A six-year-old girl sustained bite marks to her face, arm, leg and shoulder after she was attacked by the neighbor's dog. The Lake Forest dog attack took place on the morning of May 19 as the girl and her 3-year-old sister were headed to a neighbor's house.
The girl's mother, Jennifer Cooper, was on her porch with her 14-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter when she heard her other two daughters screaming. A neighbor tried spraying the dog with Windex and the 14-year-old kept punching the dog until it let go of the girl.
Cooper then took her children and ran toward the house. The dog chased after them and tried to bite the 1-year-old's pant leg. Cooper tried to scare the dog off by stomping and yelling but the animal wouldn't go away. She went back to the house, got a 9-millimeter Glock semiautomatic pistol , and shot the dog in the neck.
Ironically, the Orange County, California dog attack happened during national Dog Bite Prevention Week, which is geared toward reminding pet owners to take greater responsibility for their dogs so that they don't attack others. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Humane Society of the United States, and the American Veterinary Medical Association, small children and the elderly are the groups at most risk of being bitten by dogs. With kids' shorter size, they have a high chance of sustaining disfiguring facial injuries during a dog attack, while elderly people, who tend to have weaker immune systems, may be at risk of infection, permanent disability, and serious health issues.
Depending on the circumstances surrounding the incident, a dog bite victim may be able to hold the owner liable for Orange County, California personal injury. The American Kennel Club offers a number of ways that dog owners can prevent dog bites from happening:
• When outside, make sure your dog is leashed or in a secured enclosure
• Take your dog to behavioral school
• Make sure to socialize your dog
• Teach your dog to obey commands
• Don't teach your dog to become an aggressive pet
• Don't leave children that your dog doesn't know alone with the pet
• Vaccinate your dog for rabies (just in case)
Mom Shoots Neighbor's Dog After it Attacks Daughter, KTLA, May 19, 2010
Orange County woman shoots, wounds dog after it attacks her 6-year-old daughter, Los Angeles Times, May 30, 2010
Tips to Prevent Dog Bites, American Kennel Club
Related Web Resources:
Dog Bite Awareness, USPS
Dog Bite Prevention, CDC
Our Anaheim dog bite lawyers represent victims and their families throughout San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, and Orange County, California.
