Laws Could Change in Georgia Following Dog Attack on 10-Year-Old
Georgia state laws on dogs could be on the verge of change following a press conference with lawmakers and a 10-year-old girl that was attacked and bitten by two pit bull dogs. The victim suffered injuries to her arms that caused her to lose full function of her right arm and she lost part of her left arm. The attack happened when the girl, then 8 years old, was walking through her neighborhood and was attacked by the two dogs. The victim spoke at the press conference and stated she believes dog owners should be sentenced to serve jail time if they own a vicious dog that attacks another person.
In the state of Georgia, House Bill 148 and House Bill 685 are being changed to clarify the definition of a dog attack and make punishments harsher for dog owners. As of now a dangerous dog is defined as one that has previously been involved in an attack, therefore dogs that have not been involved in an attack are not counted in the law. The proposals to the two House bills will be going through a hearing process this year according to the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.
People at the press conference including lawmakers stated that it is tragedies like this that cause lawmakers and others to review statutes set in place against vicious dogs. Lawmakers said the wording of the original statute is what made it confusing and caused a loophole for dog owners to get through without being punished. However, if the statutes will be reviewed for sure, it could possibly be a major step in effect to help the citizens of Georgia against vicious dogs. The victim’s mother even stated that the statute was in disarray because of its wording. The most unfortunate part of this incident is that a 10-year-old girl suffered serious injuries and had to spend a lengthy period of time in the hospital as a result.
Anybody who owns a dog that has attacked a person this viciously should be held responsible for their dog’s actions and punished to the fullest extent of the law. The statutes set in place are done so that the citizens of the specific state where the laws are in effect can be safe and not have to worry about being attacked viciously like this. Unfortunately, as this incident demonstrates, some statutes are simply not enough and they must be revised. In addition, victims can contact an attorney who can assist them in getting compensation from the dog owner and making sure the dog owner is held responsible for the dog attack.
