New Orleans East Animal Attack and Dog Bite Attorney

Legal Help When Negligent Animal Owners Cause Injuries in New Orleans East

Animal attacks can cause serious injuries, particularly when a dog owner fails to properly control or restrain their pet. Dog bites are the most common type of animal-related injury, but attacks can also involve other animals that are not properly secured or supervised.

In New Orleans East neighborhoods, many residents regularly walk dogs along sidewalks, in parks, and throughout residential communities. When an animal owner allows a dog to roam freely, ignores aggressive behavior, or fails to follow local leash rules, the risk of injury to others increases.

Donald D’Aunoy Jr. represents individuals who have been injured by dangerous or poorly controlled animals. These cases often involve questions about whether the owner knew or should have known the animal posed a risk and whether reasonable precautions were taken to prevent the attack.

Animal Owner Responsibility Under Louisiana Law

Louisiana law does not follow the traditional “first bite rule” used in some states. A dog owner may still be responsible for injuries even if the animal has never bitten someone before.

Instead, Louisiana law generally focuses on whether the animal created an unreasonable risk of harm and whether the owner failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the injury. That may include:

• Keeping animals properly restrained
• Preventing dogs from roaming freely in neighborhoods
• Using a leash when required by local ordinances
• Addressing aggressive behavior or warning signs

When these precautions are ignored, the owner may face liability if someone is injured.

When a Dog Owner May Be Responsible for an Attack

In some situations, a dog with no prior bite history may still create an unreasonable risk if the owner fails to control the animal or ignores warning signs of aggression. In other cases, an owner may argue that the incident was sudden and not reasonably foreseeable.

Determining responsibility often depends on the specific circumstances surrounding the attack and the precautions taken by the animal’s owner.

Evidence That a Dog Posed a Risk

When evaluating whether an owner knew or should have known that an animal posed a danger, courts often examine evidence showing the dog’s behavior before the attack. Examples of evidence that may be relevant include:

• Prior aggressive behavior: Growling, snapping, lunging, or attempting to bite others
• Previous complaints: Reports from neighbors, delivery drivers, or others who encountered the dog
• Prior bite incidents: Even if the previous injury was minor, any form of attack is relevant
• Animal control reports: Complaints or citations involving the animal
• Warnings from the owner: Statements that the dog was aggressive or needed to be handled carefully

Evidence like this may help establish that the owner was aware of the potential danger and should have taken steps to prevent the attack.

Failure to Properly Control or Restrain a Dog

Even when a dog has no documented history of aggression, an owner may still be responsible if the attack occurred because the animal was not properly controlled. Situations that may lead to liability include:

• Dogs running loose in public areas
• Failure to use a leash where local ordinances require it
• Broken fences or gates that allow the dog to escape
• Owners who lose control of a dog that is pulling or acting aggressively

In these cases, the issue may not be whether the dog had a history of aggression but whether the owner took reasonable steps to prevent the attack.