A five-year-old boy suffered serious injuries when he was attacked by his babysitter's dog. According to the Boston Herald, the little boy was attacked in the home of Karen Bruno O'Leary, who owned the bulldog. There's little information about the attack, but it seems that O'Leary was able to pull the dog off the little boy,. In the process, she suffered serious injuries of her own. The dog turned on her, attacking her.  Her injuries were serious enough for her to be airlifted to the hospital. The child meanwhile suffered serious facial injuries. The animal was finally shot dead.

Animal behavior experts are trying to understand why the dog turned on its owner. It's not entirely unheard of, but they believe there could have been a number of triggers that contributed to the attack. Typically, a dog that responds like this could be reacting out of fear or anxiety. The animal could simply have been exerting its dominance, or its territorial instincts could have surfaced. If the little boy was walking with food in his hand, that could have been enough to trigger the attack. Food can be a powerful motivator in a dog bite.

This attack confirms one thing to Freehold dog bite lawyers. There is no way to predict animal behavior with 100% accuracy. No matter how long you've had your pet, and no matter how gentle and child-like it's nature, there's no way you can completely guarantee that your dog will never be involved in an attack. It’s failure to accept this reality, that I often see behind a number of dog bites in New Jersey.

There are more than 635,000 census workers who have been hard at work since the first of May. These people have been going door-to-door, giving homeowners census forms. It's a thankless, backbreaking job, borne by the fact that, according to the Census Bureau, there've been more than 400 adverse incidents involving census workers in less than two months.

As far as dog bites are concerned, there were at least 24 reported incidents involving dog attacks on census workers.

It's not as if census workers are going out there completely entrained for what they can expect when they enter someone's property. However, it's important that dog owners make sure that census workers are protected when they entered their property.

·         If you have a dog on the premises, make sure that visitors to the property are warned about the animal. Place large warning signs on the gate.

·         Keep your dog secured or restrained during the time you would expect census workers to visit.

·         When the census worker is in your home, make sure that the dog is restrained in another room, or property secured in the yard.

These people do an invaluable service to our country, and the least we can do is make sure they are protected during the few minutes they are on our property.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey dog bite lawyer representing injured victims of dog bites in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean Counties and across New Jersey.

According to the Leaf Chronicle, these residents want information about the location of dangerous dogs in the area available online, just as they can now access the names of pedophiles who move into the neighborhood. In 2005, Montgomery County approved new regulations that provide for a dangerous dog designation for animals that bite a human being or animal or injure livestock, or attack anyone viciously. 

For one thing, the County Atty.'s office does not have access to directly post information online. Instead, the County Atty.'s office is required to send the information to the Information-Technology Department, where staff would post the list online. There are other logistical issues involved with maintaining a list of dangerous dogs online. For instance, the list must be kept current, because dogs and their owners are kept on the list for a total of 18 months after which, if they have shown good behavior, they are removed from the list. It will take considerable resources to keep the list updated and current, especially since the County Atty.'s office is so understaffed.

Residents who are calling for the list, say that it would make it easier for house hunters to avoid areas where there is a dangerous dog in the neighborhood, and would also help utility workers and police officers responding to a scene, to be aware of a dangerous dog in the area..

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey dog bite lawyer, representing injured victims of dog bites in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean Counties and across New Jersey.

Earlier this month, a group of children at a complex in Atlantic City were chased by two pit bulls. The dogs were being extremely aggressive, frightening the children who cowered on a bench. Police officers responded to the scene, and tried to chase the two dogs away. They were not successful. While one dog ran off, the other remained at the scene. Animal control officers then came up to the site. One of the dogs charged at an officer, but he managed to avoid injuries. The situation was brought under control when the police officers fired at the dog, and killed it.

The children were extremely fortunate that they were not injured in this attack. Any New Jersey dog bite lawyer will tell you that pit bulls and certain other breeds of dogs can attack with a great amount of ferocity. This isn't to say that pit bulls are the only breeds of dogs that are involved in attacks, but a dog bite incident involving pit bulls or pit bull mixes tends to be extremely serious. These dogs can be very strong and their natural instinct is to be very aggressive when they are uncomfortable, stressed or threatened.

Pit bulls need a lot of exercise, and it takes loving dog owners to take on the responsibility that comes with caring for these breeds. Unfortunately, very often pit bulls and other pit bull mixes are seen as macho status symbols, and are taken in by people who have no idea what it takes to rear these animals. Many dogs are simply discarded, and find their way into local animal shelters, to be ultimately euthanized.

The ordinance comes in response to a spate of dog bite attacks. Over the past five years, San Bernardino County has had four fatal dog attacks. The most recent attack occurred in May when a two-year-old boy was mauled to death by the family’s pit bull dogs. In January this year, a three-year-old child met a similar fate, mauled to death by the family's pit bull.  

The ordinance that was passed this week requires that owners of pit bull and pit bull mix breeds have their animals spayed or neutered. Dogs that are more than four months old must be spayed or neutered. Owners that fail to do so are likely to be slapped with a $100 fine for a first offense. Subsequent offenses will be met with more severe fines. In July, the ordinance will head into a final vote.

Obviously, pit bull owners are not too happy about the new ordinance. They believe they are being unfairly punished for the irresponsible actions of other pit bull owners. They also believe that the new ordinance will do nothing to coax irresponsible dog owners into getting their dogs spayed or neutered.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey dog bite lawyer, representing injured victims of dog bites in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean Counties, and across New Jersey.

Utility workers are frequently at risk of a dog bite when they enter a property where the dogs have not been properly secured or restrained. It is very important that property owners realize that there are thousands of dog bite incidents involving utility workers every year. Hundreds of these occur in New Jersey.

There is much that you can do to prevent dog bites on your property.

If the meter reader is supposed to come over, leave a note on the meter informing him that there's a dog on the premises, and that it has been safely secured. This will give him advance notice of the dog.

If you have welcomed a new dog into your family, make sure that the utility company is informed before the worker comes around to visit your property. Very often, utility workers are bitten because they are unaware there is a dog on the property.

Have a large warning sign outside the gate, cautioning visitors about your dog.

Almost all dog bites are entirely preventable. It's even easier to prevent attacks on utility workers who frequently visit your premises.

It's not easy to understand why some dogs chase bicyclists, while others ignore you. A dog may decide to follow you for a number of reasons. A dog chasing a bicyclist could be doing so out of a sense of playfulness. In some cases, it could be a case of aggression.

Unfortunately, it's not easy for a bicyclist to tell whether the dog intends to play, or whether he wants to bite or attack. There are some ways you can deal with this pesky problem.

·         Stop the bicycle, and walk on foot. In many cases,dogs chasebecause of the novelty of the sight, and if you walk, it may bore the dog, and cause it to walk off.

·         Take your water bottle, and squirt some water on the dog's face and eyes. Even better, add some vinegar to the water in your bottle. The vinegar will cause just as much irritation as needed to get the dog off your track.

·         Arm yourself with pepper spray. However, you need to be able to ride the cycle, and aim right at the dog’s eyes. This can be hard to do unless you're an experienced bicyclist.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey dog bite lawyer, representing injured victims of dog bites in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean Counties, and across the state of New Jersey.

Hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius, are just as noisier when they are in engine mode, but when they shift to electric mode, the noise becomes virtually nil. This has been one of the biggest selling points of these cars, and has contributed greatly to their popularity. However, it has also increased the risk to pedestrians.

The noise-free operations of electric cars is a threat not just to blind pedestrians, but also sighted pedestrians, who may not be able to hear your car. Last year, a report by the NHTSA confirmed that the number of accidents involving pedestrians and electric cars tend to be higher in beach towns and suburban areas. In these areas, there's a lot of pedestrian traffic, and local populations are more likely to drive hybrid electric cars, like the Toyota Prius.

This seems to be one instance where an auto enhancement feature could actually increase accidents. It's good to see that automakers have realized the importance of this issue, and have proposed technological measures to deal with this.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey car accident lawyer representing injured victims of auto/car/pedestrian accidents in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic, and Ocean Counties and across New Jersey.

Dogs have a special place in our hearts as man's best friend. Unfortunately, they're also involved in a large number of attacks and injuries every year. Out of the 4.5 million dog bites that occur on an average every year in the country, an overwhelming majority involve little children. In fact, children make up about 60% of the total number of dog bite victims in the country.

As New Jersey dog bite lawyer, I would like to recommend the following steps for dog owners to prevent animals from being involved in attacks.

• Get your dog spayed or neutered. These dogs are less likely to attack.
• Invest time and resources in training your dog. This isn't an easy process, and it takes great patience to train our dog even to obey simple commands. However, it's worth the effort. A well-trained dog is much less likely to be involved in attacks.
• Socialize your dog. This involves exposing your dog to a variety of people and environments. A dog that's confined within the yard or in your home is more likely to view other human beings as threats. This will make the dog anxious and stressed, and may provoke an attack.
• Invest in getting proper treatment for your dog when he begins to exhibit abnormal behaviors. Don't assume that your dog will simply get over these behaviors. If he suddenly seems anxious, stressed or aggressive, consult an animal behaviorist .

This month, one more dog bite involving a defenseless little baby made headlines around the country. This incident occurred in Riverside County in California. A six-month-old baby boy had been left in a carrier and in a room with two pit bulls. The mother was in another room of the apartment with a friend who also happened to be the owner of the dogs. When the two reached the room where they had left the baby, they found that the diaper had been ripped off, and the baby’s testicles had been mauled. The baby was rushed to the hospital. Fortunately, the baby seems to be recovering from the injuries.

The breed of the dog is immaterial in either of these cases. There is simply no reason why you should leave an infant child, or even a toddler, alone with a dog. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that parents and caregivers not leave babies alone with dogs even for a few minutes.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey dog bite lawyer, representing injured victims of dog bites in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean counties and across New Jersey.

Nationwide, approximately 44% of all serious dog bites involve pit bulls. In yet another attack involving these dogs, a 12-year-old girl in Washington DC is recovering from serious facial injuries sustained in a pit bull attack. According to news reports, the girl was attacked as she walked on the street. She suffered severe lacerations to her face.

The attack has once again stirred debate on whether pit bulls are more aggressive than other breeds. In the Washington area alone, the attack on the girl was the second in a single week involving pit bulls. Over the past year however, there has been at least one fatality in the same area where a man was mauled to death by his pit bulls. Another dog bite involving a pit bull left another victim in need of more than 100 stitches.

Any debate about the dangers from aggressive breeds like pit bulls always generates plenty of heat. Pit bull lovers and owners are adamant that these dogs are the friendliest, most gentle animals, and that most pit bull attacks can be traced to poor ownership. As a New Jersey dog bite attorney, I have to agree with that to some extent. With the right kind of attention and adequate care, pit bulls can make loving family pets. In fact, very often attacks involving pit bulls feature owners who seem simply unprepared for the responsibilities of owning and raising such breeds. Unfortunately, the result is a maladjusted and aggressive dog that can attack without provocation or reason.

Having said that, I wouldn't recommend having a pit bull as a family pet if you have little children in the house. Whether you like it or not, these breeds are linked to a large number of dog bites every year in the US, followed closely by rottweilers.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey dog bite lawyer, representing injured victims of dog bite attacks in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean Counties and across the state of New Jersey.

For the record, the dog involved here was a Shar Pei. The Shar-Pei is a distinctive looking animal with trademark wrinkles and a rough coat. The wrinkles smoothen out a little as the dog grows. These breeds are originally from China. Shar Peis are considered loving family dogs, with a distaste for strangers.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey dog bite lawyer, representing injured victims of dog bites in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean Counties, and across the state of New Jersey.

As a dog bite lawyer in New Jersey, I frequently come across cases where a family pet attacks a member of the family, or a relative. Something similar happened in Ohio this week. Sheriff's deputies in Summit County were called to a house after reports of a dog attack.

Thomas Heilman was helping his father get into his wheelchair when Heilman’s son’s pit bull attacked him. Heilman got his father safely into the house, and then, got inside the car to protect himself from the dog. When deputies arrived at the house, they found Heilman in the car with the dog outside. The pit bull then attacked one of the two deputies. The second deputy tried to use a stun gun on the dog, and when that didn't work, was forced to deliver a fatal gunshot to the animal.

Animal behavior is not an exact science. There is only so much you can predict about why a dog will attack. Dog ownership is the primary factor in many of these attacks.  Typically, a dog that’s well fed, well groomed, and most importantly, well exercised is likely to be an obedient and satisfied dog. That doesn't always happen, however. I've seen more than my share of cases where well-looked after dogs raised by devoted owners, have attacked.

The right training and discipline is very important in preventing such cases. This is especially more so when children are involved. Dogs look at the world in terms of a hierarchy, and at no point must the animal believe that it ranks above your immediate family members in this hierarchy.

Scott Grossman is a dog bite lawyer in New Jersey, representing injured victims of dog bites in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean counties, and throughout the state of New Jersey.

The bill, which has been sponsored by Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, would allow local governments in Florida to regulate certain dog breeds. Florida has a ban on breed specific legislation. Dog owners and citizens are up in arms about why it is necessary to repeal the ban now, 10 years after it was passed. The bill would not ban any dog breed outright, but it would allow for certain regulations for owners of certain dog breeds. For instance, there may be additional insurance requirements for owners of certain breeds, or a provision requiring muzzling for other breeds.

According to Sen. Hill, the inspiration for the bill came from the several dog bite attacks that have taken place in Florida over the past 12 months. Over the past 10 years, there have been 10 fatal dog bites in the state of Florida. Several attacks have left small pets and other animals as well as children, seriously injured. For Sen. Hill, it is a public health issue.

Breed specific legislation has always been controversial. As a New Jersey dog bite lawyer, I believe we should be focusing more on responsible dog ownership practices than banning certain breeds.

The attack in question occurred in August last year. Spork had been taken by his owners Tim and Kelly Walker, to the veterinarian's office. As a vet technician attempted to take Spork from his owner, the dog apparently lunged at her face, biting off chunks from her upper and lower lips. The technician Allyson Stone, has undergone plastic surgery since then, and will require further surgery to restore her appearance.

For 8 months, there has been plenty of drama surrounding the dachshund. His owners insist that the technician was at fault because she made errors while handling the dog. Stone happens to be an experienced technician who has been handling animals for the past 15 years. In all these years, she says, she has only had one other animal attacking her. She insists that her main aim in all this was to ensure that Spork is unable to bite or attack anyone else again.

The biggest issue in all this was that the dog bite laws of the state of Colorado exempt a dog owner from liability in case the victim was a vet, a dog groomer, or other person who works in close proximity to dogs. However, Lafayette decided to assert hometown exception, which means it doesn't have to follow state laws.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey dog bite lawyer representing injured victims of dog bites in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic, ocean Counties and across the state of New Jersey.

St. Mary's Parish in Louisiana passed the ordinance during the parish council’s meeting this week. According to the ordinance, it is illegal to own, keep or sell pit bulls within unincorporated areas of St. Mary's Parish. The bill, which will go into effect on 1 July 2010, also places restrictions on current owners of pit bulls.

Pit bull  owners in St. Mary's Parish must meet the following conditions.

• ·         The dog must have a license tag on the collar, and must be micro-chipped for identification.
• ·         Pit bulls must be placed in a secure 4' x 7' pen, with a 2 ½ inch thick concrete floor
• ·         The pen must be surrounded by 6-feet fencing.
• ·         Violations will be fined not less than $500 for a first offense, and between $300 and $500 for second offense.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey dog bite lawyer representing injured victims of dog bites in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic, ocean Counties and across the state of New Jersey.

The owner of two pit bulls in Indianapolis that attacked and seriously injured a man, has been charged with dog bite resulting in bodily injury and keeping a non-immunized dog. The attack occurred on the 4^th of March when the victim, James Bates was taking out the trash. The two pit bulls attacked Bates, biting him and dragging him 40 feet away. Bates’ mother called 911, and it wasn't until police officers arrived at the scene and shot one of the dogs, that the attack finally ended.  The attack was vicious by any comparison. Bates had his ears ripped off from his face. The two dogs had apparently jumped their owner’s fence and into Bates’ yard.

The dog that was shot by the officer had been adopted only in January this year. Middleton had got the dog from the Humane Society of Indianapolis. The dog seems to have begun to display aggressive behavior soon after the adoption. Middleton’s neighbors were soon calling police to report the aggressive pit bulls.

There is disagreement about whether the dog had aggressive tendencies even before it was adopted. The Humane Society of Indianapolis denies that the dog had any aggressive tendencies. According to the agency, the dog had just been neutered, and had passed a behavioral test before it was determined to be adoptable. However, workers claim that the dog bared teeth and displayed aggressiveness often.

Meanwhile, local legislators say that they will look into the Humane Society's adoption policies.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey dog bite lawyer, representing injured victims of dog bites in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic, and Ocean Counties and across the state of New Jersey.

The lawsuit has been filed by Mary Bahl, a personal assistant who claims that Floyd attacker her outside the couple's New York home. When Floyd was owned by Lopez and Anthony, there had been several instances of unprovoked aggression reported by the couple’s hired help. A housekeeper and a personal assistant reported that the German Shepherd attacked them.  Bahl’s dog bite lawyer says that Robinson and  Snyder should have been aware of the multiple attacks involving Floyd when they brought him into their home.  

A series of attacks by a single dog are hardly the stuff of coincidence. It would be very interesting to see how lawyers for Nicole Robinson and Craig Snyder decide to defend Floyd. Robinson has allegedly said that she's ready to go to court to “defend Floyd's honor.”

As a New Jersey dog bite lawyer, I often see that owners of dogs involved in attacks tend to have a misplaced sense of loyalty to the dog. It's understandable to be in a state of denial when the dog that you love so much, has been involved in unprovoked aggression towards another person. It is also important to understand that you could be placing other people at risk of injuries, if you continue exposing them to your dog.

The dog in question, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, belonged to Robert Taffet, an orthopedic surgeon in Haddonfield. The dog bit a man, Michael Harkins, who was then required to take a total of 30 stitches on his arm. The injury left permanent scarring. In another incident involving the same dog, a 14-year-old girl was bitten by the dog as she was petting it. The victim was visiting Taffet’s home at the time. Taffet encouraged the girl not to report the matter because the dog already had a record of attacks. There had also been other complaints from people in the neighborhood about the dog’s aggressiveness.

According to Judge McNeil, he owned a Golden Retriever, and knew them to be “passive” animals. He discounted the credibility of both the victims in this dog bite case. Harkins and the 14-year-old victim Jacqueline Castorino, according to the judge, likely provoked the dogs into an attack.

An appeals court has now reversed Judge McNeil's ruling.

Scott Grossman is an experienced New Jersey dog bite lawyer, representing injured victims of dog bites in and around New Jersey.

Earlier this week, eight-year-old Erin Ingraham was playing in the yard at her Atlanta home when she was attacked by two Staffordshire Terrier dogs. Animal control officers were able to get the dogs off the little girl. One of the dogs was shot and killed in the scuffle, while another has been caught, and is likely to be euthanized. 

Meanwhile, the viciousness of the attacks have spurred calls for stronger dog bite legislation in Georgia. Georgia‘s dog bite laws don't allow for strict liability in a dog bite case. That means that when a bite incident occurs in Georgia, the dog must have been involved in a previous attack for the owner to be held liable. In comparison under New Jersey's strict liability laws, an owner can be held liable for the injuries caused by his dog even if it was the very first dog bite incident involving the animal.

In Georgia, the attack on Erin has led to at least one legislator calling for a ban on violent animals, or at least some kind of restrictions on violent breeds.

Scott Grossman is a New Jersey dog bite lawyer, representing injured victims of dog bites in Monmouth, Bergen, Passaic and Ocean Counties, and across the state of New Jersey.