Chicago Dogs Bite Bite and Bite

In the past week, three young children in the Chicagoland area have died from Rottweiler attacks. The Chicago Tribune provides details into the latest victim, 4 year old Alex Angulo of Chicago:

A sign that reads "Beware of the Dog" hangs on a fence outside a Southwest
Side house where 4-year-old Alex Angulo was mauled to death by a Rottweiler on
Sunday. A neighbor said the Rottweiler sometimes acted aggressively and was
"kind of scary."

Just last week, two sisters, ages 5 and 10, were mauled by a Rottweiler at their mother's Joliet home. Those girls survived. Rottweilers aren't the most dangerous breed (Pit Bulls earn that dubious crown), but they do come in second causing 63 deaths from 1982 to 2007. Fortunately, Wisconsin dog bite deaths are few and far between, but do happen. More frequently, dogs maul or injure Wisconsinites, usually small children, without causing death.

Wisconsin Statute 174.02 provides harsh penalties for dog owners whose dogs bite and injure. Specifically, dog owners are strictly liable for the injuries and bites caused by their dogs. Wisconsin courts have construed this statute heavily in favor of victims, expanding the strict liability to injuries caused by the fear instilled by dogs, as well as injuries caused by scratches and other bodily contact. The Statute also imposes double damages for those dogs who have a propensity for violence, or whose owners are otherwise on notice of the dog's propensity to injure.
Posted by: Eric Knobloch