According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur annually in the United States. Every year, the number of dog attacks increase. For example, between 1993 and 2008, there was an 86% increase in the number of dog bite hospitalizations. To combat the rise in dog attacks, cities and counties across the nation have enacted ordinances to protect individuals that have been attacked by dogs. These ordinances can provide information about what happens after you’ve been bitten or attacked by a dog.
For instance, under Article 6 of the Kane County Animal Ordinance, the owner of a dog or other animal that attacks or injures any person without provocation is liable in damages to the injured person to for the full amount of the injury sustained.
The City of Aurora has enacted an ordinance about bites and attacks from vicious animals, specifically, about what happens to the animal after a bite or attack. Under the ordinance, any animal that bites or attacks a person, without provocation, will be declared a nuisance and may be impounded by the Animal Control Manager or Animal Control Office. The ordinance states that the Animal Control Manager may allow the owner to retain ownership but only with restrictions placed on the owner in writing. Restrictions include having a sign posted that the dog is dangerous, restrictions on taking the dog out of the home, requiring that the dog be spayed or neutered, and requirements that the dog owner carry homeowners insurance in excess of a certain amount.
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