[selzer]

Ok,

Here is a scenario.

I am unemployed and my cobra benefits have run out and I have NO health insurance.

If I am walking down the street with my puppy, and someone's formidable dog breaks through their back yard fencing to accost me and my puppy, and I step in front of my puppy and call for the owners. The dog charges and sinks it teeth into my leg and wrestles back and forth with it tearing at my tendons.

After several minutes three kids come out of the house and stick their fingers in their mouths watching the dog EAT my leg. Finally their dad comes out yelling and is able to separate me from the dog. I call 911 and am taken to the ER.

The dog has no reports of violence before.

I need surgery on my leg and lengthy therapy and skin grafts to make it heal.

Who should pay the medical bills?

The family is in section 8 housing and has no renter's insurance that covers the dog.
They have nothing to go after. Who will pay.

The landlord has a strict rule against them owning any dog, and did not know that the dog existed.

Who should pay?

The landlord is up to his ears in debt and if he must he will just go bankrupt and my medical bills for this will not be paid even if I hire an attorney and go after him.

Who will end up paying?

Since I do not have the money, and they cannot take my house for medical bills -- not worth it anyhow as the mortgage is upside down, they will put a lean on it, and the hospital will write it off as a bad debt. Why is that ok?

Who in the end pays for this?

Society pays.

Society passes laws to prevent these scenarios because they should not have to foot the bill.

If people have to own a home or have an insurance policy, a liability policy covering the dogs, then people who own these dogs will be paying insurance so that IF one of them causes such a problem there is money to cover the costs.

Why did I step in front of my puppy? Because while society will pay, the ER will treat me with or without insurance. The same is not true for my puppy. If the dog tears into my puppy and I do not have the money for the veterinary care and surgeries the pup may require, it is tough luck for me and my pup. Why is THAT ok???

I am frankly tired of hearing about people who have no means to pay for the damages of their dogs owning these dogs and allowing them to run amok. Lots of people are. Banning the breeds is easy. It does not solve anything, but when one is found running at large, it is contained and euthanized -- oh well. If they are banned. When people own a banned breed and it attacks, they are criminally negligent and held with higher penalties.

I would rather see restrictions put on ownership, than breed bans.

BTW, there are laws about fencing around pools. Pools and dogs are considered an attractive nuisance. Children are attracted to them. It is up to the homeowner to ensure that children cannot get themselves injured or killed by pools or dogs on your property.