Bitten by a Dog in Des Moines?

Your first priority is putting distance between yourself and the animal. If the dog is still loose or aggressive, move to a car, a building, or behind a fence. Don't run — back away slowly and avoid direct eye contact if the dog hasn't been secured yet.

If someone else is being attacked, don't try to physically separate a biting dog with your hands. Use a barrier — a jacket, a bag, a trash can lid, anything between the dog and the victim. Call 911 if the attack is serious or ongoing. Des Moines police and the Animal Care unit both respond to dangerous animal situations.

Once you're safe, take a breath. Dog bites are traumatic — even a "minor" one — and your adrenaline is running. What you do in the next few hours matters for both your health and any future claim.

Dog bites are puncture wounds. They drive bacteria deep into tissue and have a high infection rate — much higher than cuts or scrapes. Even a bite that looks small on the surface can cause serious damage underneath: torn muscle, damaged tendons, nerve injury, and crushed tissue.

Go to an emergency room or urgent care within hours of the bite. In Des Moines, UnityPoint Health — Iowa Methodist Medical Center is the only Level I Adult Trauma Center in Central Iowa. MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center operates as a Level II Trauma Center. Blank Children's Hospital provides Level II Pediatric Trauma care for children who are bitten. Several urgent care clinics throughout Polk County can also evaluate and document bite injuries.

The doctor will clean the wound, assess for deep tissue damage, and decide whether you need stitches, antibiotics, or a tetanus booster. They'll also evaluate rabies risk — if the dog's vaccination status is unknown, Des Moines Animal Care may require the animal to be quarantined for observation. If the dog can't be located, you may need post-exposure rabies prophylaxis, which is a series of shots given over two weeks.

Get the medical visit documented. The records linking your injuries to the bite on a specific date are the backbone of any claim you file.

In Des Moines, dog bites should be reported to the Des Moines Police Department's Animal Care unit. Call (515) 283-4811 during business hours, or 911 for emergencies. The Animal Care facility handles all animal control enforcement within the city.

Give them the address where the bite happened, the dog owner's name and contact info if you have it, a description of the dog, and what happened. They'll initiate a quarantine of the animal — Iowa law requires dogs that have bitten someone to be observed for rabies symptoms.

This report does two things for you: it triggers a rabies observation period for the dog, and it creates an official government record of the bite. That record matters — it documents the incident in case the dog bites someone else in the future, and it creates evidence you'll need for your claim.

For bites that happen outside Des Moines city limits but within Polk County, contact the animal control authority for the specific municipality — West Des Moines, Ankeny, Urbandale, and other suburbs handle their own animal control enforcement.

Pull out your phone and photograph your injuries before they're cleaned or bandaged. Take photos from multiple angles, including close-ups that show the depth and extent of the wounds. Photograph torn or bloody clothing. If you can safely do so, photograph the dog and the location where the attack happened.

Write down what happened while it's fresh. Where were you? What were you doing? Was the dog on a leash? Was it on the owner's property or running loose? Did the owner say anything after the bite? Were there witnesses? Get their names and phone numbers.

Keep photographing your injuries as they heal — or as they get worse. Infections, scarring, and surgical outcomes all unfold over days and weeks. A photo timeline of your wound from day one through recovery is powerful evidence of the harm you suffered.

Save every medical bill, prescription receipt, and record of time missed from work. If you need help at home because you can't use a hand or arm, document those costs too.

This is where Iowa law works in your favor. Under Iowa Code § 351.28, a dog owner is liable for all damages when their dog attacks or attempts to bite a person. This is a strict liability statute — you don't have to prove the owner was negligent. You don't have to prove the dog had a history of aggression. You don't have to prove the owner should have known the dog was dangerous.

The dog bit you. The owner is liable. That's it.

Some states use a "one bite rule" — the dog essentially gets a free first bite before the owner can be held responsible. Iowa specifically rejected that approach. Here, the owner is on the hook from bite number one, regardless of the dog's prior behavior.

The only meaningful exceptions under Iowa law are narrow: if you were committing an unlawful act that directly contributed to the injury (such as trespassing on the owner's property), or if the dog had rabies and the owner didn't know and couldn't have reasonably known. Outside these narrow exceptions, the owner pays.

What this means in practice: your case doesn't hinge on proving the owner was careless. The legal question is simply whether the dog caused your injuries. If it did, the owner is liable. The main disputes will be about the extent of your damages and whether any defenses apply.

Dog bite injuries often go well beyond the initial wound. Iowa law allows you to recover compensation for the full range of damages caused by the bite.

Medical expenses are usually the largest component — emergency room visits, wound care, antibiotics, surgery, reconstructive procedures, physical therapy, and any future treatment related to the bite. If the bite gets infected (which is common), the costs climb fast.

Lost wages cover time missed from work while recovering, and any reduction in your ability to earn income going forward. If a hand or arm injury affects your ability to do your job, that lost earning capacity has real value.

Pain and suffering accounts for the physical pain of the bite and recovery, plus the emotional and psychological impact — anxiety, fear of dogs, nightmares, PTSD. These are especially pronounced in children.

Scarring and disfigurement matter a lot in dog bite cases. Bites frequently leave permanent scars, especially on the face, hands, and arms. Courts take facial scarring in children particularly seriously because scars stretch as a child grows.

You can also recover for property damage (torn clothing, broken glasses, damaged items) and out-of-pocket costs like travel to medical appointments or hiring help at home during recovery.

Strict liability doesn't mean automatic full recovery. The dog owner (or their insurance company) can still raise defenses to reduce or eliminate what they owe you.

Under Iowa Code § 351.28, the owner is not liable if the injured person was doing an unlawful act that directly contributed to the injury. Trespassing is the most common application — if you were illegally on the owner's property when the bite occurred, this defense may apply.

Provocation is another defense. If the owner can show you were teasing, hitting, or otherwise provoking the dog before the bite, your recovery may be reduced or barred. This comes up often with children — a child pulling a dog's tail or ears may be considered provocation, though courts weigh the child's age and understanding.

Iowa's comparative negligence rule (Iowa Code § 668.3) also applies. If you're found partially at fault — say you ignored warning signs or approached a dog that was clearly agitated — your damages get reduced by your percentage of fault. If you're 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing.

Most dog bite claims are paid through the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance policy. The average dog bite insurance claim nationally is around $58,000 — but serious bites involving surgery, infection, or facial scarring in children can be worth far more.

Insurance companies will try to settle quickly and cheaply. They know strict liability puts them in a weak position, so they'll push for a fast resolution before you understand the full extent of your injuries. Don't accept an early offer before you know your total medical costs and whether scarring will be permanent.

Des Moines has specific local ordinances that may affect your case — for example, owners of certain breeds are required to carry at least $100,000 in liability insurance under Des Moines Code § 18-44.01. An attorney familiar with both Iowa state law and local Des Moines ordinances can evaluate the full scope of your claim.

A personal injury attorney can negotiate with the insurance company and make sure you're not settling for less than the claim is worth. Most dog bite attorneys in Iowa work on contingency — no upfront cost, and they only get paid if you recover. A free consultation gives you a clear picture of what your claim may be worth.