When a Dog Bites Your Dog at the Park

There are certain things you must do if a dog bites your dog while you are taking them for a walk at the park. However, complications can occur if the dog that initiated the attack is smaller than your dog, and your dog retaliates. 

Scenario

James was walking his German Shepherd Rousey at the park. Isabella was walking her Yorkshire Terrier, Mocha. James always walked Rousey with care and handled her just fine. However, despite Mocha’s size, Isabella did not know how to control Mocha. 

Mocha began barking. At first, Rousey ignored her, but Mocha persisted. James realized this was a potential problem, so he pulled Rousey closer, but Mocha continued pulling Isabella closer to James and Rousey. Finally, Mocha escaped Isabella’s grip and pounced on Rousey. She bit Rousey, and Rousey yelped and retaliated. Rousey had a bite mark, but Mocha fared much worse. Rousey had tossed her aside like a rag doll. 

Isabella could not believe it. She was furious. She accused James of letting Rousey hurt her dog. James did not think he would ever need canine liability insurance to cover himself. He was about to find out how wrong he was. 

Claim 

Isabella alleged that because Rousey seriously injured Mocha, James should be liable for her dog’s injuries. Conversely, James replied that Rousey was defending herself and was under his control the entire time. Mocha became incapacitated due to her actions.  

However, in today’s courts, James will likely find himself responsible for Mocha’s injuries, and Rousey will most likely be labeled a dangerous dog. If James had dog bite coverage, not only would the Vet costs be covered but any cost to defend him or settlement cost, if any.  

Possible Solutions 

What could James have done to prevent this from happening? He did mostly everything correctly. However, he likely saw the antagonistic dog barking at his dog. James should have turned and walked away, left the park, and gone to another area within the park. Many dog owners do not know how to handle their dog, or they think all people and dogs want to interact with their dog. 

You must be aware of how others handle their dog to protect yours.

About Dog Bite Quote

At Dean Insurance Agency, we’ve provided dog owners protection since 2012, with over 10,000 policies issued. Our underwriting criteria and years of experience providing this coverage enables us to offer competitive and fair policy premiums. Our policies are available in every state except Alaska & Kentucky. The quote is free and there is NO obligation to purchase!