A stray dog is a dog that does not have an owner, therefore there is no one to take responsibility for its actions or injuries it causes. It can become a major issue when many people are hurt by the same roaming dog. Here are 4 things to do if you were bitten by a stray dog.
1. Inform the Authorities
After you are attacked by a stray dog, call 911 or your local equivalent. Let them know that you have been bitten and provide them with a description of the animal. If you were attacked while on public property, it is the government’s responsibility to remove the potentially dangerous dog from your area. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, let them know, and they will send someone out to take care of it for you.
2. Get a personal injury lawyer
If the incident occurred on private property, you are responsible for getting rid of the dog. This means finding it and either catching it yourself or hiring someone to do so for you. If it bites anyone else, they could seek legal action against you for not taking care of the problem earlier. To avoid this, hire a personal injury lawyer like the professionals at www.samandashlaw.com to help you with your case. They will do most of the work for you and give you advice along the way.
3. Seek medical attention
Even if there is no blood or severe pain involved in your bite, seek medical attention immediately after being attacked by a stray dog. There are many diseases that can be transmitted through saliva, even if they may not seem harmful at the time. If you do not seek medical attention after being attacked, there is a chance that you could develop an infection or disease later on.
4. Avoid aggressive dogs
If one dog attacks another, it will always attack other dogs as well. This means, if the stray dog is surrounded by other dogs and feels threatened, it will attack you as well. To avoid further injury to yourself, keep your distance from unknown dogs and unknown areas where stray dogs may be lurking. You should also keep your pets away from these areas for their safety as well as yours.
Why are stray aggressive dogs a big problem right now?
Stray dogs are a big problem in many areas, especially rural areas where there is not very much human traffic. In these places, there are typically more aggressive dogs and not as many people to keep an eye out for stray animals. This can become a huge issue when a dog has been living in the wild for a long period of time and is no longer able to be around humans without becoming violent.
How to identify a stray dog?
A stray dog is easy to identify because it will be alone. If there are multiple dogs together, they are not strays. A stray animal will likely attack you, even if you are just walking by. This is because they have been living in the wild for so long that they no longer know how to interact with humans without becoming aggressive. You can tell if an animal is a stray based on its lack of tags and cleanliness. They may also look thin or underweight due to the lack of nutrition available in their habitat. Look for these signs when identifying stray animals in your area and if you find them, make sure to let people know, especially if you have doubts that they are aggressive.
When to be scared?
If you are out in the wilderness and come across a stray dog, be wary of it. If you can, try to escape from its sight as quickly as possible by going back the way you came from or getting around it somehow. It may not follow you but it is better safe than sorry when dealing with animals that have been living in the wild for a long time. They do not know how to interact with humans positively anymore due to their lack of human contact over prolonged periods of time.
How to be safe in the future, besides avoiding them?
If you cannot avoid stray dogs, try to make yourself seem more intimidating by holding something in your hands that can be used as a weapon. This could be anything from a big stick or a rock, anything you can grab quick enough when the animal tries to attack. You could also try to make a lot of noise as you walk by the area where the animal is. This will let it know that you are there and should help prevent it from attacking.
If you are bitten by a stray dog, it is important to avoid any legal problems with the owner of the animal. This includes hiring a personal injury lawyer to help deal with any potential legal issues that might come up after an attack. You should also seek medical attention for the bite, and stay safe and take care of yourself!
Infographic Provided by Tracy Tiernan Attorney at Law
