As the story explains, “dangerous dog” is a legal term. It doesn’t just mean a dog who may be inclined to attack or seems mean. The term applies to dogs who have actually caused serious injury to a person or another domestic animal and whose owners have gone through a judicial process in which the dog is adjudicated “dangerous.”
The consequences of owning a “dangerous dog” are significant. The dog must be confined in an enclosure that meets strict specifications or, when in the control of an adult, must be leashed and muzzled. The owner is required to pay annual registration fees of $500 and maintain minimum insurance coverage of $50,000. Local dog wardens visit the owners at least once a year to ensure the owner is complying with the requirements.
There are only 246 dogs in the state that have been adjudicated as “dangerous” and only 4 of those are in Erie County and 1 in Crawford County. Still, local officials acknowledge that our region has above average rates of dog attacks, that there are some dangerous dog owners who are actively avoiding the law and that officials are investigating multiple current complaints of dangerous dogs.
If you or someone you care for has been injured by a dog, you’ll want answers about your rights and remedies. Call the Erie dog bite lawyers at Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. today at 814-273-2010 or toll free at 814-273-2010 or use our on-line consult form. We are Erie lawyers who are committed to providing free information about dog bite injuries and the cases that result from them. For more free information, visit our dog bite page or our personal injury library where we have more free information.