How to handle a dog attack?

[Rob, Stacy, Garmisch & Wembley]

My mom was out walking her 6 pound Yorkiepoo last night and a loose black lab ran across the street and grabbed the yorkie in his mouth and shook him like a rag doll.  My mom is 72 and is not much of a match for a big dog, but she said the owner ran over, got his dog and left.  She ended up taking the pup to the emergency vet to get treated for multiple puncture wounds and had drain tubes installed.

Having never been in this situation I'm wondering what the proper way to handle this is?  Is the owner of the attacking dog responsible for any vet costs?  Should it be reported to Animal Control? 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Me too!  How are things going?

[Rob, Stacy, Garmisch & Wembley]

He got the last of his stitches out over the weekend and he's even barking at dogs on the TV again...which is a good sign.  She says he's still very clingy, but he is improving each day.  He's still on the pain meds so that may be part of why he's clingy.  Hopefully he'll be able to get off of the meds soon.

 

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

That's great news! Yes, barking at dogs on TV is a good sign-he still has some courage!! Thanks for the update and I hope they both continue to improve!

[Rob, Stacy, Garmisch & Wembley]

Quick update...although the owner didn't receive as much as a ticket...Scully is doing good, his wounds have started to scab over and barring any infections he's going to make a full recovery.  His wound still look pretty bad to me, but he's going on walks and playing with the toy we sent him...so I guess that's good. 

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

That is wonderful news about Scully's recovery! He looks so cute in his "play" position even with his horrible injuries.

This event sure underscores the need for better and more enforceable laws to help protect our innocent companion animals. Or at the very least to punish the guilty. I'm going to contact my local animal control agency and see what our local laws are in such a situation. Now you have made me curious..

Thanks so much for the update. He is such a little cutie. Hope your mom is well too!

[Tina, Clover, Plus 5 More]

This is fantastic news!  I was wondering how Scully' recovering was going.  Thanks for the update.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Our county has the laws posted on their web site but they are pretty vague. At least the punishment part. They first go after the dog which I think is unfair. It should be the owner that takes the brunt of the responsibility/punishment in my opinion.  And it appears that fines are only implemented if the dog is not euthanized. So the owner would not receive any punishment at all except for losing their dog which would be pretty bad actually. At least we have some laws but I think they could use some fine tuning.

(b) It is unlawful for a keeper to fail to prevent his/her dog from being a Dangerous Dog as defined by JCC 612.01(a)(6).
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter or as required under Oregon law, any dog that is found to be a "Dangerous Dog" can be euthanized, unless a hearing is requested pursuant to JCC 612.14 and the appropriate findings are made by the hearings officer pursuant to JCC 612.16 to 612.17. If the dog is not euthanized, the hearings officer may impose fines and other reasonable restrictions on the keeping of the dog.

(6)  "Dangerous Dog" or "dangerous animal" means any dog or animal that has been found to have engaged in any of the following behaviors:

A.  Menacing, chasing, displaying threatening or aggressive behavior or otherwise threatening or endangering the safety of any person or companion animal as defined under ORS 164.055.

B.  Aggressively biting, causing physical injury to or killing any person or companion animal as defined under ORS 164.055.

C.  Chasing, wounding, injuring, killing livestock or damaging or destroying property of persons other than that of the keeper.

D.  Having been used as a weapon in the commission of a crime.

E.  Leaving the confines of any officially prescribed quarantine area.