Yamhill County has been considering the question: could your dog become responsible for an Oregon dog attack? The answer, unfortunately, is ‘yes.’
As the Yamhill News-Register notes, “All dogs – from the most muscular guard type to the fluffiest family pet – may bite if frightened, challenged or overexcited.” The paper’s report is a reminder that Portland, Salem or Eugene dog attacks can happen anywhere, at any time. As the article notes, a valued family pet can, believing it is protecting its turf or its owners, attack a family friend or anyone else who enters its familiar areas unexpectedly. The source for the article is a newly-published brochure from Yamhill Dog Control, detailing warning signs and useful tips for keeping one’s pet(s) under control.
The article notes that Yamhill County alone has recorded 61 Oregon dog bites so far this year – a pace that puts the county ahead of last year’s annual total of 98 and even further ahead of the county’s average annual number of Oregon Dog bites over the last seven years: 82.
As the article notes, Oregon law requires that any dog whose bite breaks a human’s skin must be quarantined for ten days. This legal requirement is a reminder of the seriousness with which our state’s laws treat Oregon dog bites.
From the perspective of an Oregon dog bite attorney it is important for victims to understand that they have legal remedies when encounters with pets turn violent. A Portland, Salem, Eugene or Corvallis dog bite lawyer can help them assess the particular circumstances of their case and how these stack up in light of Oregon dog bite law.
Yamhill Valley News-Register: All sorts of dogs may bite