Animal control reports are becoming more important after dog bite incidents

If a dog ever bites you, obtaining animal control reports is part of collecting objective evidence from witness accounts of the canine’s health. It’s vital to public safety, as a mandatory quarantine process to monitor the animal for rabies starts once you file. Your report adds to the dog owner’s past documented history, which checks for repeat animal abuse offenders, and makes it easier for you to make a personal injury claim.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), dog bite-related emergency visits are costing people an estimated $102.4 million in hospital bills, and about 334,000 people use emergency services from these incidents.

Why Do You Need to Document an Animal Bite?

Never ignore a random animal bite, as it can be an issue affecting your health, community health, and liability. Treat it as a medical emergency, as it’s vital to identify the dog and the owner to find out about vaccination status. 

If the dog has a valid vaccination history, that can prevent you from having to go through very uncomfortable rabies shots. You may also need a tetanus shot if it’s been over 5 to 10 years since the last one and antibiotics, according to the University of Rochester.

When you file animal control reports, your local police department or animal control agency creates a public record of the date, time, and location the biting incident occurred. Authorities will be on high alert regarding that or any other dangerous animal in the area, as well as repeat offenders. 

Documenting the incident with authorities is the first step in proving fault. Doing so involves:

• Photos of the scene
• Torn clothing
• Video footage
• Witnesses

All of these elements show how and when the attack happened and whether it resulted from an owner’s neglect or the person bitten provoking it. If you plan to file a personal injury claim, you’ll need this evidence, including your emergency room report and ongoing treatment plan. If you have extensive medical bills and lost wages from work because of the dog bite, you have the right to compensation.

What Do Animal Control Reports Show?

Think of an animal control report as the equivalent of a background check. It should log any past public safety incidents. The report documents welfare checks with the pet’s owner to show:

• Hoarding
• Neglect
• Poor living conditions
• Cruelty

If neighbors or other people have made quality-of-life calls, such as stray pick-ups or noise complaints, like loud barking at all hours, these will also be documented. Additionally, citations from authorities will be on these reports.

Why Is an Animal Control Complaint Good for the Public?

A formal complaint can protect you and the community from a bigger problem like rabies. Even if the bite doesn’t hurt immediately, you could have been infected. Once rabies symptoms set in, which happens once the virus hits the central nervous system, it’s usually 100% fatal, according to the World Health Organization. Prompt medical attention that includes wound cleaning and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can prevent death if you’re infected.

Making a report can also trigger a deeper investigation regarding animal cruelty and neglect while protecting the community from nuisance control. 

Dogs aren’t the only animals that attack, so filing a report may be necessary for wildlife management when sick or dangerous wild animals make contact with humans.

How Can a Lawyer Help?

Personal injury cases, which involve any situation where someone was hurt due to someone else’s negligence, include dog attacks. Your local dog bites lawyer in Phoenix, AZ, will hold such people responsible, so you can get compensation for emotional trauma, medical bills, etc. From medical records to witness statements, an attorney knows how to build a case and navigate local laws regarding dog bites, which change based on local statutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does a Dog Bite Investigation Take?

This investigation can stretch from a couple of weeks to three months. The dog bite investigation into the animal’s health and quarantine check lasts about 1 to 2 weeks. It can go up to three months for more dangerous dog hearings. 

A typical rabies quarantine is about 10 to 14 days for almost all important dog bites. At this time, the dog is isolated and observed to ensure they show no symptoms of the disease. This can’t be done at the dog owner’s home, animal control facility, or a vet clinic.

Citations may take weeks or months due to leash law violations or the victim pursuing a legal claim. Animal control will collect statements from any witnesses and check the dog’s history. If the plaintiff is pursuing a personal injury compensation case, the insurance company negotiation can take 1 to 3 months.

What Are Bad Signs After a Dog Bite?

After being bitten by an animal, watch out for signs of infection, which include:

• Increased redness and pain in the area
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Red streaks up your arm
• An abscess or pus-filled bump
• Difficulty moving that part of the body

Even if you don’t have problematic symptoms, see a doctor immediately after being bitten by an animal. According to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, the hand is more likely to be infected after an animal bite than other parts of the body.

Going forward, try to practice prevention steps when handling dogs and cats.

Get Medical and Legal Help After a Dog Attack

Filing animal control reports can protect you and the local community after a dog attack. Some dogs may have a long history of bad behavior due to a neglectful owner, who may be hoarding or training them to be violent. Letting the situation go can also mean not getting treatment for rabies, which is fatal once it hits the nervous system, but is preventable with early care. 

If you miss time off work and need extensive medical care, a good lawyer with experience in personal injury can get you the deserved compensation. Then, you can heal in peace and prevent others from having the same experience.

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