Dog walker charged for child endangerment when dog bites child.
In Arizona, a dog bite can have major legal ramifications. When a dog bites a human, Arizona law immediately rules the owner or handler of the dog – both in civil law and criminal law - is legally responsible for injury, damage, and/or loss regardless of whether the person was negligent or reckless. But sometimes it can be hard to assess exactly who is liable.
A dog walker has pleaded not guilty to child endangerment charges after the dog she was watching allegedly bit a 4-year-old girl.
Detectives learned that the dog walker was given instructions by the owner to keep the dog muzzled and on a leash while it was outside the home.
Dog walker was aware dog was aggressive toward children
The dog-walker was also told she was not to have anyone other than employees or residents in the home where the dog was because the animal was afraid of and had aggressive behavior toward children.
The injured girl was not a resident of the house and, according to police the dog was not on a leash and was not wearing a muzzle at the time of the attack.
The 4-year-old girl was treated with stitches.
The dog was impounded for a 10-day quarantine and then released to the owner, with muzzle and leash restrictions. However, the owners had already been using these restrictions.
The case is still under investigation, but it will be up to the court to decide exactly who is liable – either the dog-walker or the owner’s of the dog, who had already been following muzzle and leash restrictions.
Personal Injury Attorneys PLLC
