There is no unified statewide law dealing specifically with vicious dog attacks in Arkansas. This can leave victims struggling to get the compensation they deserve after they’ve been bitten and leave dog owners clueless about what their obligations are in regards to protecting family, friends, and the public at large.

One Child Bitten Every Day

Unfortunately, this is an issue that arises all-too-often in our state. According to the National Pit Bull Victims Association (NPBVA) there were six fatal dog attacks in Arkansas between 2010 and 2016—and those six deaths involved pit bulls. However, Dr. Michael Golinko, a plastic surgeon at Arkansas Children’s Hospital who specializes in pediatric dog bites, says that he personally is seeing at least one child injured per day by dog attacks. Most of these victims suffer from minor lacerations but some—most notably those attacked by pit bulls—are bitten multiple times in multiple locations on their body.    There are several breeds of vicious dogs, but without a doubt pit bulls remain high on that list.

A man is lucky to be alive after a vicious dog attack in Arkansas’s Saline County. The victim, a 23-year-old male, was walking on Atkins Road in Avilla, Arkansas in September of 2017 when he was attacked by four Pit Bulls. The dogs had escaped from a neighbor’s yard and cornered the helpless victim against a fence. They then mauled the man for several minutes before an eyewitness was able to beat the dogs away with a metal pipe.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital suffering from multiple bite wounds—including several severe injuries to his legs and foot. While he is expected to live, he will be left with lifelong scarring and likely some reduced mobility due to the severity of the dog attack.

Police cited the animals’ owner for having “vicious dogs.” The Pit Bulls which attacked the man were seized by Arkansas sheriff’s deputies for mandatory 10-day quarantine.

Rottweilers Maim Beloved Family Pets

A vicious dog attack in Fort Smith, Arkansas earlier this month could have ended much worse. A couple had taken their dogs on a leisurely stroll in a park when two Rottweilers appeared out of nowhere and began to savagely maul the family pets. The terrified owners tried desperately to free their beloved animals from the vicious dogs for several minutes until Good Samaritans who happened to be driving past stopped to help. They were able to pull the Rottweilers back and tossed the two injured household pets into the car and safety.

Thankfully nobody was seriously hurt in the attack, though the sheer terror the victims experienced as they watched their helpless pets being bitten, shaken, and tossed around was enough to scar them for a long time to come.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  approximately 4.5 million dog bite cases are reported each year.   DogsBite.Org reported in the past 11 years, 360 people in the United States were killed by dog bites.   Pit Bulls were responsible for more than half of that number, killing 232 people.   Rottweilers and Pit Bulls were responsible for three-fourths of the 360 deaths.

I represent many clients who are the victims of dog bites and dog attacks in Arkansas.   It is my hope by writing this blog that I am able to bring a little more awareness to the number of dog attacks that happen, and how innocent lives can be forever changed through no fault of their own. Knowledge is power. One of the most important things I can say on this subject is that young children should not be allowed to play with any dog without an adult present, this includes the family pet.   Studies show that over 50% of bites happen at home with a dog that knows the dog bite victim. Continue reading ›