What to Do If You’re the Victim of a Dog Attack

Last Updated on March 18, 2023 by ellen

It’s everyone’s worse nightmare, but what should you do if you are the victim of a dog attack? What you should depends on whether or not you are the owner of the dog that bit you. In this article, I am assuming that you’re at NOT the owner of the dog in question. 

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What to Do If You're the Victim of a Dog Attack

What to Do If You’re the Victim of a Dog Attack

The most important thing that you need to do is to identify the dog that bit you and its owner. If the dog is a stray and you cannot determine who the owner is, you may need to have a rabies treatment. If you can find the dog’s owner, you can verify if the dog is up to date on its shots. Once you’ve determined who owns the dog, here’s what to do next.

Take a photo of the dog and your injury

If you have your cell phone handy, it’s a simple matter to take a quick picture of the injury you received in the dog attack. If the dog is still in the area and you can safely take a photo, get a picture of the dog as well.

Take Down Names

Once you have identified the name of the owner, be sure that you get their address and a contact phone number. If there are witnesses to the dog attack, be sure that you get their name, address and phone number as well.

What to Do If You're the Victim of a Dog Attack

See a Doctor

No matter how small the injury is, it’s important that you see a doctor after any dog attack. They will be able to properly examine, clean, and care for any wound. They can also advise you whether or not you need a rabies shot.

Contact Animal Control

If there is an animal control officer in your city, it’s important that you report the dog attack there. They will take the proper steps to deal with the dog and be sure the owner keeps it under control in the future.

What happens when you report a dog bite to animal control?

After you report a dog bite to animal control, they will verify that the dog is up to date on all of its shots. They will open a case and contact the owner to verify the dog’s health and vaccination status.

a dog lunging and biting

Speak to an attorney if you’re the victim of a dog attack

After having your wound treated, it’s important that you talk to an attorney about your rights in this matter. You should speak to an attorney to have your questions answered about medical bills, lost income, and more.

It’s important that you learn about the dog bite law in your state. Laws vary depending on where you live.

If you encounter aggressive dogs frequently, you might want to consider dog repellant.

Have you ever been the victim of a dog attack? Or, if you are the owner of an aggressive dog, have you considered CBD for dogs? Learn more about socializing your dog to prevent these problems.

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