Bitten by a Dog in Houston?

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.

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. Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world. Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center operates the Red Duke Trauma Institute, a Level I trauma center treating over 14,000 trauma patients per year. Ben Taub Hospital (Harris Health System) is also a Level I trauma center. For children, Texas Children's Hospital — the largest pediatric hospital in the country — is the right choice.

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, the City of Houston may require the animal to be quarantined for a 10-day observation period. 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 Houston, report any animal bite that breaks the skin to BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions (the city's animal control agency and Local Rabies Control Authority). Call BARC's Bite Case/Quarantine line at 832-395-9049 or call 311. BARC is located at 3200 Carr Street, Houston, TX 77026.

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. An animal control officer will investigate and place the animal under a mandatory 10-day quarantine for rabies observation.

If the dog's vaccinations are current and it has no bite history, the owner may be allowed to quarantine the dog at home. If vaccinations are not current or the dog has a bite history, the animal will likely be impounded at BARC's facility for the quarantine period.

This report does two critical things for you: it triggers a rabies observation period for the dog, and it creates an official government record of the bite. That record is essential — under Texas's one-bite rule, proving the owner knew their dog was dangerous often depends on documented prior incidents. An animal control report is exactly the kind of evidence that establishes that knowledge.

For bites that happen outside Houston city limits but within Harris County, contact Harris County Veterinary Public Health at 281-999-3191.

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.

Texas handles dog bite liability differently from many states. Texas follows a negligence-based system often called the "one-bite rule." Under this approach, a dog owner is liable for a bite if: (1) the owner knew or should have known the dog had dangerous or vicious tendencies, and (2) the owner's negligence in handling the dog caused your injuries.

The name "one-bite rule" is misleading — it doesn't mean the dog literally gets one free bite. It means you must show the owner had reason to know the dog posed a risk. Evidence of this includes: prior bites or attacks (even if unreported), the dog lunging at or threatening people, the owner keeping the dog chained or muzzled due to aggression, neighbors or delivery workers complaining about the dog, or the dog's breed or size combined with aggressive behavior.

You can also establish liability through general negligence — for example, if the owner violated a local leash ordinance and the unleashed dog bit you, that violation of the ordinance is strong evidence of negligence. Houston's city ordinance requires dogs to be restrained by a leash or confined to the owner's property. A dog running at large that bites someone is a clear case of negligence regardless of the dog's bite history.

Texas also recognizes negligence per se when a dog owner violates an animal control statute or ordinance. If Houston's leash law required the dog to be confined and the owner let it roam free, the owner is presumed negligent.

Dog bite injuries often go well beyond the initial wound. Texas 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. The national average dog bite insurance claim reached $69,272 in 2024 — up 18% from the prior year — but serious bites involving reconstructive surgery, repeated procedures, or infections can far exceed that.

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 significantly 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, potentially requiring multiple corrective surgeries through adolescence.

Texas does not cap non-economic damages (pain and suffering) in most personal injury cases. Your recovery is based on the full extent of your harm.

The dog owner (or their insurance company) can raise several defenses to reduce or eliminate what they owe you.

Provocation is the most common 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.

Trespassing is another defense. If you were unlawfully on the owner's property when the bite occurred, the owner may argue you assumed the risk — especially if "Beware of Dog" signs were posted. However, a posted sign alone doesn't eliminate liability if the owner knew the dog was dangerous and failed to adequately restrain it.

Texas's modified comparative negligence rule (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001) applies to dog bite cases. If you're found partially at fault — say you ignored warning signs or approached a chained 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. Insurance companies will try to settle quickly and cheaply — they know that once you understand the full extent of your injuries and the strength of your evidence, the claim is worth more. Don't accept an early offer before you know your total medical costs and whether scarring will be permanent.

Because Texas uses a negligence-based system rather than strict liability, dog bite cases here require more evidence-gathering than in states where the owner is automatically liable. An attorney can investigate the dog's history (prior complaints, animal control records, neighbor testimony), identify all applicable insurance policies, and build the negligence case you need.

Most personal injury attorneys in Houston 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 and whether the evidence supports a strong case.