All You Need to Know in Reporting a Bite or Injury by an Animal to Clayton County Animal Control

Were you injured by an animal or are you worried you or a family member may be attacked by an animal in the Clayton County, Georgia area? Contacting Clayton County animal control about an aggressive animal or filing a claim for injuries inflicted are necessary steps for resolving the danger posed by or actual injuries inflicted by unruly animals.

Dog bites are a major problem, occurring around 4.7 million times in the US each year. Unruly pets often inflict scratches and other wounds too. If you think you or your family may be in danger from an animal in the area of Clayton County, Georgia, you'll need to file an official animal control report. If you've been injured by an animal, you need to file a report and demand compensation from the owner immediately.

Not sure how to go about filing a report for a dog bite or other injury caused by an animal? Worried you won't file the report in the proper manner? Don't have time to deal with the issue? DoNotPay's assistance can be valuable. Suing for a dog bite successfully in Clayton County, or the Atlanta area, requires the help of an attorney well versed in laws surrounding animal control and dog bites in your area. DoNotPay's services are backed by experienced dog-bite lawyers, but we can help at a more reasonable cost.

About Animal Control in Clayton County, Ellenwood, Georgia

Clayton County Animal Control focuses on finding homes for stray and owner-released animals. They help owners locate lost pets and offer adoption services. Their adoption center is located at 3199 Anvil Block Rd. Ellenwood, Georgia 30294. The Animal Control Headquarters Address is 1396 Government Circle, Jonesboro, GA 30236.

Georgia state animal control laws are enforced by The Clayton County Police Department Animal Control Unit. The laws covered by the unit fall into two categories: The Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) and the Clayton County, Georgia Code.

Violations of the Clayton County Codes are enforced by Clayton County Animal Control Officers. These animal control officers are civilian employees. They are sworn to enforce Clayton County Code. They are in charge of care, picking up animals found to be in violation of the Clayton County Code, and conducting investigations.

Clayton County Animal Control Adoption Center and Animal Control Headquarters Locations

Clayton County Georgia Dog Bite Laws

The state of Georgia has one of the most complicated mixed dog bite statutes in the US. Therefore, it's important to have informed lawyers on your side when seeking to prove negligence and receive compensation from the owner of a dog that injured you or a family member.

You can definitely seek compensation if a dog that was not properly controlled by its owner, and thus bites you, has bitten someone before. The first bite would have resulted in the dog being classified as having a vicious nature.

In some areas, and in some cases, owners are not held responsible the first time their dog bites a person. The ruling that applies in these cases is called The One Bite Rule.

But in Georgia, even if you are bitten by a dog that has never previously bitten anyone, you can still seek compensation if the owner or keeper of the dog that bit you carelessly allowed the dog to escape from his or her property, giving it the opportunity to bite you.  The freedom to in cases of negligence is made possible by Ga. Code Ann. sec. 51-2-7.

Can You Sue Someone for Dog Bites?

If the following conditions apply to your dog bite incident, you can sue for both financial losses and pain and suffering occurring as a result of the dog bite. Since the case will be considered a personal injury lawsuit, you must file a case within two years of the incident when you were bitten.

Under section 51-2-7 of AllLaw Georgia Dog Bite Laws, a dog owner can be liable to anyone injured by the owner's dog if:

• the dog is considered a "vicious or dangerous animal".
• the incident occurred through "careless management or by allowing the animal to go at liberty", and
• the injured person did not "provoke the injury by his own act".

Who Is Liable if a Dog Bites Someone?

In general, the owner is liable when a dog bites someone. That is, as long as the person who got bitten didn't provoke the animal in any way.

As previously mentioned, in Georgia, the owner may be responsible even if the dog had not bitten anyone previously - if the dog was allowed to "go at liberty", due to "careless management". In some cases, if the dog is under the care of someone other than the owner, that person may be held responsible.

How to Sue for a Dog Bite in Clayton County, Georgia

Taking action promptly can be important in cases of dog bites or other animal injury incidents. Reporting the injury, notifying the owner, and demanding compensation are the first steps. When properly conducted, these actions often result in payment.

But if the animal's owner doesn't respond, as long as you are within the statute of limitations (two years for a personal injury case in Georgia), and the conditions of the incident meet the requirements, you can file a small claims court case. If that action becomes necessary, DoNotPay's Sue Now product can help.

What Should You Do if You Have Been Bitten by an Animal in Clayton County, Georgia?

We recommend two options if you've suffered an animal-related injury.

1. If you know the identity of the owner of the pet which caused the injury, you can contact them directly to request compensation for the injury. Especially if your injury requires medical treatment, this option is in your best interests.
2. The incident could be reported to your local government and its animal control agency. In Clayton County, incidents of a dog or cat biting a human are required to be reported to the Animal Control Division of the Clayton County Police Department. The owner may face legal consequences, and the pet will probably be detained. But likely, you won't receive a financial reward through this option alone.

What information must I include in any report I file concerning a dog bite? Keep the following details in mind, whether you're filing a demand letter and requesting compensation from the owner or filing a report with a government entity.

• Details of the incident, including the date, time, and location the event occurred
• Details of the injury
• Information about any necessary medical treatment, including treatment costs and physical details
• Provide any photo evidence you can to support your statement
• Describe the animal in detail
• Include information about the pet's owner

How to Report an Animal Related Injury in Clayton County on Your Own

You can report an animal injury on your own by contacting the Clayton County Police Department's Animal Control Division. But if you don't have time or believe you may not file the report properly, DoNotPay can do it for you.

Remember, though this action is required, it won't likely result in obtaining any type of compensation. You can contact the owner to seek payment. If the owner doesn't cooperate, you can take the case to small claims court.

Getting paid for pain and suffering as well as actual expenses relating to dog bites or other animal injuries is a complex and tedious process. There is no room for error when properly reporting an incident. But anyone suffering an animal injury deserves compensation. That's why DoNotPay is prepared to do it for you.

Next Steps for Reporting an Animal-Related Incident if You Can’t Do It Yourself

If you're not sure you can properly report a dog bite or animal-related incident, and potentially get compensation if you don't have time to complete the challenging and highly specific process required for success, contact DoNotPay for help. We offer a perfect solution to the difficult problem of reporting an animal injury in Clayton County.

Here's how to report an animal-related incident on DoNotPay:

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.

Why Use DoNotPay to Report an Animal Injury in Clayton County?

DoNotPay is fast. We prevent you from wasting valuable hours trying to report a dog bite or animal-related injury in Clayton County, and figuring out how to get compensation.

It's also easy. There are no extensive, tedious forms to complete, and no need to figure out the steps necessary to resolve issues regarding animal injuries.

DoNotPay's process supports success. We always make the best effort possible to solve your problem and make a case for you to receive the compensation you deserve. Contacting DoNotPay is the best step you can take if you suffer an animal injury in Clayton County.

DoNotPay Works Across All Companies/Entities/Groups With the Click of a Button

Whatever companies, entities, or groups need to be contacted to solve your problem, DoNotPay can work with all of them. We can contact animal control officials in Clayton County, as well as all parties involved in your animal injury incident.

DoNotPay can also contact animal control centers anywhere in the country, in any city, on your behalf, including, but not limited to, locations such as Los Angeles, Miami, Ohio, Texas, California, and Pennsylvania.