What Should You Do Immediately After a Dog Bite?
Dog bite wounds carry real infection risk, and the details you gather in the first hours matter given Arizona’s unusually short filing deadline.
By Simon Touma · Updated August 14, 2026
What Are the Most Important Steps After a Dog Bite?
Quick answer: Get medical attention promptly, given the real infection risk with animal bites. Get the dog owner’s contact and insurance information, photograph your injuries and the scene, identify witnesses, and report the bite to local animal control, which creates an official record.
On This Page
Get Medical Attention Promptly
Dog bites carry a real risk of infection, and some require stitches, rabies evaluation, or other prompt medical care. Do not delay treatment even if the wound looks minor initially, animal bites can introduce bacteria deep into tissue in ways that are not always obvious from the surface.
Beyond the immediate health reasons, prompt medical treatment also creates a contemporaneous medical record connecting your injuries directly to the bite, which becomes valuable evidence if the claim is later disputed.
Awards & Recognition
Founding Partners Michael Tamou and Simon Touma’s personal injury litigation work has been independently recognized, earned, never purchased.
Get the Owner’s Information
Get the dog owner’s name, contact information, and, if possible, information about their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, which often covers dog bite liability claims. Most dog bite settlements are actually paid through a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, not out of the owner’s own pocket, so identifying this coverage matters practically.
Document Everything
Photograph your injuries, the location where the bite occurred, and the dog if possible. This documentation matters especially given how contested provocation defenses can become, clear photos of the scene can help establish exactly what happened and where.
If there is any physical evidence, torn clothing, for example, keep it rather than discarding or washing it, since it can serve as additional evidence of the severity of the attack.
Report to Animal Control
Filing a report with local animal control creates an official record of the incident and can trigger a rabies quarantine check on the dog, both important for your health and your claim. This report is also useful because it is created close in time to the actual event, before memories fade or details get disputed.
Identify Witnesses
If anyone saw the attack, or the events leading up to it, get their contact information as soon as possible. Witness accounts can be particularly important in dog bite cases given how often provocation gets raised as a defense, an independent account of what actually happened can directly counter that argument.
Remember the Shortened Deadline
Given Arizona’s one-year statute of limitations for strict liability dog bite claims, do not delay in consulting an attorney about your situation, this is meaningfully shorter than the deadline for most other types of personal injury claims.
A Quick Checklist for the First 24-48 Hours
- Seek medical treatment, even for a wound that looks minor.
- Get the owner’s name, contact information, and insurance details if possible.
- Photograph your injuries and the scene before anything changes.
- Report the incident to animal control.
- Write down what happened while it is fresh, including anything the owner said at the scene.
Just been bitten by a dog in Arizona? Talk to our litigation team before you respond.
Call 602-932-6010Related Practice Areas
Dog Bite LawyerWhat Should You Do Immediately After a Dog Bite? FAQs
Do I have to report a dog bite to animal control?
It is strongly recommended, both for public health reasons and to create an official record supporting your claim.
What if I don’t know the dog owner?
Try to get information from anyone nearby, and animal control or police can sometimes help identify the owner if the dog can be located.
Is a rabies shot always necessary after a dog bite?
This depends on the specific circumstances and the dog’s vaccination status, a medical provider can advise on this.
Should I take photos of the dog itself?
If safely possible, yes, this can help with identification and documentation.
Does most dog bite compensation come from the owner personally or their insurance?
Most settlements are paid through the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, which is why identifying that coverage early matters.
Should I keep damaged clothing from the bite?
Yes, torn or bloodied clothing can serve as additional physical evidence of the severity of the attack.
What should I write down while the incident is still fresh?
Details about what happened immediately before the bite, anything the owner said, and the general sequence of events, all of which can fade from memory over time.
Key Takeaways
- Get medical attention promptly given the real infection risk with dog bites.
- Get the owner’s contact and insurance information at the scene.
- Photograph your injuries and the scene thoroughly.
- Report the bite to animal control to create an official record.
- Remember Arizona’s shortened one-year deadline for strict liability claims.
Visit Us
