Dogs are a big responsibility for their human owners. They require food, shelter, veterinary care and housing. They need enough play, training and exercise to stay healthy and happy. Any dog can also create risk or liability for its owner. A dog could damage someone’s house while they are at work for the day. It could also attack a visiting friend or a mail delivery person dropping off a small package.
California state law imposes strict liability on the owners of dogs. The state requires that owners with potentially dangerous dogs will take adequate steps to protect the public from their pets. These steps include training the animal and putting up adequate fencing.
Just chaining a dog outside a home won’t necessarily prevent aggressive attacks. In fact, such negligent animal ownership practices could cause issues for visitors.
Chained dogs may have intense territorial feelings
A dog frequently left unattended and chained outside may become quite protective of its space, especially when it spots unfamiliar humans. It might growl, lunge or snap at anyone who gets close to what the dog considers its space or territory.
Unfortunately, people who need to visit a home, like delivery drivers or even family friends, may have no choice but to walk past a dog even as it engages in aggressive behavior. They might hope that the animal’s chain will stop it from reaching them.
Someone who has not been to a property before may not realize how far the dog can reach while on its chain. Dogs can sometimes pull free of their restraints or break their collars when particularly emotional. The result may be that the dog attacks a person despite being chained up in the yard.
Many people get severely hurt by chained dogs. In fact, a long-term analysis of dog-bite statistics showed that roughly 25% of all deadly attacks involved a dog chained up by its owner. Simply attaching a dog to a chain is not sufficient to eliminate an owner’s liability for their animal’s aggressive behavior. Those hurt by a chained dog may have the right to file an insurance claim or even a civil lawsuit.
Understanding the risk factors in dog bite attacks can help you protect your family and seek compensation if someone gets hurt.