Should You Bring Your Dog To Large Gatherings?

Summer is here and with so many incredible opportunities to come together and be a part of the community there will be opportunities for you to bring your dog to these activities, but should you?

The chances of a New Haven dog bite injury definitely increase when your dog is an unfamiliar setting and the more people your dog is surrounded by the greater the chance that she/he will become aggressive and protective of you and your family. If you are planning on attending a gathering in or around the city and are considering bringing your dog here are some things you should keep in mind when deciding whether or not your K-9 friend should come with you.

1.) How many people will be in attendance? If you’re headed out to a cookout with a couple of close friends and family members, your dog might do OK. If you’re going to attend a concert on the green where there may be hundreds if not thousands of unfamiliar people around, you may want to consider leaving your dog at home. Depending on the number of people and your dog’s familiarity with those people you should make your decision.

2.) What will the weather be like? Dogs have a tendency to get more and more agitated the warmer the weather is and that could lead to them being more aggressive, especially toward strangers. When you’re heading out to an event of any size you should be thinking about the weather and how it might affect your dog’s mood. Also, will you be able to provide proper hydration for your pet if you are going to take her/him to an activity because in the warmth dogs need more and more water then they otherwise might under more temperate conditions.

3.) How does your dog handle being around other dogs? Events of all sizes that happen throughout the summer may be dog friendly and that’s great for a pup who does well with other dogs, but if your dog has a hard time interacting with other dogs without becoming aggressive you may want to leave her/him home. If your dog gets agitated by other animals that are at the event it could lead to an interaction with the animal that could become dangerous for a human.

Large events and gatherings this time of year seem to happen every weekend throughout the summer months. They can be fun and give you a real festive feeling, but they might not be the best place to bring your pet especially on hot days. When your dog is around strangers, is overheated and interacting with other dogs it could be a recipe for her/him to become involved in a New Haven dog bite incident and cause you more harm then the good that came from bringing your furry friend to the event in the first place. Crowded spaces are generally not good spaces for dogs to be in.

If you attended an event or were involved in anyway with a dog that was aggressive and you became injured you may need to speak with an attorney who can review your situation. Our experienced attorneys have worked on many situations with a variety of different scenarios and they can bring that experience to your situation. Contact our office and one of our attorneys will speak with you about the details of your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.