Put health first
Follow a clinician’s advice for the wound and ask about infection, tetanus, or rabies concerns. The CDC advises reporting bites to local animal control or police, particularly when vaccination status is uncertain.
Record the animal and place
If available, keep the owner or handler’s contact information, dog description, exact location, witness names, photos, treatment records, and animal-control report. Do not approach the dog again to gather evidence.
Avoid assuming one liability rule
State dog-bite statutes and common-law theories differ. Lawful presence, ownership, animal history, and the facts of the encounter can matter. A lawyer should check the current rule for the state and situation.
Ask incident-specific questions
Ask whether the firm handles animal injuries, how it requests animal-control and insurance records, which attorney would manage the matter, and what written fee terms apply.