In the summer of 2016, a woman was killed after being attacked by two pit bulls in New Haven. This is sadly not the first such incident that Connecticut residents have heard about where a person is seriously injured or killed by a dog. While pets can be a positive part of people’s lives, it is also important for them not to be allowed to harm others.
This is exactly the premise on which the New Haven Board of Alders is reviewing recommendations from the Public Safety Commission to revise the city’s dog laws. The request is to strengthen the laws, potentially modelling them on those used in New Britain. The laws in Connecticut do not allow for rules that are specific to individual breeds but it is possible to make some changes to existing New Haven laws.
If adopted, emergency responders may have the ability to subdue animals at the site of an attack. Any animal, not just a dog, who injures a human may be deemed destructive or vicious unless clear defense needs can be demonstrated. Other provisions being evaluated include the use of muzzles for dogs with prior bite records when off their owners’ properties.
Anyone in Connecticut who is hurt by an aggressive animal might want to talk with a lawyer to learn about their options for receiving compensation for any injuries or losses they sustained as a result.
