One of the questions we can often hear is whether someone is a cat or dog person, and no matter the answer, we all know how much pets mean to us, how much we care about them and how significant role they have in our life. Dog owners have many things to take care of and also many things to be aware of since a lot can happen, especially when you are taking your dog for a walk. Things can go sideways pretty fast, and to avoid any unnecessary stress and injury, we all take great precautions while on the walk, but, as with everything else in life, we do not have control over everything and don’t know whether or when some dog will attack ours. When our dog suffers an injury, our immediate thought is to get them all possible medical help as soon as possible, and that is perfectly understandable, but what about legal rights? Well, that is why we will now further discuss this topic and take a closer look at some legal strategies on what to do when another dog attacks our dog.
The owner of the other dog pays all costs
When an attack happens, depending on how severe the injuries are, so would be the charges, and some of those vet’s costs can be very high. As a wound alone is stressful enough for the owner who sees it as part of the family, it is good to know that, at least, you do not have to worry about costs. Of course, when something like this happens, we all want to help our best friend as soon as possible, and to do so, we would have to cover the treatment expenses. But, what every owner should know is that even though the dog’s health is understandably in the first place, that money will certainly be returned. It is your legal right to demand recovering all the financial losses since it is not your nor your pet’s fault. Of course, in order to get a refund, it is necessary to report the attack so that the responsible services can react promptly and accordingly. Besides that, you will receive money worth your dog, which for all lovers is something they have never thought about because, for them, the dog is a family and not a thing.
The possibility of suing another owner for the improper keeping of an animal
Sometimes the attack is just a combination of misfortunate circumstances, and sometimes the owner is the one to blame for the reckless behavior. We all know the saying “Like owners like dogs,” meaning that dogs can largely take on the personality of the owners and that their actions and behavior are only a reflection of the actions and behavior of their owner. Dogs that are aggressive should not be walked on crowded streets for the safety of both other people and other animals.
But in case of negligence of the owner regarding the improper keeping of an animal, there is a possibility of filing a lawsuit against an unscrupulous owner who will then face a criminal charge. If case one wins the lawsuit, the owner can be permanently deprived of the right to own and keep the dog but also to go to jail or get an order to euthanize the animal. Since this type of incident almost entirely the fault of the owner, this happens only in extreme cases, so in most moderate cases, the penalty is perfectly fine. In many cases, the court may order the owner of a potentially dangerous dog to finish certain training under supervision in order to keep his behavior under control in the future. Those training can be the best solution for both the animal and its human because, after them, they can have a much better quality of life without being scared of the new attack. And, on the other hand, the owner can also see how to treat the animals properly.
The location of the attack is not important
Many people worry about whether it matters where the attack happened, and that is why it is good to know that by law, every animal must be under control in all public areas, so there is no need to worry about that. If the attack occurred during the usual walk, you have every right to seek compensation for it. The only location where it can be your fault, in case of some offense, of course, is when your dog accidentally walks into the yard of some other one. In that case, it is not considered that it was the attack because the animal was simply defending its territory and its home. As an owner, it is your duty to keep your pet under control during walks and in every other public and private place unless it is your own, and using the leash may be the best option for that.
Insurance Claim
Although, when something like this occurs, what we all care about is to get and provide the help as soon as possible and get the necessary treatment for our dog, but among all that, it is crucial to call or ask the owner of the dog who committed the attack for contact info, name, and the insurance company. The last one is as crucial as all other info since both the property damage and injuries from the dog are usually covered by the insurance company. Everything is much easier when there is coverage from the insurance company, but since there is a large number of these attack claims, many insurances are now looking to exclude the coverage for breeds that are considered dangerous. Nonetheless, if there is no insurance coverage, seeking compensation from the owner is always an option.
The bottom line
There are many areas to cover when some dog attacks your dog, and these tips on what to look for, what legal strategy to apply, whether to contact a lawyer or to ask for contact info and insurance, or both, could help a lot in this stressful situation. But, if you need more guidance and advice, you can always check and consult great professionals for more info, and that is where hamiltonlawyers.com can be of great help since they have plenty of experience in dealing with legal claims for dogs attacks. Your dog’s health is in the first place, but there is no reason not to get compensated.
