My Dog Bit Someone, need advice!

[nsr250]

As topic states my dog bit someone today, the situation was that the whole family was at work while my sister and dog were home alone just like everyday. Keep in mind my sister has a learning disability so even though she is an adult her mindset and mental capacity is like a child.

What happened was a Purolator driver came to deliver a package, so he rang the doorbell and my sister goes to open the door (we've told her many times not to open the door to strangers but sometimes she either just forgets or doesn't listen) So as soon as she opened the door my dog ran out and bit the Purolator guy in the arm. I found this out because he called me right away and told me what happened. He said he would report it to his company and animal control but he wouldn't really give anymore details he just said he's calling me to give me a heads up.

About an hour later I get a call from Purolator office from a different guy telling me that I need to be more careful with my dog and they will be calling animal control to come and speak with us. They may need to take him away for quarantine. He also mentioned that his driver is seeking a lawyer now.

I've been asking my sister for details of what happened but she's not giving much details or answers so I can't really rely on her to explain what happened.

Now I'm really worried what's going to happen, my dog never bit anyone before and it's the first time something like this happened he's not viscous or anything like that. I'm scared that they might take him away. Will I need to hire a lawyer as well? Any advice is appreciated.

my dog:
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/10766033-post31/

[Star*]

you may want to call your home insurance company to see if they have any advice for you.

[KonniXeoN]

Well it sounds to me like your dog was trying to protect your sister.
Given that your sister has a mental condition; she was not able to hold back the dog from biting the Purolator delivery guy.
Plus sometimes those delivery guys look shady as hell. Give your home insurance a call and see what they can do.

[jackie999]

Until someone else comes along with advice..I'll pass on what happened to someone on my street when her dog bit the postman.
Someone came to her door that evening..it's possible it was the police..they made sure her dogs rabies shots were up to date. They told her she had to keep the dog in the yard for a certain amount of time and if it was taken on walks it needed to be muzzled. They didn't take her dog and I am pretty sure she didn't need a lawyer.
Any dog will defend it's home ..and any dog is capable of biting. I think, it's in your favor that Nero was defending his home. I can't help but wonder how little Nero bit someones arm..how did he manage that? Don't worry too much - take a wait and see approach.

[Nurse2B]

As topic states my dog bit someone today, the situation was that the whole family was at work while my sister and dog were home alone just like everyday. Keep in mind my sister has a learning disability so even though she is an adult her mindset and mental capacity is like a child.

What happened was a Purolator driver came to deliver a package, so he rang the doorbell and my sister goes to open the door (we've told her many times not to open the door to strangers but sometimes she either just forgets or doesn't listen) So as soon as she opened the door my dog ran out and bit the Purolator guy in the arm. I found this out because he called me right away and told me what happened. He said he would report it to his company and animal control but he wouldn't really give anymore details he just said he's calling me to give me a heads up.

About an hour later I get a call from Purolator office from a different guy telling me that I need to be more careful with my dog and they will be calling animal control to come and speak with us. They may need to take him away for quarantine. He also mentioned that his driver is seeking a lawyer now.

I've been asking my sister for details of what happened but she's not giving much details or answers so I can't really rely on her to explain what happened.

Now I'm really worried what's going to happen, my dog never bit anyone before and it's the first time something like this happened he's not viscous or anything like that. I'm scared that they might take him away. Will I need to hire a lawyer as well? Any advice is appreciated.

my dog:
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/10766033-post31/

If your sister has the mental capacity of a child, should she be home alone, everyday?

Anyway, I don't think they'll take your dog away. They'll likely tell you to be much more careful, and to muzzle him when outside, etc. They'll probably check that his shots are up to date as well.

EDIT: I just looked at the picture of your dog, lol, the truck driver is crying over that little guy biting him? wow. P.S he's a cutie.

[Siye]

You're lucky he's a small dog. If he was larger the situation could have been much uglier. I feel bad for the postman though so I hope the damage was minimal, but I feel terrible for you guys too.

I can't give you much advice on the situation but I'm guessing the SPCA/animal control will have some involvement.

Keep us posted. I'm curious to see how this case progresses.

[okaywithme]

I've not experienced this with my dogs but while at an off-leash park about a week ago, someone told me that there was an incident of attack at the park. The injured dog was severely injured from the attack requiring surgery. I dont know of the breeds involved.

It resulted in the owner of the injured dog contacting animal control which in turn contacted the health department. The owner of the dog which attacked the other dog was required to produce evidence of the most recent rabies vaccination and was fined $500 (a series of different fines). The owner was also asked to muzzle the dog on walks and outside of the home and was quarintined for a period of time. The owner was also told if an attack should happen once again that he would then be fined $5,000.

I don't know more than this and how much of this is accurate given that the information was from a third party.

[goJays]

install those infant gates to keep dog and sister out of the entrance area. at least your sister does not have Alzheimer, she learned from this incident right? does she need inhouse care (your sister im talking about)? I am dealing with a grandma with Alzheimers (pretty bad) which requires constant care.. not very fair for me.

side note: if a dog attacks you like this, can you strike it until it stops attacking or we are supposed to be 'nice' to the animal and wait for the owner to do something? it's hard to determine the right amount of forces, especially if the dog doesn't listen/understand 'NO' and/or is a small dog.

[stealth]

If things get more complicated "legally", I would be sure to have a new plan that will assure a judge or whomever, that you have since learned from the unfortunate accident and are no longer leaving your sister and dog alone/unsupervised. That may go along way in terms of getting some leniency.
Consider this a wake up call, it could have been much worse for either your dog or sister.

[actng]

there are many aspects of this story that doesn't add up in my opinion... both the story the OP is telling, as well as the story purolator is claiming:

OP's story:
1. first off, why the **** is your mentally challenged sister home alone? is that even safe?
2. why does the dog have free range of the home?
3. does he have a history of aggression? if so, why does he have free range of the home with a mentally challenged person with no supervision. i would NEVER leave a dog unattended with a child.

Purolator's story:
4. dogs do not attack unless provoked. dogs have only four responses: fight, flight, avoid, submit. unless your dog has a history of aggression, their first option is not to fight. unless he was protecting your sister.
5. question then becomes why was your dog protecting your sister? did he try to rape her? sexually assault her?
6. even when dogs bite, it's not REALLY a bite. I've been bitten by many dogs and none of them actually BIT me, they just snapped at my hand and released as soon as contact was made. google michael vick and you'll see his dog fight videos - THOSE are bites. so get confirmation of the damage since you can't get info from your sister. if it was a real bite, something must have triggered the dog to "kill".

And where purolator's story REALLY breaks down - they NEVER friggin deliver. those lazy bastards always leave a note and say no one was home without ever ringing the door bell or even lugging the heavy package.

Find out if your sister was attacked.
Find out the extent of the damage/wound.
Call your pet insurance company.
Wait to get served with a lawsuit before bothering with a lawyer.

[1V4N]

sorry to hear about what happened with your dog biting a delivery person.

it looks like you are a resident of the town of markham, so check out the markham by-laws pertaining to your dog and what the town may require:

http://www.markham.ca/Markham/Departments/Bylaw/handbook/animalcontrol.htm

I hope this incident is resolved fairly and quickly

[peace88]

my dog:
http://forums.redflagdeals.com/10766033-post31/

:confused: Your dog is so tiny. I can't believe the Purolator guy hired a lawyer about a nip from such a little dog. I was expecting to see a pitt bull or Rottweiler. But a small Frenchie? :| How much damage could he possibly inflict? Did he even draw blood? I would demand to see medical evidence that your dog actually harmed the driver. It sounds like this guy might be overly litigious. His story is suspicious.

[goJays]

there are many aspects of this story that doesn't add up in my opinion... both the story the OP is telling, as well as the story purolator is claiming:

OP's story:
1. first off, why the **** is your mentally challenged sister home alone? is that even safe?
2. why does the dog have free range of the home?
3. does he have a history of aggression? if so, why does he have free range of the home with a mentally challenged person with no supervision. i would NEVER leave a dog unattended with a child.

Purolator's story:
4. dogs do not attack unless provoked. dogs have only four responses: fight, flight, avoid, submit. unless your dog has a history of aggression, their first option is not to fight. unless he was protecting your sister.
5. question then becomes why was your dog protecting your sister? did he try to rape her? sexually assault her?
6. even when dogs bite, it's not REALLY a bite. I've been bitten by many dogs and none of them actually BIT me, they just snapped at my hand and released as soon as contact was made. google michael vick and you'll see his dog fight videos - THOSE are bites. so get confirmation of the damage since you can't get info from your sister. if it was a real bite, something must have triggered the dog to "kill".

And where purolator's story REALLY breaks down - they NEVER friggin deliver. those lazy bastards always leave a note and say no one was home without ever ringing the door bell or even lugging the heavy package.

Find out if your sister was attacked.
Find out the extent of the damage/wound.
Call your pet insurance company.
Wait to get served with a lawsuit before bothering with a lawyer.

agreed that the sister should not be left at home alone.
agreed that Purolator doesn't always 'delivery' nor even leave a note (in my case)

about the dog being provoked, we don't know the history but most likely this happened: girl opens door to 'stranger' and is dumbfounded, to which the dog can read the body language and mistaken it for time to help her out.

i hope you don't lose your dog or sister from this.

side note: what does she do alone at home? i gotta care for my grandma lately (Alzheimer) and i gotta keep her busy or she will start 'making mistakes/causing problems'. if she thinks nobody is home, she panics..

what is her mental age and does she still learn and develop or has it plateaued?

[goJays]

:confused: Your dog is so tiny. I can't believe the Purolator guy hired a lawyer about a nip from such a little dog. I was expecting to see a pitt bull or Rottweiler. But a small Frenchie? :| How much damage could he possibly inflict? Did he even draw blood? I would demand to see medical evidence that your dog actually harmed the driver. It sounds like this guy might be overly litigious. His story is suspicious.

yah.. it's more likely that the Purolator guy is committing fraud while on the job than it is his sister's perspective potentially being different from a mentally sound person's.

[amz155]

If the bite is reported to animal control they will report it to your local health department. If the guy seeks medical attention, the doctor is required to report the bite to the health department as well. Once the health department is informed, they will try to contact you to find out if your dog's rabies vaccine is up to date. They will ask for confirmation either through a copy of the latest vaccine certificate or may call your vet's office for them to fax over a copy.

Any dog/cat that bites/scratches a person, where THE SKIN HAS BEEN BROKEN, or where the animal's saliva contacts a person's mucous membrances must be quarantined for 10 days. A health inspector will come to your house to see the dog and evaluate whether a home quarantine is possible. In most cases it is. In some cases where a dog owner in un-cooperative, or the type of home they live in makes it impossible to safely quarantine the dog, the dog may need to be quarantined at a kennel. This is usally not the case. Generally, the conditions of the quarantine are that only the people who usually care for the dog may be in contact with it during the quarantine period. The dog may go outside on the owner's property only (no walks, no park, no taking it to the cottage) and must be on a leash if the yard is not fenced in. During this visit by the health inspector, the owner of the dog will be issued an Order that their dog is under quarantine.

The quarantine period is 10 days, day zero (0) being the day the bite occurred. On day 10 a health inspector will return to visually confirm the dog is still alive and well and will release the dog from quarantine. If your dog's vaccines are not up to date at the time of quarantine, you will be given some time (i.e. 2 weeks) after the quarantine period ends to vaccinate the dog. You cannot vaccinate the dog while it is under quarantine.

Failure to uphold the quarantine order or failure to vaccinate your dog will result in a fine issued by the health department. The health department is only concerned about the possible transmission of rabies and does not play a role in keeping track of repeat biters or vicious dogs. Nor does the health department report the bites to the area municipality (we used to but not anymore).

Pet owners always worry when they hear that their pet has to be put under quarantine. They fear their pet will be taken away. The quarantine is more a hassle than anything else for the owner. They also wonder why the quarantine is needed if their pet is vaccinated. Well, we don't quarantine because rabies is common, but because it is 100% fatal.

As for what animal control will do if the bite is reported to them, I'm not quite sure. They will likely come to your house to take a report of the incident. If your dog is involved in a similar incident in the future, you may be fined but I doubt they would fine you right away. They may also ensure that your pet has a license for the municipality in which it resides. If you do not have one, they may give you a grace period to get one or may fine you right away.

My suggestion is, if you don't have a dog license for your dog, go get one right away. Have your dog's vaccine info ready to show the health inspector. As for the delivery guy contacting a lawyer, it may just be hot air right now. You MAY want to be propactive and call the bite in to the health department yourself, which people are *supposed* to do and shows due diligence on your part. Though if you have no contact info for the delivery guy and an exposure cannot be confirmed (i.e. you have no proof that the guy sustained a bite or scratch where the skin was broken--and yes, the guy's word that he was bitten is good enough) a quarantine may not be necessary.

[okaywithme]

Find out if your sister was attacked.
Find out the extent of the damage/wound.
Call your pet insurance company.
Wait to get served with a lawsuit before bothering with a lawyer.

+1 It seems that many people naturally cry foul when something has happened to them, even with the smallest of things. The immediate response, and no thanks to all the personal advisors who coach them, is to sue. Lawsuits are expensive and should only be employed as a last resort and, in my opinion, in serious matters only.

Damage or loss is measured by factors such as the severity of the injury, the medical treatment sought for the injury, physical and/or psychological problems resulting directly from the injury, loss of work/income etc.

Dogs can easily hurt adults, children and other dogs while playing or running. Many don't realize their own strength and power and can easily knock a human off his/her feet when running into him/her at a dog park (happened to me). Most people are forgiving I find. Well, at least most other pet owners are until it involves a vet bill.

He'll soon find out how much it'll cost him if in fact he meets with a lawyer. Most personal injury claims must be brought within 2 years of when the issue arose. He may speak to a lawyer but so what. Don't spend a penny on one yourself until if and when that time comes. And, if it does, be sure to get a signed Release from any and all future claims at the end of your communications to put an end to his dispute once and for all.

[okaywithme]

If the bite is reported to animal control they will report it to your local health department. If the guy seeks medical attention, the doctor is required to report the bite to the health department as well. Once the health department is informed, they will try to contact you to find out if your dog's rabies vaccine is up to date. They will ask for confirmation either through a copy of the latest vaccine certificate or may call your vet's office for them to fax over a copy.

Any dog/cat that bites/scratches a person, where THE SKIN HAS BEEN BROKEN, or where the animal's saliva contacts a person's mucous membrances must be quarantined for 10 days. A health inspector will come to your house to see the dog and evaluate whether a home quarantine is possible. In most cases it is. In some cases where a dog owner in un-cooperative, or the type of home they live in makes it impossible to safely quarantine the dog, the dog may need to be quarantined at a kennel. This is usally not the case. Generally, the conditions of the quarantine are that only the people who usually care for the dog may be in contact with it during the quarantine period. The dog may go outside on the owner's property only (no walks, no park, no taking it to the cottage) and must be on a leash if the yard is not fenced in. During this visit by the health inspector, the owner of the dog will be issued an Order that their dog is under quarantine.

The quarantine period is 10 days, day zero (0) being the day the bite occurred. On day 10 a health inspector will return to visually confirm the dog is still alive and well and will release the dog from quarantine. If your dog's vaccines are not up to date at the time of quarantine, you will be given some time (i.e. 2 weeks) after the quarantine period ends to vaccinate the dog. You cannot vaccinate the dog while it is under quarantine.

Failure to uphold the quarantine order or failure to vaccinate your dog will result in a fine issued by the health department. The health department is only concerned about the possible transmission of rabies and does not play a role in keeping track of repeat biters or vicious dogs. Nor does the health department report the bites to the area municipality (we used to but not anymore).

Pet owners always worry when they hear that their pet has to be put under quarantine. They fear their pet will be taken away. The quarantine is more a hassle than anything else for the owner. They also wonder why the quarantine is needed if their pet is vaccinated. Well, we don't quarantine because rabies is common, but because it is 100% fatal.

As for what animal control will do if the bite is reported to them, I'm not quite sure. They will likely come to your house to take a report of the incident. If your dog is involved in a similar incident in the future, you may be fined but I doubt they would fine you right away. They may also ensure that your pet has a license for the municipality in which it resides. If you do not have one, they may give you a grace period to get one or may fine you right away.

My suggestion is, if you don't have a dog license for your dog, go get one right away. Have your dog's vaccine info ready to show the health inspector. As for the delivery guy contacting a lawyer, it may just be hot air right now. You MAY want to be propactive and call the bite in to the health department yourself, which people are *supposed* to do and shows due diligence on your part. Though if you have no contact info for the delivery guy and an exposure cannot be confirmed (i.e. you have no proof that the guy sustained a bite or scratch where the skin was broken--and yes, the guy's word that he was bitten is good enough) a quarantine may not be necessary.

Excellent post!:)

[coolspot]

Your dog is so tiny. I can't believe the Purolator guy hired a lawyer about a nip from such a little dog. I was expecting to see a pitt bull or Rottweiler. But a small Frenchie? :| How much damage could he possibly inflict?

It's standard to protect the company and the delivery guy.

Also it seems the smaller the dog, the more vicious they are...

[amz155]

Purolator's story:
4. dogs do not attack unless provoked. that's not true. i've quarantined MANY dogs that have bitten without provocation.dogs have only four responses: fight, flight, avoid, submit. unless your dog has a history of aggression, their first option is not to fight. unless he was protecting your sister.
5. question then becomes why was your dog protecting your sister? did he try to rape her? sexually assault her? you're taking it too far here.....
6. even when dogs bite, it's not REALLY a bite. if it breaks the skin, its considered a bite that would require the dog to be quarantined. no break in skin i.e. just a "pressure" bite, no expsoure thus no quarantined required. there DOES need to be a confirmation of an exposure for quarantine to be deemed requried. I've been bitten by many dogs and none of them actually BIT me, they just snapped at my hand and released as soon as contact was made. google michael vick and you'll see his dog fight videos - THOSE are bites. bites needn't be vicious to be considered bites. even the tiniest dog may inflict a seemingly pin prick of a bite that can cause damage. so get confirmation of the damage since you can't get info from your sister. if it was a real bite, something must have triggered the dog to "kill".




:confused: Your dog is so tiny. I can't believe the Purolator guy hired a lawyer about a nip from such a little dog. I was expecting to see a pitt bull or Rottweiler. But a small Frenchie? :| How much damage could he possibly inflict? Did he even draw blood? I would demand to see medical evidence that your dog actually harmed the driver. It sounds like this guy might be overly litigious. His story is suspicious.

The guy is considering a lawyer because he was bitten; it doesn't matter what type of dog it was. The above posters DO have good points about the requirement for there to be an actual bite (or scratch, or contact of dog's saliva with guy's mucous membranes, etc.). It gets tricky here because the guy's word that the skin was broken is usually proof enough that there was an exposure. People who are bitten/scratched are not required to provide medical evidence that they sustained an injury. I'm not familiar with any cases from our health department where a dog owner refused to quarantine their dog because they did not believe there was actually a bite. Keep in mind that if the health inspector believes there was a bite based on their ivestigation, the dog owner can protest all they want but the dog is still required to be quarantined. If the dog owner does not cooperate, animal control can be called and they WILL take the dog away for the duration of the quarantine period. A dog owner that is issued a quarantine order DOES the opportunity to appeal the order. So I suppose that if a dog owner diagreed about there being a bite they could contest the order after it was issued, however the order still stands while it is being contested.

[amz155]

Excellent post!:)

Being a health inspector, its an issue I can really sink my teeth into :)

[nsr250]

Thanks for all the input so far everyone, there has been no news as of yet.

As for my sister, she is an adult in her mid twenties and has been staying home alone for years. And we are confident that she can manage that. We gave her a house key for herself and she did previously take the bus everyday to her volunteer work before by herself. I should clarify that her disability only affects her learning which means things like spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic which is probably at a grade 1 or 2 level and she has a bit of social awkwardness but she can take care of herself, she does chores, cleans, makes food, even feeds the dog on time each day. Our dog is not in anyway aggressive towards her and they get along great, in fact that's the main reason for my gf and I to move back to my parents house just so my sister and dog can keep each other company during the day.

My sister realizes the mistake she made this time and is feeling guilty about it and understands that she shouldn't have opened the door. She told us that the delivery man was bit but there was no blood on his arm. I understand though that even if the bite isn't severe we're still in trouble with animal control. My dog has all his shots up to date including his rabies shots. I'm just worried about this lawyer business, if we get sued or anything it might become a big ordeal that our family does not want to go through.

My dad is usually home until lunch time before he leaves for work and he will be crating the dog everyday now when he leaves just for precaution.

[okaywithme]

Being a health inspector, its an issue I can really sink my teeth into :)

Kudos to you!

I have great respect for health inspectors.

[Rikochet]

my personal opinion is that if a dog bites a person the dog should be put down. I know that's tough if the family is very attached to the pet but its the safest thing to do before someone gets seriously hurt. I issued this same advice to a friend after a similar situation and he didn't listen. Three weeks later the dog tore the face off a 4 year old kid.

[nsr250]

Thanks for the great info amz155, I'm hoping it's just a home quarantine that will be required, we can easily deal with that.

[jackie999]

Thanks for the great info amz155

Great post amz155..having 2 dogs I've often wondered "what if...?" Thanks for taking the time ..this will be a post I refer to in the future I'm sure...

[amz155]

my personal opinion is that if a dog bites a person the dog should be put down. I know that's tough if the family is very attached to the pet but its the safest thing to do before someone gets seriously hurt. I issued this same advice to a friend after a similar situation and he didn't listen. Three weeks later the dog tore the face off a 4 year old kid.
I don't think every dog who bites should be put down. Dogs bite for many reasons. Many times they are provoked and they are acting within their instict. Of course this is not an excuse for dogs to bite. Owners are ultimately responsible for their dogs' actions and it is up to the owner to raise the dog to understand that biting behavoiur is not acceptable. There are maany instances that a dog will feel it is acceptable to bite if it is not taught that it should not. For instance, some owners don't teach their dog important commands like "drop it" and then down the line they try to take something away from their dog like a bowl or food or a chew toy or a bone and the owner ends up getting bitten. Does that mean the dog should be euthanized? No, it needs to be taught that it is not allowed to bite when its owner wants something that the dog has. Dogs will not all bite given the same situation. I think that breed and temperament ahve a lot to do with it, apart from training.


Thanks for the great info amz155, I'm hoping it's just a home quarantine that will be required, we can easily deal with that.


Great post amz155..having 2 dogs I've often wondered "what if...?" Thanks for taking the time ..this will be a post I refer to in the future I'm sure...

No problem. If you have any further questions, ask away.

[actng]

that's not true. i've quarantined MANY dogs that have bitten without provocation.

from your perspective and in your opinion probably it's not true. but from dog psychology stand point, most dogs don't just go up to random things and attack them. just like most people don't just go up and attack random people, not even most psychopaths that require "quarantine" / lock up in mental institution.



you're taking it too far here.....

again just cuz you're health inspector and you have your professional angle, doesn't mean there aren't others. my aunt was a nurse and she's witnessed many sexually assaults on mentally challenged patients by male orderlies. ever heard of the term "going postal"? you can't rule out the possibility a mentally challenged, fully grown female was not taken advantage of.



if it breaks the skin, its considered a bite that would require the dog to be quarantined. no break in skin i.e. just a "pressure" bite, no expsoure thus no quarantined required. there DOES need to be a confirmation of an exposure for quarantine to be deemed requried.


again, from your perspective. from a legal perspective, if it was just a puncture wound, that did not even require stitches and the dog does not have rabies, i'd like to see his case hold up in court for time missed off work, etc. for a puncture wound.


i appreciate your insight in this thread as a health inspector but let's not get too one sided and only see things from the city's point of view and consider all plausible possibilities until we have facts to rule them out.

[actng]

Thanks for all the input so far everyone, there has been no news as of yet.

As for my sister, she is an adult in her mid twenties and has been staying home alone for years. And we are confident that she can manage that. We gave her a house key for herself and she did previously take the bus everyday to her volunteer work before by herself. I should clarify that her disability only affects her learning which means things like spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic which is probably at a grade 1 or 2 level and she has a bit of social awkwardness but she can take care of herself, she does chores, cleans, makes food, even feeds the dog on time each day. Our dog is not in anyway aggressive towards her and they get along great, in fact that's the main reason for my gf and I to move back to my parents house just so my sister and dog can keep each other company during the day.

My sister realizes the mistake she made this time and is feeling guilty about it and understands that she shouldn't have opened the door. She told us that the delivery man was bit but there was no blood on his arm. I understand though that even if the bite isn't severe we're still in trouble with animal control. My dog has all his shots up to date including his rabies shots. I'm just worried about this lawyer business, if we get sued or anything it might become a big ordeal that our family does not want to go through.

My dad is usually home until lunch time before he leaves for work and he will be crating the dog everyday now when he leaves just for precaution.

Ok so at least we know she's coherent right? Any more info you can get?

Your dog is a short dog... how did it get a man on his arm? he must have gone down to the dog's level to play and got bit?

[nsr250]

Ok so at least we know she's coherent right? Any more info you can get?

Your dog is a short dog... how did it get a man on his arm? he must have gone down to the dog's level to play and got bit?

yes she is coherent although because I think she was shocked at what happened she was not able to properly explain to us at first. She stated that the dog ran out too quickly before she can hold him back but afterwards she was able to grab him and pull him away from the delivery man although it was already too late.

My dog is small/medium sized around 24lbs about 12 inches high but he has muscular legs and is able to jump pretty high so it's possible for the man to be standing and still get bit in the arm.

You can see in this photo how high he jumps:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alvin-81/2819667782/sizes/o/in/set-72157607064471583/

[Siye]

Yeah I don't think the major issue is leaving your dog with your sister. From what you've told us she sounds responsible enough and her disabilities would not have had any direct impact to the incident.

It just sounds like an accident that could have happened to any dog owner. Sometimes a dog can slip out even before you realized what has happened.

Hopefully everything works out.

on the plus side though... atleast now you know your dog can't be trusted with strangers coming to the house or around the house. You'll have learned you'll always need to restrain your dog if guests first arrive and only after you've gauged his behaviour he can be set loose.

[Evil Baby]

What amz155 explained is exactly how it happens in Niagara as well.

I highly doubt you have anything worry about, especially if its just the first bite.

[TifaLockhart]

It should be fine as it's your dog's first time biting someone and if the injuries are not serious I don't think your dog will be removed from you home but you might want to check up on the laws in your area and maybe contact the SPCA to see if there are any steps you can take to ensure that your dog doesn't get labeled as a vicious dog cuz that might mean you have to muzzle your dog when not on your property or you may be fined or even higher dog licensing fees.

In Vancouver, dogs that are considered viscous with multiple offenses can be put down so I definately recommend familiarizing yourself with your local laws.

Here's the most recent story that I know about
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/euthanized+Vancouver+after+three+biting+incidents/3217563/story.html

There's also a link to the bottom to the actual trial transcript.

[calgaryhhr]

my personal opinion is that if a dog bites a person the dog should be put down. I know that's tough if the family is very attached to the pet but its the safest thing to do before someone gets seriously hurt. I issued this same advice to a friend after a similar situation and he didn't listen. Three weeks later the dog tore the face off a 4 year old kid.

My brother's dog had to be put down a number of years ago after biting a neighbour. My brother and mom were in the front yard and the dog was in the backyard. He got out of the yard and started running in the front yard. He got excited and started running around more. A neighbour two doors down was outside as well doing some gardening. She stood up when the dog was running around. She was wearing leather (or leather-like) gardening gloves and had her hands slightly raised (above her hips.) The dog ran towards her and I guess he must have thought the gloves were a toy because he jumped and bit her gloved hand.

The authorities were called and things were dealt with. The dog ended up having to be put down because of the incident.

I also believe that if a dog bites someone it should be put down. There are certain situations such as if the dog is being threatened or attacked that would be different.

[Siye]

Here's the most recent story that I know about
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/euthanized+Vancouver+after+three+biting+incidents/3217563/story.html

There's also a link to the bottom to the actual trial transcript.

Well that's depressing but not surprising. My breed gets further bad rep in my city. I can't disagree with the ruling though. This dog may have never gotten a fair chance in terms of proper upbringing but you can't argue with people getting seriously hurt.
>:(

[ssbtech]

Time to ring up Cesar (http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/dog-whisperer), your dog needs to learn some boundaries.

Good luck :)

[goJays]

just do not call Patterson (or whatever his name is, he actually holds lessons in GTA parks), that balding douche that scares and batters animals into obeying.

[night blade]

Funny reading this, just today my 10 year old daughter opened our front door and our dog ran out quickly to chase down a another dog walking by. So it does happen, they tend to protect the house more than anything from strangers. Those who are saying to put the dog down more than likely haven't owned a dog, behaviour like this is normal and not out of the ordinary.

Anyways, good luck to the OP, hope everything turns out ok.

[macnut]

Funny reading this, just today my 10 year old daughter opened our front door and our dog ran out quickly to chase down a another dog walking by. So it does happen, they tend to protect the house more than anything from strangers. Those who are saying to put the dog down more than likely haven't owned a dog, behaviour like this is normal and not out of the ordinary.


That's better, a sensible comment based on life experience -

refreshing after those other uninformed expressions of opinion on mentally challenged peoples' ability to look after themselves in a home,
or be left alone with a dog, and serial rapists masquerading as Purolator employees.

Here's the facts:
- the delivery person was entitled and correct to report the incident
- Animal Control's role is to recommend actions to prevent a repeat
- it's not as serious an offence as having an uncontrolled dog outside
- they may issue you a ticket for not restraining the dog at the door
- any $ penalty just offsets their cost in dealing with the complaint
- a second offence may require your dog to be muzzled even indoors
- the incident could have happened with anyone else at home with the dog
- dogs respond to stimuli that we may not understand
- it was not a mauling, just a quick nip
- the lawyer threat is possibly because the employee is a malingerer
- or he is just covering all his bases in case he needs time off or medical help
- I doubt that any legal action will materialize, or indeed be necessary

See what Animal Control says after they assess the dog and your environment,
pay the fine if applicable, then move on.

[1V4N]

its funny when most people have sided with the dog!

at the end of the day, the purolator driver was simply doing their job -- if they have to deliver to an address, it is within reason to assume they can do so safely without fear of endangerment (the same applies to Canada Post carriers)

the facts are being overlooked by so many others here....the dog bit the driver, no arguments about that, if it were unprovoked then the dog was not properly trained (yes I do believe the owner is responsible in this scenario) and they can be liable for injuries/damages that may occur

has anyone questioned whether there was proper signage indicating:

"BEWARE OF DOG"

this would allow the driver to exercise caution when approaching the home, or refuse to deliver if there is reason to believe they are at risk of any possible attacks, plus it provides some protection to the homeowners if they did post proper signage too.

I've met too many dogs (no matter the size/breed/how cute) which have been aggressive and attempted to bite with little or no provocation....towards humans and other dogs, even though the owner claimed their pet was friendly!!

at the end of the day, how would anyone feel if that driver was them? and they were the one bitten by that dog? please put themselves in that position...the driver was doing their job

dog bites hurts, especially if its broken skin

just my $0.02

[nsr250]

its funny when most people have sided with the dog!

at the end of the day, the purolator driver was simply doing their job -- if they have to deliver to an address, it is within reason to assume they can do so safely without fear of endangerment (the same applies to Canada Post carriers)

the facts are being overlooked by so many others here....the dog bit the driver, no arguments about that, if it were unprovoked then the dog was not properly trained (yes I do believe the owner is responsible in this scenario) and they can be liable for injuries/damages that may occur

has anyone questioned whether there was proper signage indicating:

"BEWARE OF DOG"

this would allow the driver to exercise caution when approaching the home, or refuse to deliver if there is reason to believe they are at risk of any possible attacks, plus it provides some protection to the homeowners if they did post proper signage too.

I've met too many dogs (no matter the size/breed/how cute) which have been aggressive and attempted to bite with little or no provocation....towards humans and other dogs, even though the owner claimed their pet was friendly!!

at the end of the day, how would anyone feel if that driver was them? and they were the one bitten by that dog? please put themselves in that position...the driver was doing their job

dog bites hurts, especially if its broken skin

just my $0.02

No arguments from me here, and we did not have a BEWARE signage either by the door. Not saying we're not at fault but I'm just seeking any information or advices for this situation. I myself have been bitten by a family friend's tiny little maltese dog and it did hurt a bit.

Anyways it's been almost a week since the dog bite happened and oddly enough I've gotten no further phone calls from Purolator or any visits from animal control. Maybe they just decided not to call animal control and the bite wasn't serious enough to warrant the driver to go through the hassle and paperwork. Either way our family has learned a big lesson from this and will be more cautious from now on.

[1V4N]

glad to hear that there hasn't been further escalation with this incident :)

hope that after a week, everything fades out and you can continue to enjoy your dog while possibly taking additional measures to ensure there are no further bites!

maybe install a door-chain link? sorry forgot what they're called so that the door can only be opened enough that the dog can't get out the door?

[nsr250]

glad to hear that there hasn't been further escalation with this incident :)

hope that after a week, everything fades out and you can continue to enjoy your dog while possibly taking additional measures to ensure there are no further bites!

maybe install a door-chain link? sorry forgot what they're called so that the door can only be opened enough that the dog can't get out the door?

I was thinking of getting some kind of gate for the hallway. Something link this:

http://www.mychildsafetyonline.info/dream-baby-hallway-swing-closed-security-gate-combo/pid-713029185

[joeyjoejoe]

I was thinking of getting some kind of gate for the hallway. Something link this:

http://www.mychildsafetyonline.info/dream-baby-hallway-swing-closed-security-gate-combo/pid-713029185

I got something almost identical to that as my cats love to run out my front door... it's not like they are getting far. I live in a condo. But still, I don't want to be that bad neighbor that let's his cats out in the hallway.

It's a good pick because it's tall and has straight bars. Makes it tougher for my cats to jump it and the straight bars make it impossible to climb. The one I got is on sale at Toys R Us: http://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=2875286 (ESRB rating: Teen, :lol:)

[jackie999]

Nice find JoeyJoeJoe, I was going to suggest looking online at petsupplyhouse.com or renspets.com but your link is a real deal.
My breeder had a similar one - to keep puppies and bitches in their own area ...worked quite well.

[nsr250]

I got something almost identical to that as my cats love to run out my front door... it's not like they are getting far. I live in a condo. But still, I don't want to be that bad neighbor that let's his cats out in the hallway.

It's a good pick because it's tall and has straight bars. Makes it tougher for my cats to jump it and the straight bars make it impossible to climb. The one I got is on sale at Toys R Us: http://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=2875286 (ESRB rating: Teen, :lol:)

Good find, I went to my local Toys R US and bought 2 of them. $49.99 each is not bad of a price. Now my kitchen/living room exits are blocked off with the gates.

[sprung]

similar thing happened to me here in Toronto. my dog bit the pizza delivery guy while we were at mom's place. never happened before or since. the bite didn't break skin but definitely left a bruise/mark.

Animal Control came over and verified that the dog's shots were all up to date (they were) . Because it happened on private property the law was much more in my favour, had it happened on a city street it might've escalated to fines or lawyers. In any case, I didn't order pizza from that store for more than a year after that.

[alvina]

http://cutepuppiespictures.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/dogs-make-ugly-faces-too.jpg

[PTRChow]

That sucks. Sorry to hear about the mishap with the dog.

I was in a similar situation once. I was walking my dog by the FMP theatre (henry. what a cutie pie) when he suddenly ran full speed towards this guy with spiky hair in a bape shirt and lunged at him. Henry didn't bite him or anything, he only held the guy in a restrained position. The guy didn't have his own cell phone so he had to borrow his friend's phone to call the cops. It was a big scene mind you.

Anyway it turns out that the reason why Henry lunged at him was because the guy had a bunch of weed on him. Henry was a retired police dog but I guess old habits die hard right? The popo pet Henry and Henry gave the k9 salute and we were off on our way.

Of course, I had to fill out the forms with animal control, and I was extremely worried. Thankfully nothing came to light, they just came by a few times to check up on Henry. I find it odd though. I'm pretty sure everyone and their mom must have weed in Markham, so why Henry decided to initiate, is still a mystery to me. Perhaps Henry didn't like his shoes?!

p.s. Is that your sister in the dog jumping pic? I can help her do the laundry and stuff!

[airmail]

Companies are suing homeowners for employees lost wages due to dog bites...Mind you I had a dogowner threaten to sue me if I pepper sprayed her dog several months back.

[airmail]

Here is a crazy dogbite story...


A 17-year-old mother was charged with manslaughter on Tuesday after a dog mauled and killed her newborn girl east of Montreal.

The teenager and her 37-year old mother were arrested late Monday after the three-week-old baby was killed by a husky inside the family home in Saint-Barnabé-Sud, near Saint-Hyacinthe.

Paramedics found the baby girl covered in deep bite marks and scratches. Police said she had been left strapped in her car seat on the main floor of the house when one of two dogs in the home attacked her.

The teen was charged in youth court because she is a minor and cannot be identified.

The woman's lawyer, André Williams, said he was "completely blown away" by the charge laid against his client and by the speed with which it was laid.

"This is a young girl who is rather fragile," he told reporters at the Saint-Hyacinthe courthouse on Tuesday.

On Tuesday afternoon, the baby's grandmother was released after the Crown decided there was not enough evidence to press charges, said the woman's lawyer, Mélissa Côté.

The baby's father, centre, is surrounded by friends outside the St-Hyacinthe courthouse on Tuesday. (CBC)The 37-year-old woman was visiting her daughter and granddaughter Monday afternoon.

The women left the house to go outside "and go in the garden to see the flowers," said provincial police Sgt. Ronald McInnis.

The infant was left inside the house strapped into a car seat that was sitting on a chair.

The women were about three metres away from the home with the door open when the baby was mauled.

Police had initially said both women would be charged with criminal negligence.

The upgraded charge of manslaughter against the mother indicates that the Crown intends to prove that there was a criminal act committed that brought on the death of the baby, rather than sheer negligence, said criminal lawyer Conrad Lord.

"The evidence is so hard to prove in a case like that, where the mother did not hit the child, so there is no proof of evidence of any mistreatment of the child, but death occurred because of [an act] that was committed," he said.

Baby's mother not to blame: father
The baby's father said that he does not blame the child's mother for the incident, which happened at the home the couple shared with at least two other people.

He said the two women had just stepped a few feet outside for a smoke and ran back inside the house as soon as they heard a noise. But it was too late.

"It was just a moment of inattention," the man, who cannot be identified, told reporters on Tuesday. "I hope she will be acquitted, because she had nothing to do with it; she was an excellent mother."The mauling happened in a family home in Saint-Barnabé-Sud, about 60 kilometres east of Montreal. (CBC)

The man said there were three dogs inside the house: a male and two females, one of which was in a cage with young puppies.

He said the women were too shocked to see which of the two loose dogs was responsible for the attack.

The dogs had been around since the baby's birth and had never posed a problem, he said.

"They weren't aggressive," he said. "When strangers came to the door, they didn't even bark. There was no sign that this could happen."

Because the father was not at home at the time, he won't face any charges, police said.

Dogs must be supervised around children
The huskies were taken to the SPCA for testing and will not be returned to their owners, police said.

It may be impossible to know for sure why the dog attacked the child, said veterinary behaviourist Enid Styles.

Dogs are more likely to bite older children, because they have unpredictable movements that can frighten the animal, she said.

However, Styles said it is possible the animal might have been startled by the child's crying or the baby might have been caught in the middle of a fight between the dogs.

In any case, a child should never be left unattended around dogs, Styles said.

"Supervision needs to mean, really, that you are between your dog and your child," she said. "You can't be just on the other side of the room."

The mother will be back in court on Aug. 31.

As part of the conditions of her release, she is not allowed to look after children under the age of 12.



Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2010/06/08/infant-mauled-by-dog.html#ixzz0tDTdVXAa