With news arising yesterday in a Glasgow Live article of a dog attack on a young child, our solicitors make yet another call for responsible dog ownership and compulsory dog insurance for all canine-owners.
As he played in a park in East Kilbride, a 12-year-old boy was attacked by a Rottweiler. He was bitten by the dog multiple times and required stitches and a tetanus shot for his injuries.
Dogs, although mostly friendly, approachable animals, can be unpredictable in their behaviour, even if they have never acted in such a way before. Dogs can attack and harm other animals and humans out of fear or a natural need to assert themselves.
As a dog owner, you have a responsibility to make sure that your dog behaves in a safe, controlled manner in public places. Unfortunately, due to their unpredictable nature, accidents involving dog attacks can and do still happen.
In 2018, our Senior Associate Heather Tierney wrote an article for The Times highlighting the importance of making dog insurance compulsory in the Scotland. Four years and, sadly, many dog attacks later, Heather’s commentary is still as topical as ever.
Heather says
“I was very sorry to hear about the injuries sustained by 12-year-old Kai following the recent dog attack in East Kilbride. I wish him a speedy recovery. Whilst the owner of the dog may have been charged with a criminal offence as a result of the incident, this does not necessarily mean that they had adequate insurance in place to assist with Kai’s recovery. This case highlights the ongoing requirement for compulsory pet insurance to compensate victims of dog attacks.”
Thankfully, the boy who was attacked by the Rottweiler in East Kilbride survived the incident, but in many cases involving young children, this isn’t always the case.
Responsible dog ownership should not only include ensuring your pet is suitably trained but also that you obtain adequate pet insurance to cover dog attacks. In the unfortunate situation where a dog attack occurs, insurance is vital to ensuring that victims of dog attacks can get their lives back on track.
At Watermans, our experienced personal injury team are well versed in dog attack compensation claims, and offer straightforward legal advice tailored to your case.
For more information, contact our personal injury solicitors on 0131 555 7055, or by using the contact form on our website.