Pit bull liability insurance
It has been revealed that with vicious dog attacks rising, thus compensation claims increasing too, local councils have urged public liability insurance laws to be implemented.
Many streets and local areas have become frightened by the prospect of violent dogs running around on the roads, so have argued that in an attempt to reduce personal injury claims, dog owners should purchase public liability insurance.
In one case, a woman was cornered by a pit bull in her own driveway, and was afraid to move until the owner carried to animal away.
One police officer aggravated about the number of attacks by vicious dogs with irresponsible owners said: “It is like having an alligator for a pet. You never know what they are going to do.”
However, many local councils are unable to do anything until a dog actually attacks a person in the street.
After the second bite, the owner can face a fine and can be ordered to destroy the dog, but by then residents have claimed, it may be too late. One resident said: “For a pit bull, the first bite is the bite that can maim or be deadly.”
After a suggestion in the area, councils are looking into adding a provision to the city's vicious animal ordinance that lets authorities take action if a dog is found to have a vicious propensity as determined by animal control officers or police.
Councils will then discuss the proposed change later in its October meeting and may call an emergency meeting later that month to give its final approval.
Two years ago, the councils discussed banning pit bulls, but backed away from the idea after pit bull owners said it wouldn't be fair to responsible pet owners. Some members also questioned the legality of an outright ban on a specific breed.
One individual, who pushed for a ban on pit bulls two years ago, said most of the complaints the city gets about vicious dogs involve pit bulls. Unlike other dogs, she says pit bulls “won't let go” when they bite someone, “and have great potential to kill a human being.”
“It just takes one time before somebody is hurt or killed. Then the outcry will be “Why didn't the city do anything about this,” she said.
Dog attacks
Pit bulls unfortunately have a very bad reputation, and with a negligent owner, the chances of them being liked by society become even slimmer.
The breed has been connected to a string of attacks. Recently, a girl was bitten on the leg while walking along a street in London, it has been revealed.
As a result, police have been looking to speak with the owner of the pit bull. The victim, 18, was walking in the area of Dundas Street at Ashland Avenue, when a male approached her walking west with a pit bull on a leash at around 11.45pm.
As the male passed, the dog lunged at the female and bit her on the leg causing “minor injury,” police said.
Police have been unable to locate the owner of the dog to verify vaccination records and would like the male who was walking the dog to contact them.
Updated on 18/09/2009