Why laws forcing insurers to cover pit bulls, Rottweilers, et al are literally no skin off the insurance industry’s buttocks ALBANY, New York; PHOENIX, Arizona; RENO, Nevada––New York and Nevada state laws have since the beginning of 2022 required every homeowner and renter to subsidize the few who keep pit bulls by prohibiting insurance […]
Courts reject suing landlords for attacks by dogs kept by indigent tenants
“Don’t ask, don’t tell” exempts landlords from risk MONTPELIER, Vermont––A newly published Vermont Supreme Court decision, rendered on September 3, 2021, affirms previous jurisprudence weakening the ability of dog attack victims and survivors to sue landlords in cases involving tenants’ dogs. The verdict in Katherine Higgins v. Shawn Bailey & Suzan Bailey appears to give […]
$20.8 million jury award for California dog attack
Retired police dog chased mail carrier before killing man, mauling woman EXETER, California––A San Luis Obispo County jury on July 28, 2021 awarded $7 million to Rachel, Sarah, and Steven Fear, the adult survivors of December 2016 dog attack victim David Fear, plus $13.8 million to David Fear’s former neighbor, Betty Long, who was […]
Indiana ruling may help L.A. woman now in critical from adopted pit bull
Indiana Court of Appeals reinforces shelter duty to inform adopters of dogs’ past attacks LOS ANGELES, INDIANAPOLIS––Reports from Los Angeles indicate that a recent Indiana appellate decision could have a multi-million dollar impact on a yet-to-be filed case in which a 70-year-old woman is reportedly in critical condition from an attack by a pit […]
Kamala Harris: long record on animal issues, including pit bull attacks
Prosecuted two dog attack fatalities, enforced pit bull sterilization ordinance, but favors adoptions of fighting dogs SAN FRANCISCO––U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, named vice presidential running mate to Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden on August 11, 2020, brings to the election campaign both a strong record on animal protection and a mixed record in […]
Why did pit bull & Malinois victims Liquori & Hazel die alone?
Thought they knew the risks… FORT PIERCE, Florida; DIGHTON, Massachusetts—Killed in unwitnessed dog attacks on May 9, 2019 and May 10, 2019, respectively, Christine Liquori, 52, of Port St. Lucie, Florida and Ryan Hazel, 14, of Rehobeth, Massachusetts, had almost nothing in common––except that they were alone in kennel facilities with one or more […]
January 2019 saw the most dog-related deaths in 13 months
Three killed by pit bulls, three in human conflict involving dogs, one possibly by German shepherd, one killed by dogs unidentified by breed HOUSTON, Texas––A January 28, 2019 shoot-out in Houston, Texas that left five police officers injured and two drug suspects dead raised the apparent dog-related death toll for the month, worldwide, to eight, […]
Family of pit bull victim sues the Clinton Humane Society
Humane Society allegedly rehomed pit bull as a “child-friendly” boxer mix CLINTON, Iowa––Legally responding with unusual speed to the March 15, 2017 pit bull mauling of their 15-month-old son Lucas Harrison, parents Tyler and Holly Harrison on March 28, 2017 sued both the owners of the pit bull, Kris and Ashley Greene, and the […]
The Upside-Down Mind of a Rescue Group
by personal injury attorney and Dog Bite Law blogger Kenneth Phillips: “We are an animal rescue group that does standard fostering and adopting,” a rescue group recently e-mailed to me. “One of our volunteers named John was fostering a boxer at his house,” the rescue group representative explained. “He has a roommate who brought a female […]
Court rejects animal control chief Mark Kumpf’s defenses
Sued for alleged negligence causing death of dog attack victim Klonda Richey This is part II of a two-part series. See also Animal control director can be sued for dog attack death, court rules. Most of the July 29, 2016 Ohio Second Appellate District Court of Appeals finding that Montgomery County Animal Resources Center director Mark Kumpf may […]