What Happens If a Rescue Dog Bites You?

In Georgia dog bite injury cases, dogs are innocent until proven guilty.  It is the plaintiff’s duty to prove that he or she did not provoke the dog to bite and, if applicable, to prove that the dog had a history of aggression.  Likewise, “no kill” shelters give dogs the benefit of the doubt, and animal rescue services go to great lengths to find loving homes for dogs with a troubled history, including dogs who have previously attacked humans.  If someone else’s dog bit you, a personal injury lawyer can help you find out more about the animal’s past and whether the owner should reasonably have known that the dog would bite if it had the chance to get close to an unfamiliar human.  If you adopted a dog from a rescue shelter and it later bit you, your lawyer can help you find out whether the shelter knew more about the dog’s history of aggression than it led you to believe.  If you suffered serious injuries after an attack by a dog adopted from a rescue shelter, contact an Atlanta dog bite lawyer.

How Do You Know If a Rescue Dog Has a Troubled Past?

The core belief of animal rescue organizations is that all dogs deserve a loving home, even dogs whose relationships with humans did not get off to a good start.  Some dogs arrive at rescue shelters after suffering abuse and neglect.  Therefore, they do not trust humans and are often anxious, irritable, and aggressive.  Attacks by rescue dogs on the owners who adopted them, or on friends and close family members of their owners, have led to a growing movement to require transparency by rescue shelters about every dog’s history of abuse and aggressive behavior.

In 2012, Rebecca Carey, a student at Georgia Perimeter College, died from a dog attack in her home.  She lived alone with two pit bulls, two Presas, and a boxer mix; she had adopted all five dogs from a rescue shelter and had devoted her life to volunteering and working with rescue dogs since she was a child.  Similar incidents have happened in other states, including attacks on young children, and several states have enacted Transparency in Pet Adoption laws.

A Dog Bite Lawyer Can Help You Find Out Whether the Dog That Bit You Had a History of Aggression

Whether the rescue dog that bit you belonged to you or to someone else, a dog bite lawyer can help you find out everything you do not already know about the dog’s history.  Your lawyer can research the dog’s veterinary and shelter records and get statements from people who interacted with the dog before it came into your life.

Contact Zagoria Law About Dog Bite Cases

An Atlanta personal injury lawyer can help you if the dog that bit you was a dog that you or someone else adopted from a rescue shelter.  Contact Zagoria Law in Atlanta, Georgia to discuss your case.

Sources:

huffpost.com/entry/georgia-student-rebecca-c_n_1798037?icid=maing-grid7&utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

humanesocietyofnortheastgeorgia.org/about/faq/