So apparently if you get requested to go to someone’s house, and once there standing in the front yard, their 100 lb mutt bites the hell out of your 5 year old so bad that he has to go to the ER, legally there’s not a damn thing you can do about it. Police report filed, two different county health departments involved, the city animal control involved, etc. The dog has never had any shots we have learned. We have found out too that the dog has history of killing the neighbors dogs and cats which also had police reports filed. Yet nothing can be done. I wasn’t there, it was my 7 month pregnant wife. If I were there the dog would be dead and I would be in jail. What a messed up situation.

Damn! Hate to hear about this and hope the little guy is on the mend. Laws must be different than here. Typically if there’s a biting incident that results in injury, the county will step in and hold the dog for evaluation on the first go around. They can determine to put the dog down after the investigation. If there’s a second incident then it’s game over for the dog and the owner gets some fines to pay if I remember correct. I’d run that up to either the mayor or town council (county council if it’s out in the sticks). Seems like there’s got to be some recourse for an injury like that. If not there should be one.

Not sure how I’d handle it if the authorities all just shrugged their shoulders and said nothing can be done.

I'm surprised they didn't put the dog down and have it tested for rabies. I'm very sorry for the traumatic experience for your family.

At a minimum I would think you should be able to file a claim with their liability insurance to cover your medical costs.

So the reason they won't do anything is because your wife and son voluntarily entered their yard?? Or is it is because they requested your wife to come over did not include your son?? Was the yard fenced?? Just trying to understand how they made the determination that nothing would be done?

It's just not safe to be a dog now days. Hotdog wieners have been known to occasionally have contaminants in them and people throw food out of their cars all the time. A large, open, bag of gummi bears left laying around could be bad for a dog too. There's something in them called Xylitol that's real bad juju for dogs and coyotes. Dogs really need to be real careful what they eat now days.

I'm honestly shocked that if multiple police reports have been filed against the dog and owners, that they havent taken it from them yet.

There's always civil court for things like this, but either way, sounds to me like that dog needs quit wasting/using up good oxygen and most importantly, you dont need to end up in jail helping solve the dog's problem.

File a claim against their homeowners insurance

You need to check out Emily's law, which Meemaw recently signed. I don't know if it is state laww or was just a local Ordinance in Selma, but even there, where we were often behind the times, a dog that bites someone was picked up and held for observation at either the Shelter or a vet for 10 days at the owner's expense. We also had a Vicious Dog law that had the owner responsible if there had been previous signs of aggression.

At minimum, their homeowner's insurance will cover the cost of treatment, etc. and jack the owner for it.

The way I understood it before I lost my cool is that the city passed a new ordinance. If you are on the property that the dog lives, the dog isn’t responsible nor the owners regardless of who was bitten. Thats all the info I was given even though I pressed the issue wanting a more reasonable explanation. I googled it and more or less found the same thing in writing.





No the yard wasnt fenced. They didn’t get out of the car at first. The home owner came to the car and got my son out to show him a bicycle that was in the garage. Once my son got out and got to the garage (holding the home owners hand because he is scared of dogs) the dog bit him twice.


They made that determination based on the city ordinance, cut and dry pretty much. Legally how it works is that the home owner is required to take the dog to the vet for a 10 day quarantine voluntarily. If they don’t, then the health department can contact the police department and have a warrant issued on the home owner. I know for a fact the dog hasn’t been taken anywhere and I would be willing to bet my savings account it will not. After the conversation I had with the lady in charge at the health department, there’s no doubt in my mind that they will not press the issue and follow up on whether the dog went to the vet or not.

I'd sue the homeowner and the city for medical bills
if they wanna pull the "city ordinance" BS

Damn

I guess if it’s city ordinance then that would be hard to get anything done via the courts unless you have deep pockets for legal fees.
I’d hammer on the mayor and town council about changing their ordinance. Be a damn shame if a bunch of negative press started to get around that they passed an ordinance that allowed the dog owner to escape accountability. Social media and the local papers would be a good place to start. Might not help out your situation but could lead to helping someone else out down the road.

I'm not a parent but Daddy taught Mother how to operate his A5 browning including reloading If needed. Your dog bites a 5 year old that's a death sentence for dog.

Had a neighbor once with a dog like that. Thought it was an angel. My response wasn't pleasing to them. My other neighbors thought I was excessive in my response. They played nice and their 4yo daughter got 22 stitches to the face as a result.

I won't go into it any further on this forum, but there are solutions.

I would not have a dog like that in my home. If my dog bit anybody under those circumstance I would kill it myself. Total BS the way this is being handled by the city especially with the dogs history.

If i could ask Hevi...what town?

I’d put my own dog down too if it bit a child. No exceptions.

I agree with this management decision.

Burger and temic. Problem solved

See Abolt300's response. I hear that antifreeze can sometimes get mixed in with hamburger meat accidentally also.

The ER will send the bite report to the County Health Dept. and the dog will/should be Quarantined at a Vet's Clinic or animal shelter for 10 days from the day of the bite. State Law.