The city of Auburn, California, is moving forward with a strong dangerous dog ordinance four months after a major dog bite incident that left 17-year-old Joseph Kerschner seriously injured. According to a news report in The Sacramento Bee, Joseph was brutally mauled by four pit bulls in November. He would have been dead, had two Good Samaritans not intervened and got the dogs off of him. Joseph still sustained numerous puncture wounds on his ankles, legs, armpits and back.

But nearly four months after that horrific dog attack, Daniel Coverston, the dog owner, is trying to save one of the dogs with the help of "celebrity dog rescuer," Tia Maria Torres from the Animal Planet reality show, "Pit Bulls and Parolees." It is upsetting that the one dog was spared and the court allowed Torres to rehabilitate it. City officials are appalled that the dog was spared – as they should be.

Strong Dangerous Dog Laws

Now, they are wondering what the city should do in order to prevent future attacks and serious personal injuries. Breed bans are illegal in California. But the council is considering all other viable ideas including requiring all pit bulls to be neutered, creating higher licensing fees for unaltered dogs, restricting the number of dogs an individual can own and increasing penalties. The important point when it comes to dangerous dog or vicious dog laws in California is that although the state does not allow breed-specific bans, cities and counties can create breed-specific rules governing spaying, neutering or breeding.

Vicious Dog Laws Protect Communities

The new laws are apparently working. The city of San Francisco enacted an ordinance in 2005 after the mauling death of 12-year-old Nicholas Faibish. The city started requiring all pit bulls to be neutered. Since that ordinance was enacted, the San Francisco animal control department reports 30 percent fewer pit bulls are in a shelter or being euthanized. There are about 35,000 dog bites reported just in California. These laws are not about imposing limitations. They are about protecting our neighborhoods and communities.

It is also important that cities require pit bull owners and other dangerous dog owners to have higher liability insurance coverage. This makes sure that if their dog attacks or kills someone, the victim or their family can get fair compensation for the injuries or serious losses they have suffered. An innocent victim should not have to pay for the negligence of a dog owner. If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog attack, please contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer to find out more about your legal rights and options.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.