In Massachusetts, dog owners are strictly liable for dog bites unless the victim was tormenting the animal or trespassing. But there is no standard practice for holding a dangerous dog while town officials or courts decide its fate.
That became painfully obvious last week after Mansfield selectmen voted to euthanize a dog that had bitten a 6-year-old boy who needed more than 400 stitches to repair his injuries. Under state law, a dog owner has 10 days to request a court review of any restraint or euthanasia order. On Saturday, shortly into the waiting period, the dog bit a 16-year-old girl. The second incident was entirely preventable.
Comments
Impound them. It's the common sense thing to do and it's the safest thing to do.
Had that dog gotten to spend the 10 days with a dog behavioral expert, he might have been saved...to send him home was like giving a drug dealer his gun back while he is out on bail...
Get thes mutts away from me.....Paul Simon (You can call me Al)