Massachusetts man suffers dog bite attack to face and thigh

Earlier this month, a Massachusetts man in his 30’s was attacked by two dogs outside this home in Dalton. The dog bite attack resulted in injuries to the man’s face and left thigh. The incident occurred at about 4 in the afternoon. The dogs were said to have exited an apartment nearby and attacked the man.

Police at the scene ultimately killed one of the dogs and captured the other. Both were thought to be a pit bull mix, though that fact was not confirmed. The dog that was shot by police was said to have been a male dog and was put down after he continued to be aggressive. It was considered too dangerous to further attempt to obtain the animal.

The other dog was a female who was captured and turned over to an animal shelter. The dogs’ owner was not home at the time of the incident. Police were said to be continuing their investigation, and no decision had been made about filing criminal charges.

Massachusetts is deemed a strict liability state when it comes to dog bite attacks (General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 140, Section 155). Those who have been victimized have legal remedies to pursue monetary damages occasioned by such an attack. Nevertheless, there are a number of elements to the law to be considered, and those seeking relief may benefit from investigating the full extent of the statute and potential remedies available. Those who are injured may take comfort in knowing there is help available to rectify the financial circumstances through legal action in our state civil court system, regardless of any action taken by authorities against the dog owner.

Source: Boston Globe, “Dalton police kill dog after attack on man,” Oct. 12, 2012