Does doggie anxiety at the vet mean the animal is “dangerous”? A negligence standard often applies in PA, for dog bite liability; namely, did the dog owner have prior reason to know of the animal’s dangerous propensity? Many things serve as evidence of a dangerous or “vicious” propensity. These include…
Selecting The Right Dog Leash
Proper Dog Restraint on Walks With the Western Pennsylvania weather warming, many are taking their pooch for walks more often, versus letting the dog do its business within a fenced-in yard. One thing people don’t realize is, dog bite incidents often occur while a dog is on a leash. Take…
Dog Bites: 6 (Bad) Defenses to Injury Claims in PA
We have heard it all over 24+ years! We’ve encountered nearly every defense imaginable to a dog bite injury claim in Western Pennsylvania. Below is a partial list of some of the more interesting assertions made, by people trying to escape liability for injuries resulting from an animal attack. …
Claiming Emotional Distress From a Dog Bite
We are often asked: can I make a claim for emotional distress from a dog bite in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania? The short answer is: yes. Any person responsible for violating Pennsylvania’s Dog Law is responsible for not only the injured party’s physical injuries, disfigurement, and medical bills, but also…
The Importance of a Dog License
Are you wondering about the important of dog bite licenses in Pennsylvania? As advocates for injured parties, we are always looking for ways to make interactions with canines more safe. One important component is dog licensing. Licensing one’s dog not only helps identify one’s animal, the revenues help fund inspections…
Dangerous Dog Registry in Pennsylvania
It’s true. Pennsylvania has a registry of dangerous dogs. According to PA’s Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding: Most Pennsylvanians don’t even realize there is a registry of dangerous dogs in the state. They don’t worry about keeping alert for vicious dogs outside of their home or at the park because they…
Dog Bite Related News & Updates
As advocates for those attacked by canines, we note the news and legal updates concerning animal attacks. Unfortunately, the laws are often too lenient on reckless dog owners, who treat the dogs poorly (making the dog aggressive), while also failing to get liability insurance to cover claims. Hopefully, there will…
Damages Recoverable For a Dog Bite
One of the questions we often get is, what damages can be claimed for a dog bite injury? Let’s get right to it. The following items can be claimed for dog bite or attack in PA: Emotional distress Dog bites are scary. Almost every dog bite case will involve a…
Number Bites Rising?
Number of Dog Bites in PA Rising It seems the number of dog bites is rising in PA, especially if one looks at the number of stories in the news about dog bites. Here are some examples in recent months: Family: Dog Attack Victim Responds to Treatment Girl Recovering from…
Criminal Charges and Hearing
The owner of a dog can face a range of criminal charges for a dog bite, ranging for harboring a dangerous animal to failure to control the dog. Pennsylvania does not have a “leash law,” but the owner of a dog is required to have the dog under reasonable control,…