A person takes on a lot of responsibility when they decided to become a dog owner, but will they be responsible if their dog attacks someone.
/ Sean Streicher
ALBANY, GA --
A person takes on a lot of responsibility when they decided to become a dog owner, but will they be responsible if their dog attacks someone.
According to Albany Animal Control who's at fault depends on the circumstances surrounding the attack.
"If the owner has his dog on a leash and on voice command, and some comes over and takes the risk petting the dog then the owners not a fault," explains Animal Control Superintendent, Sherman Capers.
The same goes for if the dog is secured on the owner’s property.
If the dog happens to get lose or runs away from the owner, that's when Capers says the own become liable.
No matter who's responsible for the bite the incident will always be reported to environmental health.
"The reason for the bites being reported to us is so we can actually begin putting information together about the animal and do what we call rabies surveillance," explains James C. Davis, the Albany Environmental Health Director.
If its determined the animal has its rabies shots it is released to its owner, if not it will be places in quarantine for ten days.
If the dog makes it through those ten days, it is given a rabies shot and released to its owner.
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