Do not lose your cool, do not be afraid that your dog will suffer serious consequences because they will consider him “aggressive”, it will be necessary to see the reasons for that behavior and the reasons that have led him to bite a person.
How to act immediately
The first thing is to control the dog, tie it by the leash if it was loose, put the muzzle on it, if we take it, put it in the car etc… Immediately afterwards the injured person is attended to, or transferred to a medical center if the wound does not is serious or by calling 112 for an ambulance to come. Even if the dog has only marked and there is no open wound and the person does not see the need to go to a doctor, it is important to ask for the contact to be able to call and verify that everything is fine in the following days. You should never leave the place without helping the injured person, no matter how slight.
What responsibility do I have?
You are responsible for all damage caused by your dog to both people and things.
In practically all the animal protection laws of the different autonomous communities, it is obligatory to have civil liability insurance in case our dog bites a person or damages things. Many home insurances offer this coverage, you should talk to them to receive all the information. If this is not the case, there are many options with insurers with which you can contract the service. Always bearing in mind that it is a Potentially Dangerous Dog, Royal Decree 287/2002, of March 22, which develops Law 50/1999, of December 23, on the legal regime for the possession of potentially dangerous animals. dangerous , indicates in its Article 3.
License for the possession of potentially dangerous animals.
e) Proof of having formalized civil liability insurance for damages to third parties with coverage of not less than one hundred and twenty thousand euros (120,000 euros).
Depending on the severity of the injury, the person may file a criminal complaint and claim compensation for accidental damage. In any case, these insurances usually cover medical and psychological expenses and the amount of money with which to compensate.
Rabies Observation
In Spain there is no rabies thanks to the prevention of vaccination of our animals. It has been free of the disease since 1978, except for a single case imported from Morocco in 2013. It is important to know that this disease is a zoonosis: a disease that animals transmit to humans, and is potentially fatal. The rabies vaccine is compulsory in our country for all dogs, with the exception of four Autonomous Communities: Asturias, Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia, despite the fact that veterinarians have been demanding the importance of making it compulsory due to a clear risk of public health.
In the event of a dog bite, the medical services are obliged to notify the competent authority of the facts; each Autonomous Community has its own protocols, so that anti-rabies observation of the animal can begin.
When a bite occurs, the dog must be quarantined, in this case for 14 days, even if it has been vaccinated against rabies. If the animal has not shown any symptoms of the disease within that period, it will be discharged. During the observation, a veterinarian from the administration will follow up.
Depending on the seriousness of the injury, the Police or Civil Guard could intervene, who will carry out an investigation to clarify the events that occurred and will ask you for all the documentation of the dog, they will check if it has been vaccinated against rabies.
In some cases, depending on the Autonomous Community, the dog is allowed to spend this quarantine at home, as long as the dog does not show obvious signs of aggressiveness and may be a danger to the family itself. In other cases, the animal will be compulsorily transferred to a municipal center or concerted center for its quarantine.
Can they put my dog down?
No, they can’t put your dog down for biting a person. When a dog attacks it is not always because it is aggressive. However, it is important to know the reasons that have led him to this aggression, especially if it is the first time and he has never shown any signs of aggressiveness. You should consult a good animal behavior professional, who should determine why your dog has engaged in this behavior. There are several factors, fear, jealousy or territoriality, among others. It will give you guidelines to follow so that it does not have that behavior again, and without a doubt, you should take your dog with a muzzle when you are in a busy area as a precautionary measure until the professional recommends it.
