The month of May saw a video go viral with millions of views; even news stations were playing the clip. It was not the latest exploit by a celebrity or a sports figure; instead, the video was of a small boy of whom no one had ever heard. However, the country united in outrage at the contents of the video, which showed an unprovoked dog attack on the child, and rejoiced in the unexpected outcome: the family cat chased the dog away before it could do serious damage.
The situation, which was caught on neighborhood surveillance cameras, unfolded when Jeremy Triantafilo, 4, was riding his bike in the driveway of his family's Bakersfield, California, home. The video shows him approached from behind by a dog that turned out to be a neighbor's Labrador-Chow mix. The dog rushes up to the boy, bites his leg and attempts to drag him off the bike, shaking him vigorously.
Incredibly, the family cat, Tara, who was under a vehicle in the driveway, appears, spitting and fighting the dog and drives it away, even chasing it down the street to be sure it is gone before returning to the home. The neighbor who owned the dog apparently called in the attack to 911, and Jeremy was transported to a hospital where he received stitches for a moderately serious leg wound. The dog has been quarantined and will be euthanized after a 10-day waiting period to ensure it is not rabid. In the meantime, Tara has been lauded as a hero by Jeremy and the neighborhood.
DOG BITES MAKE UP SURPRISING NUMBER OF INJURIES PER YEAR
Many people are surprised to learn that dog bites are as common as the statistics seem to indicate. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 4.5 million people each year, half of whom are children, are bitten by dogs, and about 20 percent of them require emergency room treatment for their injuries. More than 27,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery of some type for dog bite injuries in 2012.
While the majority of dog bites are not deadly, they can certain cause painful and disfiguring injuries. Medical bills can skyrocket with initial treatment for a dog bite as well as follow-up care.
If you have been the victim of a dog bite, contact High Stakes Injury Law in Las Vegas. These personal injury attorneys can help you recover damages for your injuries including medical bills, pain and suffering and lost wages.