Michigan Dog Bite Cases: Most Common Causes
I frequently represent clients who have been injured by dog bites and dog attacks. Quite often, the victims of these attacks get blamed for their own injuries. This is simply ridiculous. The owners and keepers of the dogs are responsible for the actions of their dogs. Recent research by the National Canine Research Council confirms that quite often the viciousness of the dog is related to the actions of the dog owner.
The 2007 National Canine Research Council Year-End Report investigated reported incidents of dog attacks from the past 40 years. The report conclusively identified three ownership/management practices that cause dogs to behave dangerously.
- Using Dogs to Intimidate Others
- Failing to Control Dogs
- Failing to Spay or Neuter Their Dogs
Using Dogs to Intimidate Others
Dogs are much more likely to attack and injure others when they are not kept as household pets. For instance, the data suggests that dog owners who keep their dogs as guard dogs to scare or intimidate visitors encourage their dogs to be hostile to strangers. When the owner’s purpose is to use the dog for competition in illegal dog fights, the owner deliberately makes the dog as mean and vicious as possible. Finally, some dog owners use their dogs as part of their own breeding program. Such dogs often have tempermental problems and are poorly adjusted to human company.
Failing to Control DogsReasonable and responsible dog owners keep their pets in fenced-in yards or on a leash. Dogs that are properly kept usually do not injure others because they have little or no opportunity to attack people other than their owner. On the other hand, loose and roaming dogs or dogs that have broken free after abuse or neglect are much more likely to have the opportunity to attack others. Dog bites and other injuries from dogs attacks are much more likely to occur when the owner fails to control his or her dog.
Failing to Spay or Neuter Dogs
Owners of dogs that are not used for competition, show, or a responsible and medically supervised breeding program should have their dogs spayed or neutered to avoid injuries to others. It is a well-documented fact that all animals, including dogs, are more aggressive when they are “in heat” and trying to breed.
At least one of these factors is usually present when a dog injures someone. And, even more importantly, when the injuries are more severe, the correlation with these factors is even higher. In fact, according to the National Canine Research Council report, 91% of all fatal dog attacks from 2005-2007 were due to at least of these critical factors.
Unfortunately, all the studies and reports in the world will not do anything to make your community safer. The National Canine Research Council report concludes that “Holding owners accountable for the humane treatment, containment, and control of their dog is the only way to minimize incidence of canine aggression.”
If you would like more information about your rights after a Michigan Dog Bite attack, you can order our FREE book, “The Ultimate Michigan Dog Bite & Animal Attack Handbook” by clicking on the book link. We will send it out immediately along with other important information.
For more information about Michigan dog bite cases, visit our law firm web site at www.BuckfireLaw.com If you would like to speak with one of our Michigan dog bite attorneys about your case, feel free to call us anytime at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.
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