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Fort Worth Bans the Chaining of Dogs

Susy Owen — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:58:53 GMT

In 2007, Texas House Bill 1411 was passed making it a misdemeanor to chain a dog overnight, in extreme weather, or for more than three consecutive hours. That is a start. Now, the City Council of Fort Worth has improved on that law and has banned chaining dogs in front and back yards, period.

The cost to anyone violating this law is a $500 fine for the first offense. If that does not get the message through, the law breaker will face a possible stay in jail, which may actually be better conditions that they left their pet in. The fines can go from $500 up to as much as $2,000.

Education is key. Some people just don't get the cruelty aspect of their behavior towards pets and some, the worst kind, just don't care. As Ghandi pointed out "you judge the morality of a country by the way they treat their animals." For people who have pets but lack a conscious, and/or awareness, the law is there to guide them to do the right thing. In a 20-year study done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, it documented that tethering a dog brings out and increases aggressive behavior in animals. Dogs that are chained are almost three times more likely to bite people, according to this study. Cruelty aside, those facts should be reason enough not to chain a dog.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Pit Bull Bites Unsuspecting Woman's Face

Susy Owen — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 12:51:55 GMT

You just can't be too safe. A few days ago our website had a story about a previously non-aggressive labrador that bit a toddler in the face. A labrador! Who knew that would happen.

This scienaro, however, is unfortunately all too common: On Saturday night a woman was visiting a friend in Austin, Texas. She was in the backyard of her friends home when a normally non-aggressive 3 year-old pit bull attacked her, necessitating immediate hospital treatment. The victim was treated at Austin Medical Center and required six stitches to her lower lip. She was also treated for a wound near her right eye. You would be well-advised be cautious around all dogs. Never assume, particularly where children are involved.

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Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Dr. Files Suit Against County Due to Lack of Protection

Susy Owen — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:07:23 GMT

The law protects dog owners' rights as much as it tries to ensure public safety. Accordingly, the county Animal Services Department will not remove your dog just because someone merely thinks the dog is vicious. Dr. Nancy Matthews, a 47-year-old Valley Center equine veterinarian, says she suffered as a result.

In November 2006, Dr. Matthews was with her two sons, 8 and 11-years old when she was mauled by two dogs. These particular dog, boxers, had previously bitten two other people and were on the loose near her house. Due to that fact, she is suing Animal Services, alleging that the department failed to investigate previous bites by the dogs and take steps to protect the public. Imagine your children watching their mother being attacked by two dogs. These boxers were tearing at their mother's scalp, arms, legs and back, which necessitated blood transfusions amoung other forms of treatment. The attack left a multitude of scars on the doctor in addition to indentations on her body where tissue was torn away from her body during the dog attack.

According to the county Animal Services, no mandatory duty was breached by them. As far as they are concerned, the culprit is the owner of the dogs. They claim they have to jump through hoops in trying to restrain dangerous dogs (see original article for full details). According to the county, the best action is self-defense. The best of luck to all of us with that advise.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Kurita's Bill Would Toughen Pet Laws

Susy Owen — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:08:33 GMT

Tennessee's State Senator Rosalind Kurita of Clarksville is looking for accountability. And now she will introduce a bill that will provide that accountability for pet owners.

The bill is known as "permissive legislation." In the event of a dog attack the case would go to General Sessions Court. Currently a dog attack case would go before a Circuit Court judge, which would assure a fine of $50 at most. If the bill passes such a case would be sent to General Sessions, where a judge could have the dog destroyed or impose a higher fine.

"I do believe in accountability," Kurita said Wednesday. "We can not have dogs hurting people in Montgomery County." At David Selby, animal control director for Montgomery County put it "All we can do is cite the person for a dog at-large," Selby said of current laws. "It's a joke." He backs the senator on this one. Selby added "There are certain breeds ... you're looking at 2,000 pounds of bite pressure." I think we should all be taking this type of threat seriously. Keeping the public safe is paramount, and enforcing strict vigorous laws is the only way to make some pet owners take responsibility.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

The Pit Bull and the Service Man

Susy Owen — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 12:28:25 GMT

When Scott Saterbo heard screams coming from his neighbor's yard, he ran to assist Greg Young who was being viciously attacked by a large pit bull. Saterbo beat the pit bull off Young with a shovel and is sure that if he had not done so, Young would not have lived. How brave is the 19 year-old Saterbo.

Young, who works for Suburban Propane, was on a service call at the house. By the time Saterbo got to him Young was bleeding profusely. Satebo could actually see the bone in Young's leg. Young, who was also bitten in the face, was dragged out of the yard by Saterbo and rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery in an attempt to repair the extensive damage to his body. In the meantime the pit bull was impounded.

Leon County Emergency Medical Services and Animal Control statistics show dog bites have increased quite a bit in the last two years. According to Mac Kemp, deputy chief of operations at EMS, "...the breeds weren't always specified, but the most common were pit bulls. A couple were Rottweilers and beagles." As Kemp put it "You just don't know what a dog will do."

In this situation the pit bull has been quarantined and is scheduled to be put down. Although, pet owners have the opportunity to contest a decision to put a dog down, they have not received a stay order from the court in this case, to date. The owner will not be charged criminally since his dog was on his property. That's not to say that Young will not seek damages in civil court.

Dog bite prevention week

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Premises Liability.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Victims Dog Attacks Assailant

Susy Owen — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:30:52 GMT

Everyone's nightmare came to a South Austin woman's front door on November 11. When she heard a knock on her door, she opened it only to find a stranger who forced his way inside her home and pinned her against a wall.

Once he had her pinned against the wall, he put a hunting knife to her throat. " The woman did not know the man, but he made a comment to her about her boyfriend, who had just left the apartment, said Detective Michael Zeniecki." It turns out, the victim happened to have a great pet that is part dog part wolf. The dog attacked the assailant at which time the man fled. Good job. Here's to man's best friend.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Dog Bites Can Happen Anywhere at Anytime.

Susy Owen — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 12:37:59 GMT

Michael Stuart, 52, of Aberdeen, Scotland, was helping a hospitalized friend out by watching his dog, an Alsatian a.k.a. German Shepard. He took the friend's dog out for a walk when a passer-by a man walked by Stuart and the dog at a brisk pace. What happened next was most unfortunate; the dog took flight as the victim walked by and bit him in the groin, of all places.

As a result of the attack, the victim needed eight stitches. The bite caused a two-and-a-half inch cut to the victim's testicle. He was treated at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. The dog's care taker admitted being responsible for a dog that was out of control in a public place. As a result of the dog attack, he was find 250 British pounds (USD $506.17)

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

1-year-old Dog(s) Kills Owner

Susy Owen — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 12:37:03 GMT

This story is a lesson on many levels, one of which is "do not ignore your instincts."

Phyllis G. Carroll was a 63-year-old woman who owned two 1-year-old dogs. The two black chow mix dogs were from the same litter, one male and one female. They were kept outside in the yard behind Carroll's house. Friends say she had grown increasingly afraid of the aggressive dogs. It is a that point a dog owner needs to act. If you are not inclined to be overly concerned about your own safety, you must at least protect the public, particularly children, from aggressive dogs.

Sadly, Phyllis did not act on her gut feelings, and as a result, she paid the ultimate price with her life. She bled to death after being mauled by one or both of the dogs. She had bites to her throat and arm. There was no witnesses to the incident. Both animals will be destroyed, which, frankly, is a really good call.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

A Dog Attacks and The Victim Pays

Susy Owen — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 12:37:56 GMT

Sara Weidenhaft did nothing more than lean into a vehicle to hug the driver, when a dog that she didn't even know was there, attacked her face destroying her lips. She is now haunted by that day and stared at by what seems like everyone. To date she has had five surgeries in an attempt to repair the damage.

It was only after experiencing that dog attack she found out that a dog's owner is not liable for a first time-time bite. "So far my surgeries are in excess of $66,000 and I'm still not fixed," Weidenhaft, 52, told lawmakers at a hearing in Salem for House Bill 2345, a dog-bite measure proposed by Rep. Wayne Krieger, R-Gold Beach.

The new bill makes sense and in my opinion is long overdue. The bill states that the owner of the dog would be responsible for medical expenses but the owner would retain defenses such as provocation of the dog. Weidenhaft made an excellent point when he said " If a dog comes into my pasture and kills one of my sheep, not only can I kill the dog ... I can collect up to three times the value of the sheep. But, if a dog bites my lip off, I have to pay? Something isn't right with this picture." Indeed.

Oregon is not alone in its centuries old law, which dates from 16th-century England. I think the fair thing to do would be to make each dog owner liable. Since it is owner's dog it would therefore be his/her responsibility. There really is no justification for leaving an innocent party with not only a disfigurement and emotional trauma due to an attack, but with medical bills to boot. It really does add insult to injury. If the law states that if you take on the responsibility of an animal you are responsible for that animal and for whatever that animal does, we would be putting responsibility where it should be.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Pit Bull Attacks Family

Susy Owen — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:50:17 GMT

It has been said that the owner of a pit bull that attacked an innocent family took every precaution to keep the dog on his property. It has also been said that the pit bull found a low spot in the fence. At the risk of sounding harsh, if every precaution had actually been taken, the dog should not have been able to escape through a "low point" in the fence. In fact, there should not have been any "low points."

Tehama County Animal Regulation officers responded to a 911 in Rancho Tehama. They arrived to find that two small children and their father had been attacked as they walked by the fence, which was supposed to keep the pit bull on the property. Can you imagine the horror of being attacked by a pit bull only to than see your children being attacked. The children have several puncture wounds to their legs, while their father has wounds to his arms and legs. They were taken to St. Elizabeth Community Hospital, where they were treated and released. The dog is currently being quarantined at the Tehama County Animal Care Center.

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Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen