Pennsylvania and many other states have rarely imposed imprisonment for the owner of a dog that fatally attacks someone. In fact, in PA, an online search reveals only one instance in the past ten years where a person served jail time for his dog mauling someone. But times are changing. …
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Dog Bite Awareness Month | June 2026
Each June, communities across the country observe National Dog Bite Awareness Month designed to reduce preventable dog attacks and promote responsible pet ownership. In Pennsylvania, the effort has become especially important as dog bite incidents involving mail carriers, delivery workers, children, and pedestrians continue to rise. One of…
Taxation of Dog Attack Settlements in PA
Is A Dog Bite Recovery “Income”? One of the most common questions people ask when settling a dog bite claim is: “Do I have to pay taxes on this money?” The answer is usually no for the injury-related portions of the recovery—but things get complicated when you recover money for lost…
Wrongful Death or Survival Action
Fatal Dog Attacks in Pennsylvania: Legal Rights and Remedies Dog attacks are traumatic events, which can cause not only lasting physical and emotional scars, but also death, especially for those most vulnerable, including the very young and old. When a fatal dog attack occurs in Western Pennsylvania, surviving family members…
Rising Number of Attack-Related Deaths
A Persistent—and Growing—Public Safety Issue Dogs are overwhelmingly viewed as companions—family members, protectors, and emotional supports. Yet beneath that cultural reality lies a far more troubling truth: data from federal health sources show that dogs kill roughly 30 to 50 people per year in the United States, with an average of…
No Human Attacked? Might Not Matter.
Pennsylvania dog bite law has evolved significantly, and much of that evolution centers on how statutory violations translate into civil liability through negligence per se. As we’ve discussed elsewhere on this site, Pennsylvania courts recognize negligence per se when a defendant violates a statute designed to protect a…
Dog Bite Investigation & Right to Know (RTK) Requests in PA
Investigating Dog Bite Claims Canine attack cases often begin with very little reliable information. A victim may know only the dog owner’s first name, a vague description of the animal, or the location where the attack occurred. In transient settings—public parks, sidewalks, or apartment complexes—the alleged owner may be a…
Help! Victims Need Timely Information About Rabies After a Dog Bite
Dog bite cases are often viewed primarily through the lens of personal injury law. However, every attack is also a potential rabies exposure event. In Pennsylvania, animal control—under the County Department of Health and not the police—determines whether the biting dog might have rabies. Unfortunately, we are seeing an…
When A Canine Owner Destroys Evidence in PA
What happens if a dog owner destroys evidence you need to build a case against him for your injuries from an attack? Can you file a separate lawsuit for the destruction of evidence in PA? Let’s say, for example, you’re on a walking trail and you see a man walking…
Actual Proof of Comparative Negligence: PA Canine Injury
We have written about how a dog bite victim’s own careless conduct (or comparative negligence) can jeopardize the value of her claim for injuries. Here, we discuss the proof needed to show the Plaintiff had been “comparatively negligent” when attacked by a canine. In other words, what type of mistake on the part…