{"id":3072,"date":"2018-02-12T08:00:10","date_gmt":"2018-02-12T08:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/68.183.99.185\/diamondlaw-ca\/?p=3072"},"modified":"2023-07-17T16:12:30","modified_gmt":"2023-07-17T16:12:30","slug":"what-responsibility-do-owners-have-when-their-dogs-bite-someone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/what-responsibility-do-owners-have-when-their-dogs-bite-someone\/","title":{"rendered":"What responsibility do owners have when their dogs bite someone?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<iframe height=\"400\" style=\"width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VLwEChmXR6Q\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/tag\/blog\/AskJoshuaHimel\">#AskJoshuaHimel<\/a><\/h3>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<p>Almost\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.canadianveterinarians.net\/documents\/canadian-pet-population-figures-cahi-2017\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">8 million<\/a>\u00a0dogs make their home in Canada, so it\u2019s not surprising that the number of people bitten by dogs is on the rise. This is despite law in Ontario prohibiting people from owning breeds, such as pit bulls, that lawmakers accused of being prone to attacking people. A sharp decline in the pit bull population to the point of their being close to nonexistent in some cities, such as Toronto, has not been met by a drop in the number of <a href=\"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/practice-areas\/animal-dog-bite\">dog bites<\/a>. In fact, dog bite numbers in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/2527882\/torontos-pit-bulls-are-almost-gone-so-why-are-there-more-dog-bites-than-ever\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Toronto<\/a>\u00a0have gone up. It\u2019s a good idea for dog owners and victims of dog bites to know the rules about liability and what to do in the event of an attack.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is Ontario Dog Owners&#8217; Liability Act?<\/h3>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<p>The Ontario\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontario.ca\/laws\/statute\/90d16#BK2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Dog Owners\u2019 Liability Act<\/a>\u00a0generally holds the owners of a dog responsible in the event the animal bites someone and causes injuries. Owners must exercise reasonable care to prevent their dogs from attacking another person or animal.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r\n<p>The Ontario statute creates strict liability to replace the so-called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ckc.ca\/en\/Files\/Raising-My-Dog-Section\/Responsible-Ownership\/Your-Responsibilities-in-Case-of-a-Bite-Incidents\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">one-bite rule<\/a>.\u201d The one-bite rule made it difficult for a person injured when bitten by a dog to recover compensation by requiring proof that the dog\u2019s owner was aware of the vicious propensities of the dog. Proof of a dog\u2019s tendency to bite usually was proven by evidence of a history of biting people that would put its owner on notice of the possibility the dog might bite again.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/dog-owners-liability\">Dog Owners\u2019 Liability Act<\/a>\u00a0dramatically changes things by eliminating the issue of negligence on the part of a dog\u2019s owner. Instead, a person injured in an attack by a dog need only prove the attack or bite and the identity of the owner or owners for a victim to be entitled to compensation.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Instances in which compensation may be reduced<\/h3>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<p>Walking up to a dog and provoking it into attacking is a foolish thing to do. Not only do you increase the chances you will be attacked and injured, but it also gives a court a reason to reduce or deny your claim for compensation. It is up to the judge hearing the case to decide whether the conduct of the victim of a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/practice-areas\/animal-dog-bite\">dog bite<\/a>\u00a0teased or irritated the dog to the point of causing it to bite when it might not otherwise have bitten anyone.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What owners must know in the event of an attack<\/h3>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<p>If your <a href=\"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/practice-areas\/animal-dog-bite\">dog bites<\/a> someone, you need to get your dog under control right away to avoid additional harm to the victim or to anyone else in the vicinity. Immediately call for medical assistance if the victim has been injured.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r\n<p>Get the name and contact information of the victim. It is also a good idea to get the names and contact information for bystanders who might have witnessed the incident.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What should victims injured in a dog attack do?<\/h3>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<p>Victims injured in a dog attack should immediately seek medical treatment. Before leaving the scene of the attack, obtain the name and contact information of the dog\u2019s owners and any bystanders who might have witnessed the attack.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r\n<p>You should report the incident to the police as soon as possible following the attack. If you require immediate medical care because of serious injuries, call 911 while still at the scene.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r\n<p>Take pictures of the injuries as soon after the attack as possible. If you can do so, take pictures of the dog and the location of the attack.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ontario dog bite injury lawyers<\/h3>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/contact\/location\">personal injury lawyers<\/a>\u00a0at Diamond and Diamond have years of experience successfully handling claims for compensation on behalf the victims of dog attacks. Call their 24\/7 injury hotline at\u00a0<a href=\"tel:18005674878\"><strong>1-800-567-HURT<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0or visit their website to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/\"><strong>speak to someone now<\/strong><\/a>. They offer free consultations and case evaluations to injury victims throughout Ontario.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\r\n<p>[vc_row disable_element=&#8221;yes&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\r\n<h1>FAQ<\/h1>\r\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_toggle title=&#8221;What happens to a dog who has bitten a person?&#8221; style=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;blue&#8221; el_id=&#8221;1629960761602-56d528ac-d59d&#8221; el_class=&#8221;bullets_in&#8221;]<span>The 1990 Dog Owner&#8217;s Liability Act protects persons or animals from dog bites and dog attacks. If a dog attacks or bites a person or a domestic animal, the dog must be put to sleep, or the owner must take some measures to tame, secure, or control the dog. The law provides for the same treatment if the dog behaves in a manner that poses a threat or menace to people or animals. The method of destroying the dog and the owner&#8217;s measures is also specified accordingly under the court order. <\/span> [\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=&#8221;What should I do if I get bitten by a dog while working at their home?&#8221; style=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;blue&#8221; el_id=&#8221;1629960888352-6927dfc3-55ec&#8221; el_class=&#8221;bullets_in&#8221;]<span>There are two ways you can settle a dog bite incident inside the home where you are working. The first one is through settling it outside of court. You can discuss with the dog owner the compensation of the damage done to pay for things like medical expenses, lost wages due to injury, and others. You can also sue the owner and get compensation for damages. Worker\u2019s compensation cover dog bites, and you get the most pay with the owner\u2019s insurance.<\/span> [\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=&#8221;Is it possible to sue a dog owner if their dog bit my dog?&#8221; style=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;blue&#8221; el_id=&#8221;1629960891773-47b4d9e8-af78&#8243; el_class=&#8221;bullets_in&#8221;]<span>The Dog Owner\u2019s Liability Act protects from dog bites and attacks, not only to individuals but also to domestic animals. With your dog being a domestic animal, it is, therefore, covered by the law. You can sue a dog owner if his dog attacks your dog. If the court finds that the dog attacked your dog, it will be destroyed or put under specific measures. You can also claim compensation for your pet\u2019s injury, medical care, and rehabilitation, among others.<\/span> [\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] #AskJoshuaHimel Almost\u00a08 million\u00a0dogs make their home in Canada, so it\u2019s not surprising that the number of people bitten by dogs is on the rise. This is despite law in Ontario prohibiting people from owning breeds, such as pit bulls, that lawmakers accused of being prone to attacking people. A sharp decline in the pit&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11839,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[494,100,263,264,495,15],"class_list":["post-3072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-media","tag-animal-bites","tag-askjoshuahimel","tag-dog-bite","tag-dog-owners-liability-act","tag-dogs","tag-liability","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3072"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3072\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}