Going over to a friend’s house is entirely normal. Getting ready for the night together, having some drinks before a party, or hanging out is nothing unusual.
You know they have a pet dog, and you’ve been around a few times, so it’s reasonably familiar to you.
Growing up in Vietnam, we had a cute little shitzu named Puddles. He was so aggressive towards guests that he hated it when others came near our family.
It was not his fault that he had a strict upbringing because we had bought him at a food market in Hanoi… We once had a visitor who bit us, and we had a hefty bill!
He had all the necessary vaccinations, and the scratch wasn’t too painful, but everyone reacts to it differently. One day, the dog is sitting next to you on the sofa. He snaps and bites you when you extend your hand to pet the dog.
You are horrified to find that it is a vicious bite that pierces your skin and sounds crushing. The dog suddenly attacked you and didn’t appear to be acting normally. Now, what can you do? You must attend to the wound first before running from the dog.
After surgery or stitches, you need to find out what you can do about it. This is not something that you and your friend can just forget about, especially if the medical bills are coming to you alone.
Think back carefully
Usually, dogs will give signs that they are not comfortable around you. If they perceive you as a threat, they will make low-pitched growling noises from the throat.
It may transpire into a growl and a bark. These are obvious signs that the dog is agitated in your presence and might see you as a threat.
We don’t usually pet the dog when this happens because we know it could hurt us. So, a dog attack occurs quickly most of the time, and no prior signs are given. Think back to your incident and figure out whether or not you did something to anger the dog or did it show no signs of being aggressive.
Talk with your friend.
It will be awkward, but if you are true friends, it won’t be like talking to a stranger about the incident.
You’re in a lot of pain, and on top of that, you have medical bills to pay for your care. You might also have long-lasting damage to your hand, affecting your ability to work. Talk to your friends to see if they can help with your bills or pay for them all.
You don’t want the dog to be put down, so you likely haven’t reported it to the police or dog handlers. They should do you the courtesy of paying for your recovery as a thank you.
No dice?
When a friend doesn’t want to help you pay or says they can’t it’s time to consider if you can be close with this person ever again.
Physical injury is incredibly serious and cannot be brushed under the carpet among friends. Speak to a dog bite lawyer that can help you get the funds needed to pay for your bills from your friend.
They will build your case to the point that a battle in court is going to look unattractive to your once friend.
Being invited over to a friend’s house should never entail leaving it worse off than when you entered it.
Dog bites are very painful and traumatic, so you should be receiving financial assistance from your friend to recover; there’s simply no excuse.
