Bitten by a dog: what to do and where to go, complaint against the owner

Basic rules for walking pets

There is no single law regulating dog walking. At the regional level, there are regulations that define the rules for keeping animals.

The Moscow Decree specifies the following conditions for walking with animals:

the pet must be on a leash and wearing a secure collar;
a name tag should be attached to the dog’s neck, on the back of which the owner’s contacts and address are indicated;
It is prohibited to let your pet off the leash both in crowded places and in sparsely populated areas.

Fighting dogs, or animals with increased aggression, must walk with a muzzle selected according to size. It is prohibited to remove it before returning to personal territory.

Dog walking rules

Types of bites and their danger to humans

An animal bite is not always dangerous, especially if we are talking about a pet living in the house. It is known that puppies often use their teeth, thereby not only tasting objects, but also testing the strength of the people and dogs around them, trying to find out how hard he can bite. Therefore, it is important for the owner not to allow the baby to grab his hands with his teeth, showing his dissatisfaction and offering him a toy.

A dog bite can have serious consequences

However, a dog can bite not only during games. With improper upbringing, she develops aggression, which manifests itself in unfriendly behavior around people and other animals, and attempts to attack them. A dog that was not vaccinated on time and became infected with rabies is especially dangerous.

Such serious bites are divided into two categories:

Surface. The animal grabbed some part of the body with its teeth, piercing it. As a result, a characteristic puncture wound is formed.
Ragged. The dog not only bit through the skin, but also tore it. In this case, there is a serious injury, the person may lose a lot of blood.

In any case, it is necessary to go to the emergency room to prevent complications and eliminate serious consequences.

Why an animal bite is dangerous to humans: consequences

If a dog bites an adult or child, the worst possible consequence is the development of hydrophobia or rabies. The disease affects the nervous system, which leads to the death of a person. No cases of recovery were identified after the diagnosis was established.

Clinical signs:

inexplicable fear of light, closed spaces and water;
salivation;
convulsions;
the wound is inflamed, the patient notes itching and burning;
lack of appetite;
temperature +37–+38°C, persisting for a long time;
hallucinations.

Important! The closer the bite site is to the brain, the faster the disease progresses.

What to do if bitten by a dog

In the later stages of rabies, a person develops paralysis of the respiratory tract, which becomes the cause of death. Without timely administration of the vaccine, the outcome is predetermined: the person dies.

If a dog bites you, other consequences are possible:

blood loss;
a bite wound complicated by suppuration, damage to the skin or internal organs;
fractures;
gas gangrene.

All complications develop if a person does not seek help from a medical institution or receives treatment too late. Without a preliminary examination and treatment of the wound, it is impossible to accurately assess the patient’s condition and prevent consequences.

Going to the emergency room

Stray dogs: where to go, who catches them

If a pet bite appears to be innocent or a person has been attacked by a street dog, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible. It is advisable to do this within eight hours after the wound appears. The sooner the victim is in the trauma center, the greater the chance of rapid healing without complications.

Some people do not know which doctor to contact if they are bitten by a dog, or which specialist deals with this issue. In the event of a dog attack, the victim will be examined by a traumatologist who will be able to provide first aid. First of all, the doctor will disinfect and surgically debride the wound to stop bleeding and prevent infection and its attendant complications. After this, the doctor can begin to examine the damage in more detail. If it does not pose a danger, the patient will be sent home. If rabies is suspected, a vaccination will be given. In any case, the person remains under the supervision of a local doctor for some time and will have to visit him regularly to monitor his condition and prevent the development of complications.

Dogs mainly bite the arms (forearms, palms) and legs (ankles, thighs). However, sometimes the animal attacks the most sensitive areas of the human body:

neck;
genitals;
face.

In such cases, the victim is taken to the hospital and observed for a certain time. Here he is provided with professional medical care, the necessary procedures are carried out, and in severe cases, surgical intervention is possible.

In addition to the person, the dog that bit him, if known, is also hospitalized. The animal is left under observation for ten days. If after this time it does not show any signs of rabies and does not die, it is released, and the patient’s vaccination course is canceled.

Doctors often vaccinate against rabies as a preventive measure, especially if the patient was attacked by a stray dog.

Important! If the dog did not live on the street, but at home and was vaccinated, then doctors limit themselves to a one-time tetanus vaccination.

Dog Owner's Responsibility

If a pet attacks another animal or person while walking, then she is thereby showing unmotivated aggression. The injured party has the right to hold the owner accountable.

Important! In each region, it is possible that there may be regulations regulating the punishment for the owner as a result of the incident.

In the Moscow region, a pet owner can be held administratively liable for the following acts:

being with a dog without a muzzle in public places where there are large crowds of people (beaches, playgrounds, shopping centers or markets);
walking a pet on territory owned by a healthcare institution or related to children's organizations;
being with a dog in a green area without a leash.

Rules for keeping dogs in the capital

These violations entail administrative liability: the citizen will be required to pay penalties in the amount of 1,000–2,000 rubles.

Read also: Federal Law on the Protection of Lake Baikal

If a dog shows aggression towards another citizen or his dog, the owner of the animal will be held liable for the following types of liability:

when a dog attacks another animal causing injuries, including injuries incompatible with life, the owner pays a fine of 4,000–5,000 rubles;
if aggression is shown against a wild animal, which ultimately suffers or dies, the owner pays 4,000–5,000 rubles to the treasury;
if, as a result of an animal attack on a person, injuries of mild severity were recorded, then the fine will range from 4000-5000 rubles;
when setting a dog on other people or animals, the sanctions are 2000–5000 rubles;
if the pet is not registered as a property owner and is vaccinated against rabies, then the amount of the fine varies from 2000 to 3000 rubles.

The above measures are specified in Articles 5.1 and 5.6 of the Moscow Code of Administrative Violations.

Criminal liability for the owner arises if a domestic dog bites a child. Punishment measures are provided for in Article 118, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

a fine of up to 80,000 rubles, or equal to the average earnings for the last six months;
compulsory work lasting up to 480 hours,
arrest for 3–6 months;
correctional labor for up to 24 months;
restriction of freedom up to 36 months.

Punishments are determined in court, depend on the degree of guilt of the defendant, and can be appealed by filing an appeal.

Article 5.1 of the Moscow Code of Administrative Offenses “Violation of the rules for keeping pets”

Article 5.6 of the Moscow Code of Administrative Offenses “Evasion of registration and vaccination of dogs and cats”

Article 118 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Causing grievous harm to health through negligence”

Arbitrage practice

Judicial practice shows that the court is often on the side of the injured party.
In this case, the amount for damage caused may be lower than what the applicant requests. Thus, the Perm Regional Court made a decision in case No. 33-12655-2017 dated November 20, 2017, awarding compensation for moral damage in the amount of 20,000 rubles. to the owner of the animal because his dog bit a woman and her pet, causing minor harm to health.

The Nizhny Novgorod Regional Court, under No. 33-14054/2017, issued an appeal ruling on 011/21/2017 in favor of the plaintiff. A Rottweiler dog severely bit a child, as a result of which he required long-term treatment and suffered psychological harm. The court ordered the defendant to pay moral compensation in the amount of 150,000 rubles. and pay court costs.

How to punish the owner of a bitten dog

The injured party retains the right to receive compensation or hold the dog owner accountable.
The size is determined by mutual agreement or in court. The victim has the right to demand the following compensation measures from the defendant:

compensation for moral injuries received (Article 151 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation);
compensation for lost payment at work for the period when the victim was forced to undergo treatment;
compensation for damage caused to both the health of an individual and his property (clause 1 of Article 1064 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation).

The injured citizen has the right to demand compensation for money spent on treatment, medical care, and the purchase of special means of transportation. The defendant will have to reimburse the costs of the services of a nurse and sanatorium treatment.

Torn clothes are also subject to compensation, but to receive compensation you must provide a payment document: a check.

Article 151 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation “Compensation for moral damage”

Article 1064 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation “General grounds for liability for causing harm”

Amount of moral damage

What can be demanded from the owner if his dog has bitten him:

compensation for lost wages for the time when the injured person did not go to work due to injuries;
compensation for moral damage;
compensation for damage caused not only to health, but also to property.

There is also compensation for money spent on the purchase of medications, rehabilitation after injury, prosthetics, etc. You can demand funds only if there is documentary evidence of the harm caused. It is imperative to prove that the victim really needs paid services to treat the injury.

When determining the amount, the severity of the injuries and their consequences, moral damages, as well as the dog’s intentions to cause harm should be taken into account. But it is worth taking into account the financial situation of the owner of the guilty dog.

Amount of compensation for a child's dog bite

Wounds inflicted by a dog become inflamed and take a long time to heal, which causes physical pain to the baby and provokes psychological trauma.
The amount of compensation depends on the severity of the injuries. When resolving the current situation voluntarily, the amount of payments varies from 50,000 to 100,000 rubles. If there is an unwillingness to compromise, the dog owner is called to account through the courts, which will determine the amount of compensation.

According to statistics, when providing evidence of physical and psychological damage, the amount of payments is over 100,000 rubles. The defendant will also be required to pay a fine under the Code of Administrative Offences.