See, India is where a lot of people like to keep dogs as pets, and there is nothing wrong with that. But sometimes it happens that your dog bites someone and then you get into legal trouble for that. So yes, it is true that there are specific laws to take action against irresponsible pet or dog owners. And if you are a pet owner or dog owner, you should definitely know about these laws, and that’s the sole purpose of today’s post. So here we go.
So What Specific Laws Are There Regarding Dog Bites in India?
So basically the IPC 289 Section makes clear that owning a pet responsibly is very important. It also indicates that if you do not monitor your pet, fail to put a leash on it, or let it wander freely, you will be punished severely, that’s for sure. If, as a result of your negligence, your dog bites someone, you may face a sentence of up to six months in jail or be fined up to ₹1,000, or both.
And then there is BNS Section 291, which is kinda just the mirror image of the IPC 289 section, but a broader set of rules for how the pet should be handled, and things like that. Though, as per this specific law, there will be a penalty of ₹5,000 for failing to supervise a pet and contributing to the injury. In this case, the jail term is the same as under the IPC. Again, just like the previous law we talked about, here also, the main aim is to make sure that the pet owners understand how important it is to take responsibility for their pets.
Though, besides the national laws, there are often specific laws on pet ownership in local municipalities. And what are those? Well, they may include such activities as mandatory registration of pets, vaccination requirements, and adherence to local pet management rules. It is common that after the animal has bitten a human, the local authorities are informed. The animal will also be kept in isolation and observed for a while to recognize diseases such as rabies because that’s the biggest risk with dog bites in general.
What Should You Do Immediately After Your Dog Bites Someone Else?
After your dog has bitten someone, the very first thing you should do is to get proper medical care for the person who got bitten, and that should be your main priority at the moment. The reason for this is the possibility of rabies and other infections and we don’t even need to tell you how life-threatening these infections can be, right? The next step is to report the incident to the local police or the municipal authorities, as this is the basis of any legal proceedings that may follow, so make sure you do that next. And yes, if possible, make sure you document the incident thoroughly, which means, take videos, take photos of the injuries, or anything like that. These things will help in the future if you get into any kind of legal trouble down the line.
