The financial risk of pet ownership: Here's what can happen if your dog bites someone
You may have added a new member to your family during the pandemic. Did you tell your insurance company about it? Pets are great but they come with financial risk.
There has been a reported surge in dog bites. One U.S. children’s hospital reported a 300 per cent increase, and it could be due to a number of factors a play including more stress in the home. When a dog bites, the consequences are devastating for the victim and can be financially crippling for a dog’s owner. Expensive lawsuits are common after vicious attacks.
Sandra Wong in Burnaby recently got a new puppy. It is a Bernedoodle named Ollie, a cross between a Bernese Mountain dog and a Poodle. She says it is her first dog and she chose it because of its docile nature. However, she is taking him to behavioural classes and receiving training herself to ensure he grows into a well-behaved pup.
“You can tell he’s a bit of an alpha male. You can already sense that in him,” Wong said.
Animals like people can be unpredictable. Sometimes a calm animal can be provoked and bite. Others can attack without provocation.
If you got a pandemic pet, you need to protect yourself.
“Let your insurance representative know that you do have a pet,” explained Rob de Prius, director of consumer and industry relations at the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
“I just literally had to go online and click that I have a puppy now,” said Wong.
Typically, homeowners’ and renters’ insurance will cover you for up to $1 million in liability. The insurer will want to know the breed and size of your dog and other details including, vet care, inoculations, etc.
If you live in a condominium or rent, you’ll need to check your building’s by-laws before you get a pet.
“Review the by-laws because if they don’t allow a pet that could potentially invalidate your insurance coverages,” said de Prius. “Full disclosure is always the best policy.”
You also need to check local city regulations to see if certain breeds are restricted. The bigger the dog, the bigger the bite and if someone is attacked the injuries could be catastrophic and long lasting.
“I hope you never have to use it but if you ever do, you want to make sure that you’re covered fully,” Wong said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.