What Happens To The Dog That Bit Me?

Seek prompt medical attention.

Before worrying about the dog that bit you or your child, be sure to seek appropriate medical attention for yourself! Clean the wound with soap and lots of water to lessen the chance of infection. Use gauze or a clean towel to stop any bleeding. Watch the site of the dog bite for signs of infection, such as redness or swelling. If there are signs of infection, you should immediately seek medical attention.

File a police report.

This may be the furthest thing from your mind after being bitten, but filing a police report is very important. First, you need to have some proof that you were bitten by the particular dog. Without a police report, the owner may deny their dog bit you. You may find out that the dog’s owner was not who you thought it was. The police will make sure all this information is properly documented.

What happens to the owner of the dog?

First, the dog must be up to date on its shots and be properly licensed. If the owner does not have a license for the dog, the owner will receive a ticket or a fine for an unregistered or unlicensed dog. If the dog was outside the owner’s yard, running free or not on a leash, the owner may face an additional ticket or fine. If the dog is properly licensed and in the owner’s yard or on a leash, it is unlikely anything will happen to the owner of the dog.

What happens to the dog that bit me?

If the dog is not up to date on its shots, the dog may be impounded for observation. Dogs can carry dangerous diseases which they can pass to humans when they bite. If a dog is not current on its shots, animal control will often require the dog to be kept at a kennel for several days for observation. Assuming the dog does not display any signs of disease or infection, it will be returned to its owner. If the owner of the dog cannot be identified, the dog will be placed in the local dog pound for adoption. Only if the dog is diseased will the dog be put down. Merely biting someone is not enough for the dog to be taken from the owner or put down.

What are your legal rights against the owner of the dog?

Under Illinois law, if you have been bitten by a dog, you have the legal right to recover from the owner of the dog. What’s more, the law is broader than allowing recovery from just the owner of the dog. Under the Animal Control Act, anyone who harbors a dog is responsible when a dog bites someone. There are, however, a few defenses to a dog bite case.

Seek the advice of a personal injury lawyer.

There are many potential pitfalls in making a recovery for a dog bite. Perhaps you don’t want to make a claim against the owner of the dog, or perhaps the neighbor’s dog bit your child and you do not want to sue your neighbor. If you have any questions about what happens to a dog when it bites someone, you should consult with a lawyer who is familiar with dog bite cases. If you have questions, please contact McCready Law for a free, no obligation consultation by calling us at 773-779-9885 or contact us by e-mail. For more information, consult the topics below.