Man Must Pay $1000 Compensation after Dog Attack
An Indiana man caring for a Bullmastiff dog and one other dog will be forced to pay $1000 in compensation after the Bullmastiff reportedly attacked and bit a 5-year-old girl in the face. The dog was not on a leash and was completely unsupervised when the initial attack took place. The 5-year-old was transported to a medical facility where she was treated for bruising and small puncture wounds that ultimately left small scars
The man admitted he was not paying attention to the dog but claimed it was uncharacteristic for the dog to attack. The man pleaded guilty to a charge of owning a dog which attacked a person causing serious injury. He must pay the $1000 fine and complete 250 hours of community service. A judge ordered the dog be put down following this incident.
People always argue that their dog is not vicious and will not attack a person for any reason. However, just because a dog is not known to attack does not mean it won’t. The man in this incident should have been monitoring his dog to ensure the safety of those around him. Instead, the man took the dogs to a party with him and allowed them to roam free while he stayed drinking. This man’s negligence directly resulted in a 5-year-old suffering puncture wounds to her face. Beyond the physical injuries the girl suffered, the traumatic emotional toll the attack may have taken on the girl could most likely have long-lasting effects.
Although the dog owner was brought to justice, the compensation that the judge ordered the man to pay is not nearly enough to help this little girl recover from this emotional trauma. Unfortunately, many dog owners do not realize how easily their dog could attack a person and either cause severe injuries or a fatality if the attack is serious enough. While physical injuries heal overtime, the emotional toll that attack victims suffer will leave scars that may last forever. The younger an attack victim is, the more traumatic the attack could be for the victim.
