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Phone: (248) 569-4646
We often represent clients injured by dog bite and attacks. These often result in serious injuries and require medical treatment. We have obtained significant settlements for clients injured in these dog bite attacks.
Many cities and counties have ordinances regarding dogs and the responsibilities of dog owners. An owner or keeper of a dog who violates of these ordinances can be held liable for damages in a civil lawsuit to a dog bite victim. The ordinances can be used to prove a case in addition to other Michigan dog bite laws.
In Holland, there are laws that apply to dog owners. These can be found in the Holland City Ordinances. Specifically, they are as follows:
Sec. 4-10. Dogs running at large; leash required.
No person owning or having charge, care, custody, or control of any dog shall cause, permit, or allow the same to run at large or to be upon any highway, street, lane, alley, court or other public place, or upon any private property or premises other than those of the person owning or having charge, care, custody, or control of such dog, within the city, unless such dog is restrained by a substantial chain or leash and is in the charge, care, custody, or control of the person with the ability to restrain it.
(Ord. No. 804; Ord. No. 1346, 8-7-02)
Sec. 4-15. Animal biting incident; quarantine; penalty.
The police department or animal control officer, upon receiving verified information from the owner, victim, director of the county health department, physician or any other person, that an animal is involved in a biting incident, shall order the quarantine of the animal causing the bite. Upon issuing an order for quarantine the rules provided for in this section for quarantine shall be enforced and every person having actual or constructive knowledge of the order shall obey all requirements of the quarantine.
(a) Every animal that bites a human or other animal shall be immediately confined by the owner, who shall promptly notify the police department or animal control officer. The owner shall not permit the animal to come in contact with any other person or animal. The owner shall surrender possession of the animal to the animal control officer on demand for supervised quarantine. Supervised quarantine shall be in the animal shelter, a veterinary hospital or by any other method of adequate confinement approved by the animal control officer. The quarantine period shall be for not less than ten days immediately following the time of the biting incident. A release from quarantine may be issued if signs of rabies have not been observed during the quarantine period. Any costs of such quarantine shall be the responsibility of the owner.
(b) If the animal control officer orders quarantine other than supervised quarantine in an animal shelter or veterinary hospital, the owner shall be responsible for confining the animal as designated by the animal control officer so as to prevent further exposure to humans or animals during the quarantine period.
(c) All animal bite reports shall be investigated by the police department or animal control officer. Without permission of the animal control officer, a person shall not kill or remove from the county limits an animal that has bitten a human or other animal, or that has been placed under quarantine, except when it is necessary to kill that animal to protect a person or other animal.
(d) The animal control officer shall direct the disposition of any animal found to be or suspected of being rabid.
(e) A person who owns an animal that has been placed under quarantine for biting a person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor under this section if such animal is found running free during this quarantine period.
(Ord. No. 804)
Quite often, the victim of the attack files a report with either the local police or local Animal Control agency. When a report is filed, it is necessary to obtain report. Our firm routinely obtains these for our clients.
For a report filed with the Police Department in Holland, you should request the Animal Control report at the following location:
Holland Police Department
65 W Eighth Street
Holland, MI 49423
616-355-1100
If you would like more information about your rights after a Dog Bite attack, you can order our FREE book, "The Ultimate Michigan Dog Bite and Animal Attack Handbook" by clicking on the book link. We will send it out immediately along with other important information.
We will represent you in your Michigan dog bite case under our NO FEE PROMISE. This means that you will not be charged any legal fees whatsoever unless we obtain a settlement or recovery for you. You have absolutely no obligation for legal fees unless we win your case. If we do not obtain a settlement for you, you owe us nothing!
It is important that you contact a Michigan dog bite lawyer as soon as possible after the attack to give you the best chance of winning your case. There are also strict time limits for filing dog bite cases in Michigan. For the best chance to win your case, call our Michigan dog bite attorneys now at (800) 606-1717 or simply submit this contact form and we will get back to you quickly.
