HB670

I, Jerice Ball, support HB670 to raise the minimum fine for attacks by nuisance dogs. On March 22, 2023, I was attacked by a German shepherd while running on my usual route. This attack came out of nowhere, and I was completely caught off guard. I was across the street from the property, and the dog came at me without hesitation. I had my right arm bitten to the point that I had to call 911 and be taken away via ambulance. I suffered multiple muscle-deep lacerations that resulted in nerve damage, permanent scars, and an indentation of my arm as a result of the damage. Alongside the physical scarring, I was also emotionally scarred and, as a result, went through a year of therapy once a week. As a current dog owner who has loved and lived with dogs throughout my childhood into adulthood, I have always understood the importance of being a responsible pet owner. This means providing for your dog's needs and ensuring their health and safety, as well as the safety of others, both people and animals. With the passing of this bill, I hope it addresses the necessity of understanding and controlling your dog. I believe this is essential for both the safety and success of the owner-dog relationship. In my experience, I witnessed with my attack incident where the owner had a history of aggressive behavior with her dog and was unable to control it. Unfortunately, this led to the devastating decision to put the dog down, which is an incredibly upsetting situation for everyone involved. I have always been and will continue to be a dog lover. Despite this incident, I cannot imagine a future without a dog by my family's side, as they truly are part of our family. This bill and the proposed higher fines are steps toward ensuring better dog behavior all around.

I 100% support this bill. We have several neighbors who have dogs that run uncontained through the neighborhood, and despite me telling them that my dog, (who is walked on a leash), does not want their dog racing up to him, and will try to pull away, or defend himself, it falls on deaf ears. If I ever have vet bills from these dogs biting my dog, I will be very angry. If I ever have medical. bills for ME if I try to break up a fight, I'll be really angry. There should definitely be a fine for this "loose dog attitude." Thank You Mr. Turcotte for introducing this bill. Sincerely, Wendi Tremblay, Norm's Way (on Swains Lake), Barrington.

Please add in language that the owner of any such dog shall spend the equivalent time in jail as the victim spends either either receiving treatment or in a medical facility. Please contact me by email with any clarification questions.