When you report a dog bite in Texas to animal control, an officer investigates the bite incident to determine the following:
- who owns the dog
- whether the dog has been vaccinated for rabies
- whether the dog currently has rabies
- whether the dog is dangerous.
If the dog shows no signs of rabies, has no prior bite history, and is properly vaccinated, then the dog may or may not be quarantined for 10 days before it is returned to the owner. If the dog has not been vaccinated, it will be quarantined for 10 days for rabies monitoring and then returned to the owner if it does not have rabies. If the dog has rabies, it will be put down. In any case, the victim will be notified of the rabies determination.
Dog Bite Investigations
Who Must Report a Dog Bite?
Under the Texas Health and Safety Code, anyone who knows of a bite or even a scratch that could reasonably transmit rabies must report the incident. If you do not know for a fact that the dog has had a rabies shot and has not been exposed to an animal with rabies, the “reasonably foresee” standard is vague enough that you better err on the side of caution and report it. As stated before, this law applies to anyone. Most veterinarians and emergency medicine professionals know about this law and take it very seriously. They will report the bite even if you do not. So you are better off reporting it so you do not get accused of breaking the law.
Who Do You Call for a Dog Bite?
Typically, if you are within city limits, city animal control has jurisdiction. If you are outside city limits, the county will have jurisdiction. In some small rural areas, the police double as animal control. If you are unsure, the police can usually tell you who to call, or you can check our Houston-area animal control listings for a number.
The Response
When you report a dog bite in a timely manner, Animal Control will send an officer to investigate. Depending on where you are and how busy they are, they may arrive immediately or a day or two later. Most are pretty prompt when the report is immediate. In some cases, our dog bite lawyers have seen the animal control officer come to the hospital to investigate the facts and the injuries by speaking with the victim. Prompt reporting is highly recommended. The sooner you report it, the more evidence you will have preserved in your case.
Why is There a 10-day Quarantine for Dogs That Bite in Texas?
Remember that the primary goal of animal control is to stop the spread of rabies. They do this by implementing a 10-day quarantine for dog bites so they can observe the dog and monitor it for symptoms of rabies. If you wait beyond the 10-day incubation period, animal control may not conduct a full investigation when you call them because you would already know if you received rabies. This can be very bad for the victim when you file an insurance claim. You will not have the benefit of the investigation, the owner’s ID, and all of the other information animal control can get for you. If you now have to hire your own investigator to learn these things because the owner is noncooperative, it may not be cheap or easy to get the evidence you need in your case.
The Report
After investigating the incident, the animal control department will issue the findings in a Bite Report. The Bite will actually be assigned a Bite Number that is cataloged in their system. If you are the victim, it is wise to ask for the bite number when you speak with the first investigator. This will make it easier to find the report later. The Animal Bite Report will have valuable information such as statements taken from the owner, the owner’s full name, address, and phone number, the dog’s identity and breed, vaccination history, and veterinary information, and sometimes, you can even find comments about the dog’s bite history in the notes—which can be very important in proving liability in a dog bite case.
What Happens to a Dog That Bites Someone?
When a dog is reported for biting someone, animal control will first review bite and vaccination history. If the owner can document up-to-date vaccinations and there is no bite history, they will often allow the owner to quarantine the dog at home or at a local veterinarian’s office for a 10-day observation period. So long as it shows no signs of rabies, it will be returned to the owner. If the dog has no history of bites but lacks up-to-date vaccination records, they will likely take the dog to the animal control facility for a 10-day quarantine and hold it until it is vaccinated and determined not to be vicious. If the dog has a bite history or appears vicious to animal control, they are likely to impound it immediately. Dogs not determined dangerous can be released, but they are supposed to require proof of 100,000 in canine liability insurance coverage. I say “supposed to” because the procedure is not always followed.
What Happens If the Dog Is Determined to Be a Dangerous Dog?
A dog determined to be dangerous is typically put down. This may happen if the dog is aggressive toward animal control and cannot be safely contained or controlled. However, in most cases, determining that a dog is dangerous requires an investigation by the Animal Control Manager. This investigation may be triggered when the animal control department finds grounds to investigate or, in many cities, when concerned citizens file a dangerous dog affidavit. If she finds evidence to declare a dog dangerous, she issues notice to the dog owner and holds a hearing. A hearing officer ultimately makes the determination.
Conclusion
You must report dog bites by law. When you do, animal control will investigate the incident so long as you report it timely. In Texas, the 10-day quarantine for dog bites will likely be used to rule out rabies. Failing to report it in a timely manner can expose you to criminal penalties and can also harm your civil claim for damages against the dog owner’s insurance policy. Thus, reporting the dog bite promptly is the wise course of action.
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