The Risks of Bringing Your Dog to Work
Taking your dog to the office may seem like a fun idea, yet only few people realize how dangerous it might be. Even if your dog has never shown signs of aggression and has never hurt a fly, you are potentially exposing yourself to a dog bite lawsuit, because under California law, a dog owner is strictly liable if another person was bitten by his/her dog regardless of whether there were any prior incidents of aggression.
National Take Your Dog to Work Day
Fact: Did you know that every June, there's the National Take Your Dog to Work Day, on which, as its name implies, people bring their furry friends to their office?
The Concerns Raised by Our Phoenix Dog Bite Attorney
“Bringing your dog to work is definitely not the best idea,” says our Phoenix dog bite attorney from the Lorona Mead, who has seen numerous cases of people suing their coworkers for injuries caused by their dogs. “For a dog, your office is an unfamiliar place with lots of unfamiliar faces. This puts the dog under a tremendous amount of stress, which means the dog might react to the surroundings irrationally.”
Tips for Safely Bringing Your Dog to the Office
If you would still love to take your dog to work, consider these tips for safely bringing your dog to the office:
- If your dog has never been trained and does not listen to you, taking your dog to work – regardless of its size and breed – can be dangerous;
- If there have been prior incidents of dog bites or any signs of aggression toward people, do NOT take your dog to work;
- If there are other dogs at the office, do keep in mind that your dog will most likely not get along with them (this is especially dangerous when multiple people bring their dogs to work for the first time on the same day, like on the National Take Your Dog to Work Day);
- Do watch how your dog reacts to the surroundings and big crowds of people smiling at your dog and trying to pet it (in case of any aggression such as exposed teeth, raised hackles, pricked ears, lunging, growling and barking, remove your dog from the office immediately);
- Never let your dog wander around the office on its own, always keep an eye on it;
- Consider bringing your dog's bed and favorite toys to the office to make it feel more comfortable and make the office feel a bit more familiar; and
- Do not forget to take your dog outside to pee and poop (and do not forget to clean up any mess in the office to prevent slip and fall accidents involving your coworkers).
Legal Options for Dog Bite Incidents
If your dog has bitten one of your coworkers, or vice versa, you were bitten by one of your coworker's dogs at work, consult with an experienced dog bite attorney in Phoenix or elsewhere in Arizona to find out what legal options may be available in your case.
Under Arizona dog bite law, a dog owner is liable for any damages and injuries caused by his or her dog regardless of whether the victim is a complete stranger or coworker.
Seeking Legal Guidance
“There are also many situations in which people are attacked by their coworkers' dogs at parking lots and other areas outside of the office,” says our Phoenix dog bite attorney. “Regardless of where the incident took place – in your outside of the office – you have a right to recover damages if you were injured by a dog.”
Schedule a free consultation with our lawyers at the Lorona Mead today. Call our offices at 602-385-6825 or fill out this contact form.
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