North Carolina dog owners must understand that a great responsibility comes with owning a pet known for inflicting injuries. A pit bull might be an owner’s loyal companion, but the breed has a reputation for aggressiveness and enormous bite strength. Therefore, pit bull owners should take extra precautions to ensure their four-legged family members do not inflict unnecessary injury on an innocent party.
Pit bulls and dangers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes an average of 33 people die each year from fatal dog attacks. More than 58 different breeds are involved in such attacks, and pit bulls receive an unfortunate amount of blame.
Of course, other breeds besides pit bulls can be dangerous. German shepherds and Doberman pinchers are two others known for potentially dangerous behavior. The same rules apply regardless of breed – owners must take steps to keep them from hurting anyone. Otherwise, the owner could expect to face a personal injury lawsuit.
Dog bites and negligence
Vicious dog attacks could leave someone with severe lacerations and deep bite wounds. A dog bite may become infected, creating worse complications. With powerful dogs, a person may lose a limb after being bitten.
While some people may provoke a dog to attack them, there are instances where bites result from an owner’s negligence. Anyone who allows a breed to run off a leash puts others at risk. The same may be true when not placing a dog in the basement when visitors or delivery persons enter a home.
A homeowner’s insurance policy might cover dog bites, but there could be exclusions for specific dangerous breeds. The policy limits might be low, meaning anyone injured would have to take legal action to recover their excess losses.
