4yo Girl Killed in Dog Attack on Bluffman Drive in Dallas, TX
Dallas, TX — July 9, 2022, a 4-year-old girl was fatally injured in a dog attack on Bluffman Drive in South Dallas.
According to reports the incident happened around 8:00 a.m. on the 5600 block of Bluffman, in the area of Simpson Stuart and Bonnie View roads. Preliminary investigation suggests a dog attacked the girl in the area and inflicted several serious bites.
The girl was transported to an area hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.
Animal Control took custody of the dog. The investigation is ongoing.
No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Dog Attack on Bluffman Drive in Dallas
While there's not a great deal of clear information about this terrible tragedy, there may also be some question about how its aftermath should be handled and whether anyone should be held responsible. Fortunately, the law is fairly straightforward when it comes to dog attacks.
Generally speaking Texas and many other states apply the precedent known as the One Bite Rule. Essentially this rule acknowledges that animals can be unpredictable; even well-behaved pets can sometimes get agitated or violent for seemingly no reason.
That's why if a dog bites someone, its owner generally is not considered liable if it's the first time anything of the sort happened. If the animal has a history of violent behavior, however, then the owner can most certainly be on the hook if they fail to secure or train the animal and it injures someone again.
Considering a young girl was hurt here, it seems important to investigate that dog's history and take every possible step to get her family the answers and help they deserve. Nothing can undo the terrible damage done, but at the very least the responsible parties should be held accountable.
