Save a Bundle by Keeping Your Dog Under Control

Here's a shocking stat from MSN Money:

Last year, the average cost of a dog bite [insurance] claim was $26,166, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Ouch! That's a very nice new car!

A bit more on how insurance companies handle dog bites:

Some states give you an initial break -- a sort of "free chomp" allowance -- commonly known as the "one-bite" rule. In these states, an owner cannot be held liable until the animal's "vicious propensity" has been established, typically in the form of a first bite. Nearly two dozen states have adopted a form of the one-bite rule, most of them clustered in the western and south-central parts of the country.

So almost half the states have one-bite laws and the other half don't. I didn't see a list of what states do and don't and couldn't find it quickly on Google, but you probably can if you search a bit using your state's name in the search.

In addition to the cost of the bite itself, having a biting dog can mean other problems:

Regardless of your local laws, a dog with a checkered history can sabotage your chances of getting home insurance.

So, what's the solution? It's pretty easy actually:

"Your best bet to avoid this issue is to be a responsible pet owner," Paul says.

I see people walking their dogs all the time with no leash. To me, that's a recipe for disaster. They clearly can not control the dog and many bad things could happen -- the dog could dart in front of a car, he could attack another dog, he could bite someone, and on and on. Is it really that hard to keep a dog on a leash? Apparently so judging by the many that can't seem to do it. And apparently it's also difficult to pick up after your dog uses the potty, as evidenced by the droppings constantly left on my front yard. But I digress.

This post is simply a reminder to keep your pet under control. Doing so could save you some big money.

P.S. As I was writing this post, I found this site on "dog bite law". I got a chuckle out of it. I guess it's true that you CAN find everything you'd ever imagine -- and much you wouldn't -- on the web. ;-)

Comments

[KaseyD]

Thanks for doing the research on this, the link is very useful. The search box turned up a great deal of information about the laws of my state.

My pet peeve (pun not intended), is dog owners who say "oh don't worry, my dog won't bite". Who are they kidding!? All dogs bite. It just depends on what, who, when and why.

When someone says this, it probably means that these dogs haven't been well socialized, because their human companions don't have a clue about animal behavior nor how to properly train a dog. These people are just irresponsible, and I tend to stay away from them and their pets.

I love dogs and have had many as pets, and will again soon. But I am always alert to a dog's potential to act out.

[Jeff]

Wow, pet owners are leaving dookie on your front lawn! Pretty rude. In any case, I got bit a couple years ago by my neighbor's dog. It really wasn't that big of a deal; more of a scrape than a bite. I just let them know it happened and made sure that she was current on her shots. I'm more concerned about the stinky piles that they don't pick up often enough and the barking at various hours of the morning and day. Suffice it to say that they're not good pet owners. It's an extremely rare sight to see the owners socialize with their dogs in any way so the dogs are a bit neurotic.

[Oimcherry]

Was there any information on what the cost of $26,166 included? This sounds more like the cost associated with a mauling and not a typical dog bite.

I do agree with leashing most dogs, but it's the owner's responisibility to know how to handle their pet on or off leash.

I voulnteer at a dog shelter and what I have experienced is that most dog owners NEED handler training, along with obedience training for their pooches. Everyone sort of assumes they know how a dog should be treated, trained and disciplined.

Not all dog breeds respond the same way. Each breed has different traits, habits and instincts. Owners should first read up on the breed before getting the dog.

More often than not a person has no idea what they are getting into when they adopt a dog, they just like the look of the animal. This is one reason so many end up in shelters.

[Walden]

I am a dog owner and I really don't like seeing off-leash dogs in areas where there are leash requirements. We live right on a great trail system and love to take our dog (leashed, as per the rules) on walks. So many owners let their dogs off leash and they get in the way of walkers, joggers, and bicyclists. The majority of these dogs are not under voice control and range far from their owners, do not come when called, etc. Also, our dog is not friendly with other dogs. We can pass by other leashed dogs no problem, but when the loose dogs come running up to us (inevitably with the owner yelling "It's ok, she/he's friendly!", to which we respond, "Well, our's isn't!") - it's a potentially risky proposition for all involved. Off leash needs to be reserved for areas that are safe and designated as such.

Our other (minor) pet peeve is when people pet our dog without asking. Especially when parents allow/encourage their kids to approach without checking with us. Now, we as responsible owners would not bring an aggressive dog in public, but how do they know? It it worth a risking a bite? We have an English Bulldog so he does attract a lot of attention, and we are always happy to let anyone say hello, but with us in control. He is very powerful and strong, and could easily knock a child (or unprepared adult!) over in his enthusiasm to give kisses. Pet owners should control their pets, and the general public should use caution and common sense.

[Lisa]

Off-leash dogs are risk for all people. Pet owners should be aware sometimes dog behavior might be aggressive for some reasons. It’s hard to tell when and where we should leash dog, at least if you need to bring your dog out, better use leash.
I believe nobody prefer getting benefit from bite insurance. In case you need to take your dogs exercise with you, you need to be sure that you could control them properly.
I have seen off-leash dog across street which was so terrible. It could make accident to drivers and pedestrians.