Common Types of Animal Attacks
Property owners with pets or animals owe their guests and visitors a legal duty of care to ensure they are safe while on their property. If they have a pet, they should either warn guests to stay away from their pet or keep the animal enclosed if they pose a threat to others. However, many people still suffer injuries while on visiting with friends or family or while out for walks themselves.
According to BetOhio data, there have been 152 severe animal attacks in Ohio in the last two decades, and The Ohio Department of Heath reports that approximately 17,176 animal bite incidents have occurred in 2021 alone. There have also been 881 non-bite attacks and 1,053 other bite and rabies exposure events in Ohio.
Cat Attacks
Reportedly, 45.3 million U.S. households own a pet cat. While we do not know how many cats each household has nor can we account for stray cats, cats, household or stray, can present a risk to people. Pet owners owe their guests a duty of care and should warn others if their cat is temperamental or prone to violence. Cats can scratch or bite people, which can lead to serious infections or injuries. For instance, if a person is scratched in the eye while holding a friend’s cat, they may suffer from a serious eye infection, hemorrhages, etc.
Dog Bites
According to the American Pet Products Association, approximately 69 million households have a pet dog, and over 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs nationwide. Dog bites can range in severity and are typically classified based on a scale level.
- Level 1 bites are aggressive bites that do not affect or touch a person’s skin.
- Level 2 bites are bites that make contact but fail to break the skin.
- Level 3 bites are single bite wounds that are shallow.
- Level 4 bites are single bites that cause deep wounds.
- Level 5 bites are multiple bites that cause deep wounds.
- Level 6 bites are severe bites that can lead to death and/or the loss of flesh.
Even if a dog doesn’t bite you, an attack can still leave you severely injured. Dog attacks can cause severe damage, like nerve damage, scarring, and infection.
Exotic Animal Attacks
While some animals are banned as pets (i.e. lions, hyenas, gray wolves, alligators, etc.), many Ohioans still own certain exotic animals and keep them as pets. Unique pets like monkeys, snakes, spiders, and insects can attack and/or bite visitors and cause serious injuries.
Farm Animal Attacks
Farm animals can injure property visitors; for instance, people who go to a farm or petting zooe may suffer injuries if they are not warned about temperamental animals. Farm animals can also injure people if they are not properly contained and wander into the road or onto other properties. Farm animals that often injure others include but are not limited to:
- Horses
- Bulls
- Pigs
- Cows
- Goats
- Buffaloes
- Alpacas
Common Types of Injuries Sustained in Dog Bite & Animal Attack Incidents
As we mentioned, thousands of people are injured in animal attacks. Depending on the type of animal attack as well as the circumstances of the incident, a person’s injury can range in severity. Common injuries sustained in animal attacks include:
- Puncture wounds (from the animal’s teeth)
- Lacerations and cuts (sustained in a fall or from the animal’s claws)
- Nerve damage
- Inflections or diseases (i.e. rabies or other infections from bacteria)
- Eye injuries (i.e. lacerations, hemorrhages, etc.)
- Tissue damage
- Broken bones
- Head and/or neck injuries
- Facial injuries
- Emotional trauma and/or PTSD
If you have suffered injuries in a dog bite or animal attack incident, contact Bridges, Jillisky, Weller & Gullifer, LLC today by calling (937) 403-9033 or reaching out online. We can help you pursue compensation.