When things have calmed down, take time to assess your dog for injuries.
Dog bite injuries range from minor scrapes to life-threatening wounds. Even if your dog seems to be relatively unscathed it is worth contacting your vet and asking them to check your pet for you.
Bite wounds can often look fairly minor, with just a few puncture wounds being visible on the skin. However, a dog’s jaws are incredibly powerful and the shearing forces on the underlying tissues can be quite large. Your vet will be able to check your dog and ensure that any underlying tissue damage or more serious injuries do not go undetected.
If your pet’s skin has been punctured or wounded there is always the chance of an infection setting in later. A dog’s mouth carries a large bacterial load, so veterinary advice and care is always to be recommended after a dog attack.
Ask for their name and contact details. If they have pet insurance for their dog request details of this too. If there is any difficulty in obtaining contact details, you may wish to consider reporting the incident to the police or the local dog warden. Remember, if a dog is “dangerously out of control” this may make it a police matter anyway.
If there are any witnesses not directly involved in the incident, it is worth asking for their contact details too. If they are willing to give a statement about the attack this may help you to recover any veterinary costs if your dog was not at fault. All evidence could be valuable if you need to make any kind of claim for costs later on.
If you have your phone or a camera with you, do consider taking photographs of both animals and any injuries they have sustained as evidence of the incident. Once you have taken all the details and evidence you can obtain, take your pet to your vet to be checked and treated as necessary.
Following a dog attack both owners are often upset. Sometimes the owner of the dog at fault may offer to pay for the veterinary costs in respect of injuries inflicted upon your pet. In this situation, the two parties are often able to reach an amicable agreement. You should take care to request itemised invoices from your vet once treatment has been given so that the other owner has clear evidence of the amount to be paid. If the other party has pet insurance and their policy provides third party liability cover their insurance company may be able to pay for any vet’s fees arising from the incident, provided their dog was the one at fault.
Technical liability for a dog attack
If a fight between two dogs occurs, the person who usually becomes liable for the vet’s fees is the owner of the dog which is deemed to be at fault. So it is worth ensuring that your own dog is always under control when you are out and about.
Ideally, your pet should be well socialised and obedient to recall commands from you. If you know your pet does not like other dogs it would be wise to walk them in places or at times when they are less likely to meet other canines. Not only will these measures help you to avoid any liability, but they will also help to prevent an attack from occurring in the first place.
Sometimes there is a limit to what we can control. If your dog has shown signs of aggression, use a leash in areas where you’re likely to encounter dogs. But like many car collisions, proof of liability can be difficult, unless there is clear evidence or one party is willing to accept blame. Equally, just as you insure your car, getting good cover for your pet can ensure you’re able to cover the bill – whatever the situation.
Do Not Try to Stop the Attack by Getting Between the Two Dogs
When your dog is under attack, your natural instinct will be to jump in and protect it. However, putting yourself in the middle of two (or more) dogs can be very dangerous. The attacking dog is likely to turn on you, which could result in serious injury to you as well as your dog. If possible, try to distract the other dog from a distance.
What to Do If My DOG BITES Another DOG? ⚡
When another dog bites another dog, it’s traumatic for you and your pet. Like most dog owners, you make every effort to protect your dog from harm. However, animals can behave in unpredictable ways. That’s why most emergency veterinarian visits are due to bite wounds from other dogs. Here are some ways to keep your dog safe and what steps to take if your dog is attacked.