Personal Injury Law Update

Dog owner charged with possession of a dangerous dog in dog attack

The Seattle Times reported that on September 9, 2008, a 71 year old woman named Huong Le was attacked by two pit bulls that had come from a man's home two blocks away. She had bite wounds all over her body and had broken a bone in her arm. She was listed in serious condition, but has since returned home from the hospital and is on the path to recovery. Both dogs were fatally shot by the police who had been called to the scene. The owner of the dogs, Travis Cunningham, is now facing a rarely used felony charge of possession of a dangerous dog.

Ian Goodhew, chief of staff for King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg, said that possession of a dangerous dog is a rarely used charge because prosecutors have to "show knowledge that the owner knew the dog was dangerous and was negligent." He said that charge alone could bring a sentence of up to a year.

"He is being charged with knowing this dog is dangerous and failing to take appropriate actions to keep this dog from harming someone," Goodhew said.

Containing and muzzling your dog is required by a city of SeaTac ordinance.

Seattle Times Profiles Suffering of Dog Bite Victims

A recent article in the Seattle Times profiled the suffering of dog bite victims. As the paper observed, high profile dog attacks typically spark heated calls for new animal-control policies, breed bans and higher criminal penalties for the owners of vicious dogs, but the furor often dies down within days or weeks. Victims, however, suffer for years, if not the rest of their lives, with physical pain and nerve damage, emotional shock from disfigurement, and the financial toll of repeated surgeries and therapy. According to the article, more than 1,000 dog bites have been reported in Seattle and King County this year.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year; approximately 16 of these incidents result in fatalities. The CDC offers tips for dog bite prevention. The Humane Society of the United States offers dog bite prevention tips as well. Here's information on how to fight off a dog.

If you or a loved one has suffered injury from a dog bite, contact the Washington and Oregon dog bite lawyers at D'Amore & Associates for a free consultation.

Which Dogs Are More Likely to Attack?

The Center For Disease Control (CDC) lists the following breeds in declining order of fatalities: Pit Bull, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Husky, Malamute, Doberman Pinscher, Chow Chow, Great Dane, Saint Bernard.

However, there are several reasons why it is not possible to have an accurate count for the attack rate between breeds for comparison.

For instance, the biting dog may have been reported as a purebred when in fact it is a mixed breed. 

Secondly, the actual number of reported bites that occur in a “community” is unknown, especially if the victim did not suffer serious injury or failed to report the incident to the authorities.

Last, particular breeds or mixed breeds of dogs are unknown because you cannot be certain that all dog owners have registered there dogs or updated their existing licensing data on their animals with the county they reside in.

Depending on the breed, some rental agencies and Home Owner’s insurance companies have excluded certain breeds like some of the dogs in CDC’s list.  Regardless of breed, parents should be vigilant when their children are around dogs. Unfortunately, the rate of children suffering a serious injury from a dog attack is much higher than for adults.