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Bitten By A Loose Dog? Follow These Steps

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If you are out and about -- such as taking a walk around the neighborhood -- then the last thing that you should have to worry about is getting bitten by someone else's loose dog. However, if this does happen, you are going to need to seek medical attention and potentially hire a personal injury lawyer to help you ensure that your costs are covered.

It will be important to identify the owner of the dog, but this can be tricky if the dog is loose when you are bitten. Luckily, following these steps can help.

Write Down a Physical Description

To ensure that the right dog is blamed for the bite, take down a physical description of it. This should be done as soon as possible after the bite so that you don't forget anything. Take down identifying markings, such as a white chest or a noticeable scar. This will help prevent the owner from later saying that it was someone else's dog.

Snap a Photograph

If possible, snap a photograph of the dog. Make sure that you do so from a safe distance; it's not worth it to put yourself at risk to gather evidence, but a photo can be helpful in proving which dog was to blame for the bite.

Talk to Neighbors

If you aren't sure who the owner of the dog might be, you can always talk to the neighbors. There is a good chance that the neighbors will know who owns the dog and can give you contact information. Plus, it's a good idea for the neighbors to be aware of the fact that there is a dangerous dog in the neighborhood.

Call Animal Control

It's important to call animal control as soon as possible after the incident. This is important for a few reasons:

  • Local animal control officers might know who the owner of the dog is, particularly if the animal has bitten other people or caused other problems in the past.
  • Animal control can pick up the dog to ensure that it does not bite anyone else.
  • The owner of the dog might contact animal control to look for the dog, which can allow you and your lawyer to find out how to proceed with your case.
  • The dog can be tested for diseases, and its vaccination history can be verified.

Being bitten by a loose dog can be a very scary thing. If you follow these steps afterward, you can help ensure that things go as well as possible. Contact a law office like Randall A. Wolff & Associates, Ltd to learn more.


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