Pell City Dog Bite Attorneys

Pell City is located in St. Clair County and is one of two county seats, the other county seat being nearby Ashville. A relatively small city, the population was only 13,000 at the last census. Pell City was named after George Pell, a financial backer of the Pell City Iron and Land Company in 1890. The city developed relatively rapidly and was a hub of industry with textile mills, mercantile establishments, soybean, cattle, and cotton farms.

As with any city in Alabama, the citizens of Pell City love their furry friends. However, any dog owner desiring to take their dog out to parks, neighborhoods and dog friendly restaurants, it is important to ensure your dogs are trained and well behaved. It is important to realize that many dog bite incidents occur on the owner’s property or close by. So even if you don’t plan to take your dog out and about with you, proper training is still a necessity.

If you or a loved one has been bitten or attacked by a dog in Pell City, St. Clair County, or its surrounding areas, be sure to contact the skilled Pell City dog bite attorneys at Hollis, Wright & Clay, P.C. Under Alabama law, dog bite victims are entitled to financial compensation for lost wages, medical bills, permanent scarring, pain and suffering and emotional distress. You can call us for a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL consultation at 844.LAW.TALK or 205.324.3600 or contact us online here. Please note that our attorneys are seeking monetary damages on your behalf from the dog owner’s insurance company. Dog bite claims are almost always covered by the homeowner’s insurance coverage.

Training and socializing your dog at a young age is key to deterring aggressive behavior. Socializing your dog can reduce the animal’s overall anxiety, which is often what leads to aggressive behavior. Training has multiple benefits, including creating a better bond between you and your dog and building the dog’s confidence.

Most importantly, training your dog will help you ensure your dog is at low risk for being aggressive or biting. Training accomplishes this by the following.

• It creates a stronger bond, which improves communication between you and your dog. This allows you to have more control of the dog in unfamiliar settings.
• It reduces unwanted behavior by allowing you to more easily set boundaries for what is and isn’t permitted.
• Regular training stimulates your dog mentally, which helps prevent pent up aggression.
• Training allows your dog to learn how to behave appropriately in social settings. Other people and dogs will feel more comfortable as well.
• Training ensures your pet listens to cues and can prevent conflict with other dogs or people.

Remember, that even a well-trained dog can be aggressive. Dogs often injure others during play time because they don’t realize their own strength. Additionally, a sick dog can act aggressively no matter the amount of training received. Always be careful and alert when you have people on your property with your dog, or if you are out in public with your dog.

Understanding the warning signs of an aggressive or unstable dog can help prevent injury to others. A dog will often display physical signs before it becomes aggressive, such as stiffening its body, growling, lunging, showing teeth, and snarling. However, dogs by nature are unpredictable and can become aggressive without warning. Types of aggression include:

• Predatory Aggression: A dog can become excited and often chase another dog, cat or animal.
• Territorial Aggression: This is defensive behavior that a dog displays to protect an area, person, or position.
• Leash Aggression: An otherwise unaggressive dog can become aggressive when they are on a leash and is often directed toward unleashed dogs.
• Containment Aggression: Chained or caged dogs may become aggressive due to anxiety associated with the restraint.
• Pain or Irritable Aggression: Many dogs become aggressive if they are injured or in pain.
• Conflict Aggression: This occurs when training is inconsistent. The dog may be rewarded for a behavior sometimes, but punished for similar behavior another time. The dog learns that assertive behavior often gets them what they want. This behavior will escalate over time.

Behavior modification allows the dog to understand how to respond appropriately to a stressful event, which can include being in public with other dogs or having people on what they perceive as their property.

If you or someone you love has been injured by a dog in Pell City or its surrounding areas, be sure to contact the skilled Pell City dog bite attorneys at Hollis, Wright & Clay, P.C. Remember, that even if you are bitten by a dog on a friend’s or neighbor’s property, the incident is likely covered by homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. Let us handle the insurance company and the dog owner while you heal from your injuries. You are entitled, under Alabama law, to receive compensation for lost wages, medical bills, permanent scarring, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and more. Contact us at 844.LAW.TALK or 205.324.3600 or contact us here. Consultations are always free and confidential.