New dog bite law: A new state law will make it easier to prosecute people whose dogs bite others by taking away the so-colled free bite, which allowed the filing of criminal charges only if the animal has caused problems at least once before.
The new law makes it possible to file felony charges against dog owners if they "should have known" of a potential problem.
"If we show the owner knew the dog was dangerous and didn't do anything, we can prosecute," said Tom McBride, director of the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, of the law signed Friday by Governor Gary Locke.
McBride said prosecutors might prove owners should have known their dog was aggressive with evidence that it had chased kids, menaced people or inflicted bites that went unreported. – The Columbian, April 2, 2002
Dangerous Dogs (PDF - 78K)
