New Jersey Accident and Injury Law Blog : New Jersey Injury Lawyer & Attorney : The Grossman Law Firm : Serving Monmouth County, Bergen County

Community members in Montgomery County in Tennessee are trying to get a dangerous dog list posted on the Internet to warn anyone who could be at risk of an attack.

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. 

Residents who have been at the receiving end of dog bites, or have had their pets attacked by vicious dogs, have appealed to the County commission to make the list of dangerous dogs available on the Internet. According to the County Attorney, information about dangerous dogs is available to the public. However, the matter of posting information online may be a bit more complicated.

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.

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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.

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For five children in Winslow, it was a less than Merry Christmas this year, as they recovered from serious injuries in a dog bite attack in their own home.

The attack occurred when the five children, including four siblings and another relative were playing outside the Quann home in Winslow. According to elder sibling Brandon Quann, who is14-years-old, the two bulldogs that had apparently escaped from the neighbor’s backyard, ran up to the children. The dogs were very aggressive, and the children ran inside the home. The dogs ran inside behind them. The animals began to attack the kids, and Brandon hit the dog with a shovel to get them off his siblings. He then tried to lead the dogs out of the house by running out himself. Although he was successful in getting the dogs out of the house, the animals then began to attack him.

The owner of the dogs finally arrived at the scene, and was able to control them. They have been euthanized.  It turns out that it was the second attack involving the same dogs in less than a month.  They had been involved in another attack on the 27th of November when they managed to break out of their yard, and attack a local man, who was trying to protect his grandchildren from them.

The victims here were between 9 and 12 years old. They suffered bites and scratches, and were treated in hospital. Brandon Quann suffered multiple wounds to his hands and legs, and required hospital treatment. The dog owner has been cited for failure to restrain the dogs.

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.

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