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.
In this post, I discuss the value of expert opinion from an animal behaviorist in dog bite litigation, specifically focusing on the states of Arizona and California. I choose theseRead More
California dog bite law (Civil Code 3342) specifies that a dog owner be held legally liable for damages if their dog bites and injures another person. In select cases, expertRead More
Temperament tests are widely used to determine the “adoptability” of shelter dogs. Popular temperament test currently in use include the”EthoTest”, the SPCA “SAFER.” test, the “Am I Safe” test, andRead More
Dogs with aggressive tendencies who reside on a rented property raise serious legal concerns for property owners. Property owners need to be concerned about landlord dog bite liability. Aggressive dogs poseRead More
The owner of two adults pit bulls will likely face criminal charges in California as a result of her her dogs brutally attacking an elderly man and his Jack Russell Terrier onRead More
Cane corso fatal dog attacks on people in the United States happen at disproportionately high rates. I have reviewed some of these instances in previous posts on this website. Not surprisingly,Read More
Dogs are sometimes provoked into biting humans. If this is suspected by defense counsel than a defense of provocation defense potentially counter strict owner liability under California’s dog-bite statute, CivilRead More
Dog bite lawsuits often arise as a result of facial dog bites. Serious facial dog bites are almost always devastating for the victim, particularly if the victim is a child.Read More
DNA analysis is the standard in canine forensics when the identity of dogs involved in a fatal dog attack is uncertain. DNA analysis is nearly 100% accurate provided the forensic evidence (blood,hair,Read More
Approximately 30-40 fatal dog attacks on people are recorded each year in the United States. Most animal behavior experts believe that the majority of these instances are highly preventable. ThisRead More
