If someone claims your dog bit him or her, you need to take immediate steps to protect yourself and your dog. Losing a dog bite case could put your dog in danger of removal from your home or euthanization, depending on the situation.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund explains that you could face a legal complaint against your dog and a civil lawsuit for a dog bite.
Potential issues
Beyond the financial toll such a claim could have on you, there is also the potential to lose your dog. It may have to go into lockup for observation, or authorities could seize the dog from you. You may also have to take certain measures, such as installing a fence or muzzling your dog when it is out in public. It is also possible that your dog may have to leave the area, so you would have to move or give the dog away. None of these things are ideal or something you want to happen.
Defending your dog
Your dog cannot defend itself. You have to step in to protect it by offering a legal defense. For example, if you can show that your dog was on your property and the accuser was trespassing, that could be a valid defense. You can also attempt to show the person was teasing or abusing your dog, which prompted the biting incident.
In any case, you must do everything you can to show that your dog was reacting in a normal way to something that the accuser did wrong. This is the best way to prove your case and protect your dog.
