FIND OWNER OF DOG THAT BIT YOU TO AVOID RABIES SHOTS – MN ATTORNEY
A recent news report gave this story: Shannon wishes at least one dog owner was more responsible with their pet after a dog bit her last week. Now she’s going through treatment for rabies in case the unknown animal was infected. The incident happened on Wednesday after she left her home in Minneapolis. She was heading to the library to do some editing work for her job.
“I crossed a street and passed a woman walking a dog. Suddenly, the dog lunged out and bit me in the calf,” she said on Sunday. Shocked, she did not get the woman’s contact information. She said the woman told her it wasn’t her dog. “I’m just kind of mad at myself for not pressing her for her contact info. Additionally, this could be the only way the owner learns that that dog is a dangerous dog.” She hasn’t seen the dog or woman again, despite keeping a lookout.
At the time of the dog attacked her, she was wearing jeans that mitigated damage to her flesh. However, she still ended up with two puncture wounds and big bruises. She didn’t need stitches, so she doesn’t believe there will be a scar. However, because she was not able to find the dog owner, she now has to get a series of rabies shots.
MINOR DOG BITE CAN TURN SERIOUS
“You feel the pressure of the bite before you feel the pierce of the dog’s teeth,” she said. “And when you look at it, it’s kind of interesting to see a set of bruises from the top part of the teeth. There’s a space of a similar size, and then the other set of bruises from the bottom. It shows how big they can actually open their mouths.” She described the dog that bit her as medium-sized with short brown fur. It had a lean build, longer legs, and maybe weighing about 40 pounds. She couldn’t specify a breed.
The incident happened quickly, but she recalls she didn’t have to fight the dog off. It bit and then let go. She figures that’s why the teeth only punctured her skin and did not tear any flesh. “Because I live so close, my roommate was home and she came out to see what was wrong. We called the nurse’s helpline. They told us how to treat it – to wash it for five minutes with water. So I did that while my roommate went out and got Polysporin. I called the non-emergency police line, and they sent an officer around and I talked to him.
Additionally, I was told I’d have to take antibiotics in case there was something the dog had. They also said it would probably be a good idea to do a rabies treatment. If I knew the dog, they could observe it for 10 days to verify if it had rabies or not.”
DOG OWNER MUST PAY FOR RABIES SHOTS AND MORE
She underwent a series of rabies shots where needles were initially injected almost directly into the wounds. Now that that’s been done, the remaining treatment is just three more rabies shots in the arm over the next couple of weeks. “Even in the moment, when the dog bit me, I was like ‘this sucks but I’m going to be Ok.’ It didn’t really feel like a big deal. But later on, when I was told about health risks, I was like ‘oh, this is a big deal.’ And, what if it had been a kid?”
Rabies can be very serious. However, she will be fine thanks to the rabies shots, even if the dog is sick. Still, she would’ve liked to find the dog owner and let the dog owner know what happened. “Even in a small city like this, I might never run into them again,” she said. “I’d kind of like to never run into them again. But if this dog was really being walked by a dog walker, maybe the owners aren’t aware that their dog did this. I think they should know.”
She said the police told her a report would be filed and they’d check with nearby businesses to see if a camera might have caught an image of the dog and its owner. It’s a long shot, though.
DOG BITE COMPENSATION MN ATTORNEYS
Rabies shots after a dog bite are expensive, and scar repair will often cost even more.
If you have been bitten or injured by a dog, call our office and speak with a top dog bite attorney in MN. However, it is not enough to just say “a dog bit me.” Our lawyers need to know who the owner of the dog is, or at least the address of the house it came from. It is frequently important to conduct an investigation into the incident, which the police may or may not do adequately. Our best MN dog bite lawyers will provide you with a free initial consultation and we will advise you of your rights.
We have more than 25 years’ experience successfully getting fair and complete compensation for many people injured or bitten by a dog. Pam Rochlin is a former Partner at Meshbesher & Spence and will provide personal attention for your case. She is a past president of the Minnesota Women Lawyers association. David Rochlin is a former chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association Solo Small Firm Section with 25 years’ experience helping people resolve their legal disputes. The initial consultation is free. Plus, we never charge anything unless you are compensated for your injury.