Report a Dog Bite to Animal Control in Los Angeles

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How to Report to Animal Control in Los Angeles

As a resident of Los Angeles county, you may need to know what the current animal control policies are. This is important, especially if you have noticed some aggressive animal behavior. As a pet owner, you should also know the different rules and regulations around animals in your specific county. If a dog has bitten you, keep reading for how to report it and make sure it gets to the proper authorities with the help of DoNotPay. Let’s explore how you file a report with the .

What Is the Animal Control Policy in Los Angeles?

In Los Angeles, there are several policies in place to control the excessive animal population.

  1. All pets are required to be licensed to be accounted for by the county. With this license comes necessary vaccinations and a microchip if the dog is lost and can locate the owner.
  2. All pets must be spayed or neutered unless they are bred. The owner will need to get a breeding permit and comply with the regulations to breed dogs in this county. Once the pet is done breeding, it must be spayed or neutered.
  3. All dogs must be on a leash when not on their property.
  4. Dogs are considered a danger to society when they have bitten someone on two unrelated occasions without being provoked or attempting to protect their family. This must also be within three years to make a case for a dangerous dog.

As a pet owner in Los Angeles, you must maintain these laws and regulations.

Los Angeles Animal Control Center

If you need to contact an , then you will need to reach out to one of the centers that are servicing your area of the county:

OfficeAddressPhone Number
Agoura Animal Care Center29525 Agoura Road, Agoura CA 91301(818) 991-0071
Baldwin Park Animal Care Center4275 North Elton Street, Baldwin Park CA 91706(626) 962-3577
Carson/Gardena Animal Care Center216 W. Victoria St, Gardena CA 90248(310) 523-9566
Castaic Animal Care Center31044 North Charlie Canyon Road, Castaic CA 91384(661) 257-3191
Downey Animal Care Center11258 South Garfield Ave, Downey CA 90242(562) 940-6898
Lancaster Animal Care Center5210 West Avenue I, Lancaster CA 93536(661) 940-4191
Palmdale Animal Care Center38550 Sierra Highway, Palmdale CA 93550(661) 575-2888

Los Angeles Dog Bite Laws

Although these policies are in place, there are cases where dogs run astray and bite another person. Dog biting laws in Los Angeles indicate that dog bites are taken seriously and must be reported. When a dog bites someone, it is required to be reported so that they can be isolated right away for ten days from both animals and people. This is to ensure the animal does not have rabies and does not pass it on to a person or other animals.

Can You Sue for Dog Bite Damages?

Suppose you have been bitten by a dog in Los Angeles on public property, or you were on personal property with permission. In that case, you could sue the owner for damages and any expenses you incurred from the injury. If the damage is severe enough, you could be compensated for missing work or any funds that you missed out on. If you consider taking this route, you will need to meet with a dog bite lawyer first. Have a consultation about the conditions of the case, and then move forward if they accept it.

Who Is the Liability Party if You Want to Sue?

If you have a pet in the county of Los Angeles, it should be registered with the city per California Law. This means that you are automatically the responsible party when they bite someone and can be located. If you are the victim of the bite, the liable party is initially the owner, as they are always responsible for the dog's behavior. Sometimes that responsibility may be shared, however, if the victim trespassed or if the dog was in the care of a dog sitter and bit due to their negligence.

How Do You File a Report if You Have Been Bitten on Your Own?

  • You need to file a report with the Department of Public Health if you have been bitten. You want to make this complaint as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more dangerous it becomes for you and the public, especially if the dog is infected with rabies.
  • If medical treatment is required, you must make sure this is documented at the medical facility. Also, you can file the report after the fact. Make sure you have copies of your medical information for the report later.
  • You can report by fax by locating one of the forms online. You can also report online through the portal if you have an account.
  • If you do not have access to a fax or print the online forms, you will need to call one of the animal control locations and send an officer to your location.

But What if You Aren’t Successful?

If you have gone through the different steps and cannot find where to write the report or have not had any success, then it is time to get help. DoNotPay can help you make the report and bring it to the appropriate office to keep it on file.

DoNotPay Can Help You With Filing This Report

If you want to report an animal-related injury but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 3 easy steps:

  1. Search "animal" on DoNotPay, find the Animal Control product, and select whether you've sustained a physical injury.

  2. Select whether you would like to report this incident to your local government agency, or demand compensation from the pet owner.

  3. Tell us more about the incident, including when and where you were injured, a description of the animal that caused the injury, and the contact information for the pet owner (if known).

And that's it. DoNotPay will file the demand letter or government report on your behalf with your incident details. You should hear back from them directly with further questions/confirmation regarding your demands.

DoNotPay Works Across the United States

DoNotPay isn’t limited to helping residents of certain cities. We work to help file animal-related reports all over the United States. Here are a few more of our guides if you’re dealing with animal control in another state or city.

  • Atlanta
  • Miami
  • Ohio
  • Texas
  • Pennsylvania

What Else Can DoNotPay Help With?

Once you have filed your report regarding the dog bite, you may be interested in taking on a few other tasks related to this event. Below are different ways DoNotPay can help:

  • Sue for compensation if you have been a victim
  • Find help here to contact your government representatives
  • Make a formal complaint about your neighbor.

DoNotPay can make all of these stressful tasks easy!

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