Reports in the past few years have shown that there has been an increase in the number of dog bite related injuries in the state of Alaska. In most cases, articles written regarding dog bite injuries speak more to injured individuals and how they can pursue compensation for their injuries. This article, however, will discuss what dog owners can do in order to prevent their dogs from injuring people.

A quote from Mark Twain states that, “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you.” It is important to realize that any dog can hurt someone; in fact, the majority of dog bites are inflicted by dogs that belong to the victim’s family or friends. It must be noted that just because a dog is gentle, old or even small, it must not be assumed that it cannot cause an injury. Even dogs that seem docile will bite when they are frightened or when they are protecting their puppies, owners or food. Furthermore, a dog can easily hurt someone accidently, by frightening them or tripping them. It must be noted that injuries relating to dogs do not necessarily have to be as a result of dog bites. In some cases, injuries that are sustained and termed dog-related, can include those in which an individual is passing by and falls as a result of a dog coming around the corner of a house barking; in such a case, the dog owner would likely be liable for any hospital bills. The best way to avoid liability is to prevent your dog from causing injury or damage. Experts point out a few simple rules, that are set out below, to help avert incidents, and if your dog does bite someone, what you can do to keep the dog owner’s liability as low as fairly possible.

Experts state that dog owners should do the following in order to prevent dog bites:

- Train and socialize the dog - according to the Humane Society of the United States, it is good to expose your dog to a lot of people and situations at a young age.

- Never let a dog run at large 

- Watch your dog around children - it is stated that almost half of all related dog bites victims are children under 12 years of age. This is because “young children, who may unknowingly provoke a dog, are especially likely to be bitten even by dogs that they are familiar with”.  Therefore, it is important to never leave a dog alone with a toddler or infants and to ensure that the gate to your yard is child proof.

- Keep your dog’s vaccination current - if your dog bites someone, the authorities will frown on it a lot more, if the dog does not have a current rabies vaccination. In some cases, you may be liable for the victim’s pain and suffering resulting from the anxiety as to whether your dog is infected.

- Post warning signs - if you have any reason to believe or think that your dog might injure someone coming onto your property, it is best to post “Beware of Dog” or “Dog in Yard” signs prominently. Further, it is important to stay away from creative variations of these traditional signs as this may be taken as a joke and not seriously, for example, “Trespassers Will Be Eaten”.

If you have been injured as a result of a dog bite, seek out attorneys in Anchorage Alaska. For more information and a free case evaluation contact Crowson Law Group today.