supervising your dog- you admitted it yourself. And it is a good idea to treat this like it IS a big deal, because it is. A tendency to bite human beings (no matter HOW SMALL your dog is), is not an acceptable trait for an animal that comes into constant contact with other people...which unless you're a sherpa in the Andes, is almost every dog in existence.

Definitely get him enrolled in some GOOD behavioral classes, step up and pay those medical bills, and take it seriously. Ignoring it and treating it like it's "no big deal" is just ASKING for this to happen again...and while a one time offense will most likely be excused, repeat offenders are NOT.

Trash the flexi lead as well. You're just as likely to get sued by having someone trip over that long line (which in the right environment can be practically invisible), as you are to allow your dog more opportunities to bite people.

 

[MysticRealm]

I agree with everyone. If a dog bit me (and I love dogs) he would probably get kicked then I would deffinately go after the owner to pay for every and any expense I would incur from the bite. And I imagine that it must have broken skin b/c you would have surely said it didn't even brake the skin. That would be a bit less serious that a bite that broke the skin but either is still fairly serious cause who knows how hard your dog could actually bite. You deffinately should pay the medical bills and give the woman a HUGE apology for putting up a fight about paying her. I agree that you dog cannot be trusted on a flexi leash and should have more training and supervision.

 

[krisykris]

It's a big deal that your dog bit someone.. This is why retractable leashes have a *lock* option.. so that they are able to stay close to you. Just because your dog is small, does not mean that the bite is not serious. Your dog is your responsibility to watch at all times.. and by your own admission you were not paying attention. You are legally and morally responsible to pay this woman's medical bills. I doubt that your dog will be taken from you.. but I do know in some places when a dog bites anyone they are quarantined for a number of days before they are released back to their owner.

I hate to say it.. but I might be nasty too if I was the woman who had been bitten. I guess it just seems like you're taking it way too lightly imo.

 

[Cheetah]

Dog bites, even from little dogs, can cause enough damage to require stitches. It's a big deal, regardless of the size of the dog, and the owner of the dog is responsible for all the dog's actions.

I hate retractable leashes... I've been tangled in my fair share, just walking my dog minding my own business lmao... >X.x;<

 

[GSDluver4lyfe]

Bottom line, your responsible. That's whats wrong with all these little dogs these days. Their owners dont really think its a big deal and dont have to supervise them like a "big dog". A bite is a bite, as someone said from ANY dog.

 

[Cassie Abbott]

I agree with Zoom, a Petsmart training class is not the route you should go. You need truly professional help, preferably from someone with a PhD to back up their evaluation. Think about it: if this went to court would you rather have somebody with a GED vouching for your dog (Petsmart) or somebody with a PhD (behaviorist)? Find a behaviorist pronto.

I've dealt with this issue personally, only my dog was 10x larger than yours. Be as helpful as possible to the victim and realize that, in the end, it is your responsibility. You were responsible for watching your dog, but you didn't. You ultimately are responsible for making sure your dog doesn't harm other people, but you neglected that. It's not entirely your fault, but you do carry a larger portion of the blame than the victim simply because it was your dog.

I wouldn't worry about them having your dog taken away. Chances are he won't even be labeled as a Potentially Dangerous Animal (PDA) which means animal control won't do much, if anything. In the end it's going to come down to medical bills. If you do offer to pay for them (which you should), I suggest you have the woman visit a hospital or doctor and send you a full documentation of the costs as well as any future treatment suggested (surgery, etc). It would also be wise to consult a lawyer just so you have a history of the case and advice on how to handle it.