In December, The Sun posted an article in which a Riverside man cut the throat of a pit bull who had attacked his poodle while they were out walking the neighborhood. At about 9:45 a.m. that Saturday morning, the owner of the pit bull saw her dog with a poodle in its mouth after it had come into their yard. Three men tried to pry the poodle out of the pit bull’s mouth, one being the owner 30-year-old Rudy Jesus Barajas. Finally after many attempts Barajas grabbed the pit bull by the back of the neck after an attempt by the pit bull to bite him, thereafter the pit bull released the poodle from his grips. Barajas then reportedly took the pit bull by the back of the neck and dragged the pit bull to his home and cut its throat. Both dogs died and Barajas was placed under arrest at about 10:30 a.m. due to the stabbing of the dog. California law allows a property owner to protect himself and his pet when attacked. However, the willful killing of an animal can bring felony charges. Both Barajas’ mother and step-father do not believe him to be violent but rather just protecting himself from the attack.
Dogs are seen as man’s best friend and family protectors, but they can be dangerous when caught at the wrong time. Aside from family owned and trained/tamed dogs, there are countless ownerless dogs roaming the Inland Empire. Dogs have predatory instincts and it is their nature to want to protect their territory, family, and selves in any instance when they feel threatened. Dogs that are outdoors in yards can be provoked when something or someone they are not familiar with comes in contact with them. While dogs can be trained and tamed, we must remember that animals are still subject to instant changes in mood and behavior that can be deadly.
If a dog does find itself in an altercation with another dog, or even another human un-familiar to the dog, it is never certain what they could do and what the potential outcome could be. Countless times we have heard stories of friendly dogs being accused of an attack, and in many situations just because they were frightened and trying to protect themselves or owners. Other times dogs are out of their yard and roaming the streets and encounter other animals or people trying to help them home. Either way, a dog attack is serious and can even be at times life threatening, especially to small children or other smaller dogs/pets who do not have the strength to protect themselves against a strong or large dog. In a blink of an eye an accident could occur and the lives of the pets, the animal owners as well as the victims can change.
When dogs attack and cause serious injuries the victims do have rights in California to recover for their injuries and even damages. Even if the damage is minor, you are still entitled to compensation to cover the cost of medical bills and other possible property damage. If you or someone you know was victim of a dog bite, it is important that you find a dog bite attorney in Montclair that can expertly represent you and has a history of helping victims dealing with dog and animal bite cases.
Justin H. King is an experienced personal injury attorney in Montclair that represents victims in Montclair and throughout the Inland Empire. His firm, The Law Offices of Justin H. King provides representation for victims involved in serious and traumatic accidents pertaining to auto accidents, wrongful death claims and more. Mr. King vigorously and compassionately represents his injury victims against insurance companies as he has achieved numerous six and seven figure results for his clients. You can visit his website, schedule a consultation at his office located at 3633 Inland Empire Blvd., # 250 Ontario, CA 91764, or call the following number 1 909-297-5001.
