California updates in category: Property Owner's Liability (Slip & Fall)

When Deputy David Pike made a house call in response to a complaint pertaining to a damaged mailbox, he got more than he bargained for. The homeowner's German shepherd attacked him biting him in the thigh.In order to fend off the attack, Deputy Pike used a chemical spray on the dog. Fortunately, the dog did not break the deputy's skin. Due to the attack, the owner of the dog was issued a notice...

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Tennessee's State Senator Rosalind Kurita of Clarksville is looking for accountability. And now she will introduce a bill that will provide that accountability for pet owners. The bill is known as "permissive legislation." In the event of a dog attack the case would go to General Sessions Court. Currently a dog attack case would go before a Circuit Court judge, which would assure a fine of $50...

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Dog bites are a concern in many cities. Many people feel the current laws do little to protect the public at large. Raleigh, North Carolina is no exception. Raleigh residents in particular have reason for concern, as there has been a steady increase in reported dog bites in their town. In 2007, there were 367 bites reported, which was a 56 percent increase over 2000, and the numbers are still...

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In 2007, Texas House Bill 1411 was passed making it a misdemeanor to chain a dog overnight, in extreme weather, or for more than three consecutive hours. That is a start. Now, the City Council of Fort Worth has improved on that law and has banned chaining dogs in front and back yards, period. The cost to anyone violating this law is a $500 fine for the first offense. If that does not get the...

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One would think that it would be a pretty safe bet that a would-be attacker would shy away from attacking a dog owner when she is in the company of her pit bull. One would think. Last Thursday in Troutdale, Oregon, a man attacked a 19-year-old woman when her pit bull came to her rescue. The pit bull bit the attacker who swiftly left the scene and the woman. The man responsible for the attack is...

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The law protects dog owners' rights as much as it tries to ensure public safety. Accordingly, the county Animal Services Department will not remove your dog just because someone merely thinks the dog is vicious. Dr. Nancy Matthews, a 47-year-old Valley Center equine veterinarian, says she suffered as a result. In November 2006, Dr. Matthews was with her two sons, 8 and 11-years old when she was...

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You may recall five months ago when actor Ving Rhames left a good friend and caretaker Jacob Adams at his home while he was on a movie shoot. Rhames was subsequently informed that Adams was found dead the lawn of Rhames' Brentwood home and the 4 dogs on the property had been quarantined pending an investigation under suspicion of a dog attack causing the death.That investigation has wrapped up,...

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Alaska Leads Nation in dog bite Injuries. According to the state's dog bite fatality database and the Alaska Trauma Registry, between the years 1991 through 2002, Alaska had the most dog bite injuries, including deaths, in the nation. There has been a yearly rate of 4.6 injuries per 100,000 people in Alaska. State officials are interested in educating the public on avoiding dog injuries. Many...

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The safety of people as it pertains to dog bites has long been a concern here in the U.S. and abroad. Recently, in Scotland, a new law to control dogs deemed to be dangerous has been in the Scottish Parliament.Alex Neil, a member of the Scottish Labor Party (SLP) wants courts to impose "dog orders" for dangerous pets. The proposed "dog orders" would ensure dogs were micro-chipped and kept under...

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O.K. the experts say that yelling and waving hands at a tiger likely wouldn't be enough to provoke it to attack. Even throwing rocks wouldn't necessarily cause the cat to leave its home and track down a taunter. You would have to hit it in the face or poke it repeatedly. Urinating would provoke it, too.While there is no evidence that the boys involved in the tiger attack hit the cat in the...

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Finally the media has printed an article that purports to report an admission on the part of on of the victims in this awful tragedy. Prior to this article, all we really had were reports of accusations from talking heads that had no reliability. This latest article however, states that the decedent's father has reported that one of the Dahliwal boys admitted to him that they had been standing...

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After 7-year-old Ethan Westergard, was attacked by a pit bull mix, the owner told conflicting stories to authorities as to the dogs whereabouts. As a result, she now faces criminal charges. This case has also exposed shortcomings in the way animals are supposed to be quarantined for the purposes of rabies testing. Initally the owner said the dog was dead and buried. However, when authorities...

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While on duty in the early hours of January 1, 2008, Officer Jada Burgin was bitten by the dog. The dog bite occured due to the fact that the dog's owner failed to control his dog at the time of the incident. The officer was responding to a call pertaining to James Powell and his sister Jamie Powell. It had been reported that they were yelling at each other. When the police arrived on the...

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So how is Switzerland handling the dog bite issue? Well, to begin with they want people to be responsible for any damages their dog(s) do to others. Under a draft law, dog owners would also have to take out mandatory insurance. Great idea.Switzerland is currently dealing with approximately 300 dog attacks on people by dogs each and every year. The justice ministry would like to ensure that...

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When Scott Saterbo heard screams coming from his neighbor's yard, he ran to assist Greg Young who was being viciously attacked by a large pit bull. Saterbo beat the pit bull off Young with a shovel and is sure that if he had not done so, Young would not have lived. How brave is the 19 year-old Saterbo.Young, who works for Suburban Propane, was on a service call at the house. By the time Saterbo...

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