Dog attacks or dog bites and the resulting injuries are far too common. Dog attack injuries can be very serious. Dog owners are held responsible by law for dog bites in Ontario as a result of the Dog Owner’s Liability Act.

A Canadian Veterinary Journal study highlights the following statistics in dog attacks in Canada. In the period of study from 1990 to 2007, there were 28 fatalities from dog bite injuries in Canada. 24 of the 28 victims were children under the age of 12 years. Twenty of these attacks resulted in fatalities. In 22 of these cases the victim was alone with the dog. In 10 of the 22 cases the adult caretakers were in another part of the house or location during the attack. 5 of the child victims were described as dog lovers. 19 deaths were caused by multiple dog attacks. Of these 19 dogs, 13 were owned dogs.

In 1990, Winnipeg was the first major Canadian jurisdiction among several to ban pit-bull (terrier) type dogs. Ontario adopted a province wide ban on pit bulls in 2005.

US statistics show that about 2% of the population get bitten or attacked by a dog and sustain injuries of varying degrees. 1% of all emergency hospital visits by patients are from dog attacks.

If you or a loved one have sustained injuries following a dog bite – you may be eligible for compensation. Please call SBMB Law at 905.884.9242 for a FREE consultation with a legal representative to discuss about your case, including our expert Certified by The Law Society of Upper Canada or a Specialist in Civil Litigation.