How Do You Report a Dog Bite to Animal Control in Central Illinois?

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If you or a loved one has been involved in a dog bite or animal attack in Central Illinois, you must report the incident to your local animal control authority.

By doing so, you can ensure that the attack is thoroughly investigated and the necessary steps are taken to prevent any further incidents. This article will guide you through the steps to report a dog bite to animal control in Central Illinois.

Step 1: Contact Law Enforcement in Serious Cases

In some dog bite cases where the dog bite is severe, and there is a hospitalization or an ER visit, the hospital staff will contact law enforcement for you. They will then come to the hospital and interview you regarding the incident. This process will kick the ball, and animal control will be contacted automatically.

Step 2: Contact Your Local Animal Control Authority

If law enforcement is not automatically contacted, you can contact your local animal control authority directly. To do this, you need to look up your county’s animal control authority and call them. If you live near Bloomington, IL, the local animal control is McLean County Animal Control.

If you have any trouble doing this, you can contact your local police department, and they should be able to direct you to the appropriate animal control authority immediately.

Information to Provide to Animal Control

When you call animal control, it’s essential to have all the necessary information together.

You should provide:

The name of the dog owner
The address where the incident occurred
The date and time of the incident
A description of the dog, including its breed, color, size, and any distinguishing features
Information about the dog’s behavior before and during the attack
The name and contact information of any witnesses to the incident
Any relevant medical information, such as the nature and extent of your injuries, and any medical treatment you received
Any photographs or videos of the injuries or the location where the incident occurred
Any other relevant information you have about the incident, such as whether the dog had a history of aggression or if there were any warning signs that the dog might attack.

Providing this information to animal control will help them thoroughly investigate the incident and take appropriate action to prevent further incidents.

Report the Incident as Soon as Possible

It’s important to report the dog bite to animal control as soon as possible. By doing so, the animal control officer can interview witnesses while their memories are still fresh and gather important evidence to help pursue your claim. Delaying the report could make it challenging to gather the necessary evidence, weakening your case.

Step 3: Get a Free Consultation With a Dog Bite Attorney

If you have questions about dog bite cases in Illinois, it’s always a good idea to consult a dog bite lawyer. At Onward Injury Law, we offer a free consultation to discuss your case and answer any questions you may have.

This can help you understand your rights and legal options and determine your situation’s best course of action.

Author Bio

Joshua Rohrscheib is the Owner of Onward Injury Law, a Central Illinois personal injury law firm. With more than 17 years of experience in injury law, he is dedicated to representing clients in a wide range of legal matters, including car accidents, trucking accidents, construction accidents, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, and other personal injury cases.

Josh received his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law and is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association. He has received numerous accolades for his work, including being named among the “Top 40 Under 40” in 2019 by The National Trial Lawyers and a “Rising Star” in 2019 by Super Lawyers.

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