Would you Report? (Dog Attack)

[Konotashi]

A few threads lately have made me wonder - if a dog attacked your dog, would you report it? If you didn't, why not? Would the severity of the attack dictate if you reported it or not? Size of the dog? How severe would the attack need to be to report it, and/or what size would the dog have to be?

I would most certainly report an attack, even if it was a small dog. Even if it left just a lot of drool on Ozzy, I would report it so that A/C at least has a report on file.

[Falkosmom]

Originally Posted by Konotashi

A few threads lately have made me wonder - if a dog attacked your dog, would you report it? If you didn't, why not? Would the severity of the attack dictate if you reported it or not? Size of the dog? How severe would the attack need to be to report it, and/or what size would the dog have to be?

I would most certainly report an attack, even if it was a small dog. Even if it left just a lot of drool on Ozzy, I would report it so that A/C at least has a report on file.

I could not report attacks on my dog as I never knew who the owner's were. Some were "strays" in the neighborhood, most were in public parks where the people just grabbed their dogs and left. Once incident even left my boyfriend bitten and bleeding in front of plenty of witnesses, and the owner just waltzed away ignoring the calls from bystanders to come back as their dog not only injured a dog but had bitten a human.

[AbbyK9]

I think it would depend on the circumstances and severity of the attack.

If I were walking my leashed dog down the road, and the neighbor's Beagle got out of the door and charged us, but there are no punctures and the owner is apologetic, I wouldn't report it.

If the same dog did this repeatedly, I would certainly have a word with the neighbor for continuing to let it happen *and* report it to the dog warden, even if the dog didn't do any damage to mine. Getting out once and charging us is an accident. Doing it repeatedly is a problem.

If I were at the dog park and someone's dog got aggressive with mine, it would depend on the severity of injuries because I am taking that risk that may dog may not get along with another dog at the park. That's a risk you take knowingly. If the dog injures mine, I would ask the owner to pay the vet bill. If they refused, I would report the bite. If there's no damage done to my dog, I would just leave.

[Lucy Dog]

It really depends on the situation. I kind of grew up with the belief to never be a snitch, but if it's like the other thread where there were multiple attacks by the same dog and the owner did nothing, I think i'd have to bend the rules a little bit.

If it was a first time thing where the dog slipped out, mistakes happen. They pay the vet bills and we both agree this never happens again.

If you've got some idiot owner with a dog who's constantly getting out and tearing into other dogs than I'm calling animal control and the police on you. You don't deserve a dog if you're that negligent over and over again.

[fuzzybunny]

It would depend on the situation. Jazz was attacked as a puppy by a Rott/Lab mix in our building and the dog punctured a hole through his lip. I had to put him on antibiotics. I didn't report the attack because the owners were my neighbours and they were extremely apologetic and upset by the whole thing. They got their dog neutered immediately hoping that would help and began muzzling him. If this same situation had occurred and Jazz was injured worse than he was or if the owners were not apologetic I would definitely have reported it.

[CookieTN]

Depends. If the person realizes their mistake and is going to take appropriate measures to prevent it from happening in the future, I could definitely see myself giving them another chance. I could also see myself giving too many chances. I'm a softie.
I'd still try to get them to paying part of my dog's vet bill if he needs it, and if I can legally hold them to it.

[cornishbecky]

As others have said, it would depend on the owners attitude, if they were sorry and it was possibly the first time it had happened, i would not report it, I always think how i would feel in their position, having a dog aggresive gsd myself i can see how a momentary lapse of consentration can arise.
Mine has required vet treatment after being attacked by a springer, but they were very sorry and paid the bill, and they had not had the dog long, so i a situation like that i did not report them, i felt sorry for them.
but on the other hand had an attack been so bad the dog was maimed (lose a leg etc) for life, no matter how sorry they were i prob would report them.

[Good_Karma]

I didn't report attacks at first (none of the attacks have ever resulted in an injury) but after it kept happening seemingly everywhere I went, I decided I was done with being nice. And if my dog ever got hurt in an attack....hoo boy! Heads will roll.

[Kittilicious]

Totally depends on the circumstances & who it is. If it was the Dane across the street... nope. It would be "Hey Matt, Bella owes a vet bill". If it was the labs that live next door to him? I would.. because their owners have no control or care over them.

[Scarlettsmom]

ANY attack, by ANY dog on a human gets reported. Attacks by another dog would depend on the circumstances.

The perputually escaping pit bull that menaced our neighborhood and came after Scarlett more than once was called in everytime. The dog had been used for fighting and was truly a dangerous animal. BUT, the little ankle biter that used to lie in wait for us to walk by, only to dart out and go after Paige's rear end was also called in to AC. Both of those dogs, in my opinion were dangerous. Paige could and would defend herself. I could pull her off the little monster. The family had THREE of the dogs...several months after our last encounter, I noticed the guy only walking TWO. He said the dog went after a larger dog, and that larger dog "took care of him".