Cobb County Dog Remains in Neighborhood Even After 4 Bites
Atlanta dog bite lawyers have found Georgia’s dog bite laws leave a lot to be desired. First, there is a lack of complete protection for victims of dog bites. Several states have strict liability statutes, which means that the dog owner can be held liable in a bite, even if it was the very first attack by the dog. In Georgia however, there is a “one bite free” policy. For the owner to be held liable, it falls on the victim to prove that the dog was vicious, and that the owner had knowledge of the dog’s aggressiveness. Fortunately, there are other ways to prove liability under the law.
One other such quirk in our dog bite laws is practically holding a Cobb County family to ransom. Elena Zlatopolsky’s son was gifted a Shepherd-chow mixed breed, Boris as a gift. The dog has already bitten four people in the neighborhood. Yet according to Cobb County laws, only a judge can decide whether or not to have the dog euthanized. That means that even with a record of four bites on his record, Boris continues to live with Elena Zlatopolsky.
Looking after the dog has proven to be more than the family can bear. Boris is required to be inside the house at all times, and must be muzzled. If the family ever takes him out, he must be on a leash. Elena’s son is due to appear in court in May after Boris once again bit a person even after being declared a dangerous dog.
Meanwhile, neighbors continue to be at risk of being bitten by a dog that already has four bites on its record. You don’t have to be an Atlanta dog bite attorney to know that there’s something very twisted about this situation.
Robert Fleming is an Atlanta dog bite lawyer, whose practice includes the representation of victims of dog bites in the metro Atlanta region.
