Don't Let A Lawsuit Take A Bite Out Of Your Wallet With By Being A Responsible Dog Owner

Posted on: 8 November 2016

Some dog owners go for smaller canine breeds because they are loveable and playful. However, some dog owners go for a dog that is more aggressive and less docile for reasons like wanting protection. If you are looking for a dog who will keep intruders away and potentially keep your family protected, there are breeds that fit the bill. The only problem is that owning a dog that is aggressive by nature means you have to be careful about being responsible for your pet. Otherwise, you could find yourself facing a personal injury claim against you for dog bite injuries. To ensure you never have issues with a legal battle because of your aggressive dog, there are a few points of being a responsible owner you need to remember.

1. Keep warning signs posted on your property. - 'Beware of Dog' signs are inexpensive and easy to install to alert those entering your property that there is an agressive dog on site. When you have these signs posted as a warning, people entering your property will know they are taking a risk by doing so, which means it removes some of the liability from you if they were to be bitten by your dog. Post the signs in clearly visible areas, preferably at entry points to your property, such as at the end of the driveway or at the gate to your lawn.

2. Make sure you have ample homeowner's insurance coverage. - In the event your dog slips out and attacks someone, it is your homeowner's insurance that the claimant will go after first, as most policies do have some form of coverage for dog-bite injuries that happen on your property. Therefore, it is an absolute must, if you have an aggressive dog, to ensure you do have proper coverage in your policy for such an event if it were to occur. 

3. Make sure your dog is rightly secured. - No matter how well behaved you believe your dog to be, if it is aggressive by nature, it can go after someone and attack if it feels threatened. For this reason, it is best to have adequate enclosures on your property to contain the animal at all times. In most cases, a simple leash or underground fence system will not be enough to protect others from your animal. So it is a good idea to consider tall fencing or gates in combination with surveillance so you can keep a close eye on your pet when not at home. 

Contact a firm like Powers Law for more information about what to do if your dog bites somebody.

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