Faris & Faris Law Office, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Children and joggers are especially at risk to encounter a hostile dog. Teach your children to stay away from unfamiliar animals and to be very careful with animals owned by others. We have had cases where children have been bitten by a dog owned by their grandma or another close relative. The problem is that the child thinks the dog loves them like the relative, but if the child is not a regular visitor in the life of the dog, the dog may assume the child is a threat and perhaps make an unwarranted attack.

DOG BITE STATISTICS FROM THE U.S. CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL:

CDC estimates that there are 3 million to 4.5 million dog bites in the United States each year, and 17 deaths from dog attacks. In 1999, more than 2,500 Minnesotans sought emergency care for dog bites. It is estimated that 50-65 percent of those who are bitten are children and 70% of dog bite fatalities involve children under the age of 10. The highest incidence of dog bites is seen in boys between 6 and 9 years of age. Seventy-seven percent of the bites occur to the child’s face.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU OR A FAMILY MEMBER IS BITTEN BY AN ANIMAL:

If you or a family member is bitten by an animal, evaluate and clean the wound.

If the bite is deep or won’t stop bleeding, go immediately to the emergency room for treatment.

Following treatment, call Animal Control in the city where you live to report the event.

IMMEDIATELY CALL FARIS & FARIS LAW OFFICE to set up an immediate appointment for you to bring yourself or child into the office for a FREE CONSULTATION.

We will assist you in making a claim against the animal owner’s Homeowner’s Insurance Policy.

We will photograph the wound with our state of the art Olympus, "Camedia" digital zoom lens camera. This camera will preserve the view of the wound for future negotiations over damages.

We will hire one of the best Private Investigators in the area to inquire of authorities and neighbors to determine if the animal has had a prior report of biting someone and if there is sufficient proof that the owner has not taken precautions to protect others. If this is the case, punitive damages may be appropriate.

As the wound heals and more information becomes known about the past behavior of the animal, we will assist in establishing the value of the injury. Knowing the value of an animal bite injury requires experience in handling those types of cases. When the attorneys at FARIS & FARIS LAW OFFICE evaluate an animal injury case, we use all of our combined legal experience of 30 years and use all of our comparable animal bite cases to evaluate the approximate compensation one could expect for such an injury.

WHY DO DOGS BITE?

Studies show that most bites are from a family dog or those belonging to other family members and friends. In an interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Tuesday, April 16, 2002, Dr. Petra Mertens, an animal behaviorist, states that the key to preventing dogs from biting kids is to understand why these animals may feel threatened by children. Dr. Mertens explained that dogs are pack animals and without other dogs around they consider humans their pack. To dogs, the pack has a definite hierarchy. Dogs might think that children, because they are small, occupy lower rungs on the pack hierarchy. Thus, the dogs may think it’s their responsibility to keep kids in line or to remind kids that the dog outranks them - something a dog might do through growling or nipping. Or, dogs may view kids as competition for such resources as food or toys. A dog may bite if a child disturbs it while it is eating. Also, kids are more active and erratic than adults which may make dogs nervous and react viciously.

HOW DOES A DOG INTERPRET A HUG FROM A CHILD?

Dr. Mertens explained that dogs interpret a hug from a child differently than does a human. Rather than seeing it as an affectionate gesture, it can be very threatening to them to have a child reach across and over the animal and then squeeze. This can be interpreted as a child trying to show dominance over the dog.

WHAT IS THE BEST BEHAVIOR FOR A CHILD AROUND A DOG?

Experts suggest that if kids really want to pet a dog, they should get permission from the owner. Then the child should approach the dog slowly on the dog’s side and pet it gently on the chest, neck or behind the ears. NEVER LET A CHILD PUT THEIR FACE UP NEXT TO THE DOG’S FACE.

IF A CHILD OR ADULT THINKS A DOG MIGHT ATTACK, THEY SHOULD STAY STILL AND AVOID EYE CONTACT.

BEWARE OF EXOTIC PETS AND OTHER WILD ANIMALS:

FARIS & FARIS LAW OFFICE has obtained many recoveries for clients who have had the misfortune of being bitten by a dog or a wild animal. It is not only dogs that are dangerous, but exotic pets and wild animals must be dealt with great caution, because they cannot discern who is friendly and who is an enemy. In one case, a client was bitten by an Iguana because she was not aware of their wild tendencies.

HOW TO CONTROL A DANGEROUS ANIMAL OWNED BY ANOTHER:

If you live in a neighborhood where an animal lives that appears to be dangerous or threatening, you should do the following:

Call the owner and find out more about the animal. Ask the owner to control the animal.

If the owner is not cooperative, then call the local police and ask for their advice as to what government agency to contact for a complaint.

Call the local government agency whose job it is to protect citizens from dangerous animals.

If all else fails, you may need to contact an attorney to assist you.

HOW TO BE A RESPONSIBLE ANIMAL OWNER:

Before you purchase a dog or animal, research which pets are appropriate for domestication. If this is your first pet, make sure you buy one that has a reputation for being gentle and easily trained. Getting a puppy is a lot like raising a new baby. They are very dependent on their owner and need lots of attention and care. You must determine that you have sufficient time and discipline to raise an animal. Once you have purchased the little darling, check in with your vet about the availability of training courses so that you can protect your pet by helping them to keep themselves and others safe. In the majority of cases, it is the owner who is lazy or ineffective in making the pet learn how to get along with others and this makes for trouble for the pet and the public.

HOW TO FIND THE APPROPRIATE PET TRAINING PROGRAM IN YOUR AREA:

Since FARIS & FARIS LAW OFFICE is located in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, we are very familiar with the University of Minnesota Veterinary School. At the veterinary school, Dr. Petra Mertens, a dog behavior expert and professor, teaches dog owners how to raise a healthy and safe pet. For more information on dog bite prevention go to the University of Minnesota veterinary school’s web site at http://www.cvm.umn.edu. and click on "Pet CARE Information Center" for lots of great information and tips in caring for pets.http://www.mpr.org >From there click on "Dog Bite Prevention" for additional help with pets.

IF YOU ARE HAVING PARTICULAR PROBLEMS WITH YOUR PET, HELP IS AVAILABLE:

The Animal Behavior Service at the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital is designed to provide clients with diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options for pet behavioral problems. We see a wide range of behavioral problems in dogs, cats, and other species of pets. Common reasons people seek help for their dogs include aggressive, fearful, destructive, and unruly behaviors. Among cats, failure to use a litter box and aggression are the most frequent complaints.