Richard H. Polsky, Ph.D. CDBC
Los Angeles, California
“Bringing the science of animal behavior to attorneys”
Dog Bite Injury Blog
A blog for attorneys & dog bite victims by animal behavior expert, Richard Polsky, PhD. The dog bite injury blog was created to report current news about injury caused to people as a result of being attacked by a canine. An animal behavior perspective is used. Stories for inclusion have been carefully chosen based on where the incident happened, the breed of dog involved, the nature of the injury, legal implications, and whether a canine fatality occurred.
When Stray Dogs Bite: India’s Public Safety Challenge
India’s streets are home to millions of stray dogs—often called Indies. Current estimates suggest there are over 62 million such dogs in India, according to the Press Trust of India. Not Read More..
Are inspections of the dog needed in dog bite lawsuits?
As a dog behavior expert witness, I am often asked whether it is necessary to inspect the dog involved in a bite case. The answer depends on the specific facts of Read More..
Animal behavior perspective on risk factors for dog aggression
Animal behaviorists who serve as expert witnesses in dog bite cases know that in some cases, there may be a need for their expertise to assess the foreseeability of any Read More..
Horrific near-fatal dog mauling in Texas
CBS News published a short video about this December 2021 incident in Texas. The video is graphic and disturbing! Watch video
Partial listing of fatal dog attacks, 2024 – 2025
Oakland California, 53-year-old man mauled by Cane Corso type dogs Three Cane Corso x Neapolitan mastiff-type dogs escaped the backyard of the property of the owner and then dragged the Read More..
Fatal dog attack by Great Dane dog pack in rural CA
The inherent dangers of dog packs and the manner in which they can cause a dog-related human fatality are addressed in other sections of this website. Below, I remind the reader Read More..
Wolf hybrid advocate opinion
Below is correspondence I received from a Wolf hybrid advocate, Lori Wynn, CEO of the nonprofit www.guardiansofthewolves.org. Ms. Wynn brought to my attention that the United States Department of Agriculture Read More..
Dog bite / Dog scratch Identification
0In dog bite litigation, occasionally there is uncertainty about whether the injury inflicted to a person resulted from a dog bite vs dog scratch. From a legal perspective, a person Read More..
German shepherd lawsuit in Virginia settles for $3.2 million
The vast majority of dog bite lawsuits in Virginia settle before trial. The reasons why settlements are reached include: the severity of the victim’s injuries, the degree of negligence by Read More..
Police K9 fatal dog attacks
Fatalities resulting from police K-9 deployments are statistically rare. Nonetheless, the incidents that have occurred—and their underlying circumstances—warrant serious legal and operational scrutiny. Courts have long held that K-9s do Read More..