Children love animals. However, they may not be able to appreciate the risks associated with animals that are territorial or otherwise act aggressively. Unfortunately, it is this very innocence that makes a child particularly susceptible to dog bites.
Recently, a Massachusetts boy was attacked by a family bulldog after he let the dog into his house. The boy’s father has requested that the dog be put down, as it tends to act territorially. The bite damaged the boy’s brachial artery on his upper arm. The boy may lose his arm as a result of the attack.
There are many instances where someone could be attacked by a dog, be it a family pet or that of a stranger. When a person is a victim of an animal attack, they may be compensated through the pet owner’s insurance. Many times homeowner’s insurance will cover animal attacks. That being said, coverage may vary if the animal was not at the homeowner’s place of residence when the attack occurred. To this end, a person’s car insurance might also cover dog bites, if the bite occurred in an automobile. In addition, while the first attack may be covered by insurance, subsequent attacks may not be covered. So it is important for pet owners whose pets attack once to take measures to ensure the pet will not attack again.
Dog bites can be a serious threat to the community in which they live. Pet owners need to take all precautions necessary to ensure their pet will not bite another person. The failure to do so could result in an injured victim and an insurance claim or even a lawsuit against the pet’s owner.
Source: My Fox Boston, “Mass. boy in danger of losing an arm after a dog bite,” April 4, 2013
