If your dog bites someone in Illinois, you have quite a bit to be concerned about. You have to ensure the person is okay and gets the proper medical treatment. You also have to be concerned about what this could mean for your property or rental insurance because a claim is almost certain to be made. You also need to think about your dog’s well-being.
According to Illinois Legal Aid, your dog will likely not be put down or euthanized if it has not been ruled a vicious dog. The court can label your dog as vicious if it believes it poses a danger to the public. If this happens, you must follow strict guidelines for how you contain your dog and for when you take your dog in public. This includes getting your dog spayed or neutered, keeping it muzzled when it is off your property, keeping it contained behind a six-foot fence and behind a locked gate and using a leash that is six feet long or shorter. If a vicious dog gets loose, it could be put down.
In general, if your dog bites someone, it will not be put down. However, you can expect to be sued by the person who was injured. You may also have to deal with legal ramifications. You could have to pay fines and may even face jail time. Typically, your dog must attack without being provoked in order for you to be held liable. However, your dog must also have been properly contained when it attacked. This information is only intended to educate and should not be interpreted as legal advice.