Bitten By A Dog In A Dog Park?

Los Angeles is a pet-friendly city.  There are several dog parks in the City where owners and pets can enjoy the outdoors. Unfortunately, sometimes man's best friend can misbehave, and that's when it's time to call a Los Angeles dog bite lawyer.

So, what can you do if you're bitten by a dog in a Los Angeles dog park?  

The first thing you need to do is make sure you're okay.  Seek immediate medical attention if you're injured.  Many parks in the City of Los Angeles are monitored by the Recreation and Parks service, and you can flag down an employee to summon help if needed.

If you can, the next thing you should do is get the dog owner's information. As you can see in this photograph (Rule No. 7), a dog owner is required by law to provide his or her personal information to a dog bite victim.  In fact, the California Penal Code mandates the imposition of a fine on a dog owner who does not cooperate with this rule.  There are other criminal consequences too.

Obtaining the dog owner's information is necessary to ensure that the dog is properly vaccinated, and is not carrying rabies or other communicable diseases.

If the owner does not cooperate and won't provide you his or her information, you can call the Department of Animal Services for assistance.  There's also a good chance that someone else at the dog park who witnessed the dog bite will recognize the owner and his or her dog.  Most of the time, dog owners will cooperate.

A dog bite can be devastating, especially for young children.  For questions about your dog bite case, do not hesitate to call my office.