For many families looking for a new pet, the animal shelter is the way to go. After all, rescuing a dog is the ethical thing to do. But what many people in the Fairfax area don’t realize is that the local animal shelter may be adopting out dogs with known violent pasts.
An investigation by WUSA 9 has uncovered a number of animals that attacked Fairfax County Animal Shelter employees have been placed on the adoption room floor. These dogs weren’t just nipping playfully at the employees. In many cases, the resulting bites were caused by serious, violent attacks. Yet the dogs were still placed up for adoption. In all, five employees of the shelter have been bitten by dogs being placed on the adoption floor in the last year.
Animal shelters try to maintain a 90% adoption rate. That means they aim to euthanize 10% or less of the animals that come into the shelter. While it’s certainly an admirable goal, adopting out violent dogs is incredibly dangerous. Not offering warnings to potential owners is downright negligent.
In one case, a person adopted a dog without being told of their violent history. They took the pup home and was bit several times. The person returned the dog to the shelter and exchanged it for another. Yet again, the owner feared for their safety when the dog began acting threateningly.
Following the investigation, the acting director of the shelter has resigned. We can only hope that in the director’s absence, the shelter will reconsider their policy on adopting out dangerous dogs. Undoubtedly, many of the dogs the shelter adopts out are not violent. It’s the ones that are violent that potential new owners need fair warning about.
Do You Need a Lawyer for Your Dog Bite?
GET HELP NOW. Free Consultations 877-544-5323
If you’ve been attacked by someone else’s dog, it is important that you collect as much evidence as possible. The Virginia dog bite lawyers at the Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC understand the need for an immediate investigation because proof is essential in obtaining the highest possible settlement or verdict for your case. If you’d like to speak with our Virginia dog bite lawyers, contact us for a free consultation 877-544-5323.
