Dog Bite Attacks Reach Alarming New Highs

LOS ANGELES, July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Disease Control has released research showing dog bites have recently increased at an alarming rate. In the first 6 months of this year, there have already been 16 fatal dog attacks. The statistics show that each year over 800,000 Americans are required to seek medical attention due to the serious nature of the dog bite injuries. Unfortunately, over 50% of these victims are children below 9 years of age, and shockingly, most of the child victims were killed by their own family dogs. In fact, family dogs were responsible for 14 of these 16 recent fatalities. Three different types of potentially dangerous or vicious dogs were responsible for these deadly attacks: Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Siberian Huskies. Recently, in Oregon, a four-year-old named Ashlyn Anderson was killed after being mauled in her front yard by the family Rottweiler. In San Bernardino, California, in two separate incidents, a three-year-old and a two-year-old were fatally attacked by family pit bulls after the children reportedly were left unattended.

"Potentially Dangerous Dogs"

Laws vary by state but many describe a "potentially dangerous dog" as any dog that, when unprovoked, on two separate occasions within the prior 36-month period bites or severely injures someone or some domestic animal, or engages in any behavior that requires a defensive action by any person to prevent bodily injury when the person and the dog are not on the owner's property. Potentially dangerous dogs are often subject to strict leash and/or confinement laws and regulations, and some cities have even passed regulations banning ownership of certain breeds. More information is available via http://www.lawondogbites.com

Laws Passed to Help Dog Bite Victims Recover

Strict Liability Laws: Due to the huge number of people suffering from dog bite attacks, a majority of states in the U.S. have now passed strict laws to protect dog bite victims. In "strict liability" dog bite states, there is no "one free bite" rule that bases the owner's liability on a required showing that the owner knew of the dog's dangerous nature -- such as a prior bite or attempted attack. Rather, the strict liability laws hold the dog's owner, in most cases, automatically liable for injuries caused by the attacking dog.

Proposed Solutions:

States with "one free bite" laws saw more fatalities than "strict liability" law states leading many experts to conclude that all states should adopt the strict liability laws. Other experts have maintained that only certain potentially dangerous breeds need to have more restrictive laws. Joe Pulcinella, director of the Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Services Department, says that a great deal of the problem is not by the dog's breed, but by the owner's failure to train and socialize the dogs. He cautions that every breed of dog must be socialized, and it's important to train and socialize them early as puppies. "Classically, you have somebody who doesn't know how to handle a strong breed, doesn't give it any training and puts it in the backyard," Pulcinella said. Pit bulls and Rottweilers can make good pets if given the necessary training and socialization; but if this does not happen, it can sometimes lead to tragedy.

Legal Assistance:

"Entrusting an experienced 'dog bite law' veteran is key when it comes to finding out what your legal rights are," states attorney John Donahue, whose offices offer a free, no-obligation consultation to dog bite victims.  

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Law Offices of John Donahue