Dog locks down on little puppies.

Question

What can I do if a Pit Bull kills or bites another little puppy in our neighborhood? No one seems to do anything about it, but it's a danger to our community.

Answer

Louisiana defines a dangerous dog to include “Any dog which, when unprovoked, on two separate occasions within the prior thirty-six-month period, has killed, seriously bitten, inflicted injury, or otherwise caused injury to a domestic animal off the property of the owner of the dog.” The definition also includes provisions for attacks on humans. A complaint may be made to animal control and other law enforcement officials to report the incident and request a dangerous dog hearing. If a dog is declared dangerous, the dog’s “parent” will be required to take measures to restrain or confine the dog.

The “parent” of a dog who is injured or killed by another dog can also commence a civil lawsuit for money against the “parent” of the dog who attacked. Louisiana law states: “The owner of an animal is answerable for the damage caused by the animal. However, he is answerable for the damage only upon a showing that he knew or, in the exercise of reasonable care, should have known that his animal’s behavior would cause damage, that the damage could have been prevented by the exercise of reasonable care, and that he failed to exercise such reasonable care…” An animal’s “parent” and/or person in charge of the dog at the time the dog bit a person or another animal may also be held liable if at the time of the incident the attacking dog was off leash in violation of a leash law. Local laws should be checked too.