If you own a dog, then you need to be prepared for the possibility that they will bite someone when you are at the park. While you should always keep your dog on a leash, sometimes that is not enough to prevent a bite. A person might walk up and try to pet your dog without asking, and get nipped. Or someone else might have their dog off the leash, and then their dog might attack yours, and the owner might get bit while trying to break up the fight. Whatever the reason, here's what you need to do.

Take Control Of Your Dog

The first thing you need to do is take control of your dog and stop the violence. You want the attack to be as minimally damaging as possible, so restrain your dog and get them away from the victim.

Provide Assistance To The Victim

Once you have restrained your dog, you should offer assistance to the victim. Hopefully, they are not badly injured, but you should offer to call an ambulance or hand over a band aid, antiseptic gel, or Kleenex; anything you have in your purse or bag to help.

Choose Your Words Carefully

While you can ask them if they are alright, and ask them if you can call someone, it is important to not say anything that can be used against you in a trial. Don't claim responsibility for the attack.

Get The Victims Information And Provide Yours

Once the person is calm and the situation is less tense, you will need to exchange information with the person. They are going to want to be able to find out if your dog is up to date with their rabies shots. And you will want to be able to provide their name to your legal consul.

Get Contact Information From Witnesses

It's also important to get the contact info from any witness that were in the area. This can help in the event that you are sued by the victim and you need to establish that your dog was not the aggressor or that you had your dog on a leash.

Contact Your Vet Immediately

After you get the contact information from the bite victim and the witnesses, it is vital that you contact your vet. You need to have access to your dog's medical records. You will need to provide proof that your dog has their rabies shots.

Contact A Lawyer

Finally, you will likely need a lawyer. There is a chance that you can be sued for hospital bills or emotional damages by the bite victim. In some cases, you might even need a lawyer to fight charges that your dog was acting aggressive. If the victim claims that the dog was aggressive, they might press for the city to euthanize the dog. So, get a lawyer so that you can protect both your financial assets as well as your dog's well being.