Being attacked by a dog is a scary and traumatic experience. If you or a loved one was bitten by a dog in New Mexico, you have a responsibility to your community to report the attack to your local animal control office. This can allow the proper authorities to test for rabies, keep track of a dog’s vicious behaviors and protect others from the same injuries that you suffered in the future.
When Should You Report a Dog Bite?
You should report any dog bite that is more serious than a playful nip. If the dog appeared aggressive or vicious when biting, or if the injury caused serious bruising or broke the skin, it is worth reporting to animal control authorities. The purpose of reporting a dog bite to Animal Services is to create an official record of the dog’s aggressive or vicious behaviors. This can help improve the safety of your community.
When a dog bite is reported in New Mexico, Animal Control will often require the dog to be quarantined in the owner’s home for a certain amount of time to check for rabies. Then, if the county believes that the dog is dangerous, it may require the pet owner to take additional steps to prevent further injury to others, such as using a muzzle when walking the dog.
A dog bite report can also help if someone else gets bitten by the same dog in the future. This victim can use the previous report as evidence that the pet owner knew or should have known of the dog’s propensity for viciousness. This will allow the second victim to hold the pet owner legally and financially responsible for the attack under New Mexico’s dog bite rule.
What to Do After a Dog Attack
If you or your child gets bitten by a dog in New Mexico, try to remain calm and gather information about the incident before leaving the scene. If your injuries constitute an emergency, call 911 to report the attack to the police immediately. Get the pet owner’s name, the date and location of the attack, the type of dog, and whether the dog is up to date on its shots. It can also help to take photographs of the dog, your injuries and the scene of the bite injury. Next, go to a hospital in Albuquerque right away for professional medical care. Once your injuries have been professionally treated, report the attack.
Steps to Take to File Your Report
You can find out where to report a dog bite incident in your city or county using an online search. If a dog attacks you in Albuquerque, you can report the incident to the correct authorities in the following ways:
- Dial 311 or (505) 768-2000 to reach the City of Albuquerque’s Animal Welfare Office. Call (505) 468-7387 if the dog bite happened outside the city limits of Albuquerque but within Bernalillo County.
- Fill out and submit an aggressive dog report using Albuquerque’s Animal Welfare website. It will also ask for your contact information so that Animal Welfare authorities can get in touch with you for more information.
- If you wish to report the incident to the police but it is not an emergency, use the city’s nonemergency police number at (505) 242-COPS (2677). Reporting the incident to the police can help you get in touch with the correct authorities to handle a dangerous dog.
For more information about your options for financial recovery after being bitten or attacked by a dangerous dog in Albuquerque, contact a personal injury attorney near you. The pet owner may be financially responsible for your related medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. A lawyer can help you hold a pet owner accountable and fight for justice for you and your family.