Been Bitten by a Dog in Pittsburgh?

If you've been bitten, your first priority is getting away from the dog and to a safe location. Dog bites can range from minor puncture wounds to severe lacerations, crush injuries, and disfiguring facial injuries. Children are especially vulnerable — they are most often bitten on the face and head because of their height relative to the dog.

If the bite is deep, bleeding heavily, on the face or neck, or showing signs of tissue damage, call 911 or go directly to an emergency room. For less severe bites, seek medical attention within 24 hours — even superficial puncture wounds carry a high risk of infection.

Dog bites introduce bacteria deep into tissue, creating a high risk of infection. Even bites that seem minor can develop into serious infections including cellulitis, MRSA, sepsis, or in rare cases, rabies. Seek medical treatment promptly.

In Pittsburgh, UPMC Presbyterian, Allegheny General Hospital, UPMC Mercy, and UPMC Shadyside all have emergency departments for severe bites. For children, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC is a nationally ranked facility for pediatric trauma and reconstructive care. For less severe bites, UPMC urgent care locations throughout Allegheny County can provide evaluation and treatment.

Your doctor will clean the wound, assess whether stitches or surgical repair are needed, prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection, and determine whether a tetanus booster or rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is necessary based on the dog's vaccination status.

Keep all medical records, bills, and prescriptions. Photograph your injuries on the day of the bite and daily thereafter to document how they heal (or don't). Scarring documentation is especially important for dog bite cases.

If you don't already know, identify the dog and its owner as quickly as possible. Get the owner's name, address, phone number, and homeowner's or renter's insurance information. Ask whether the dog is current on its rabies vaccination — this determines whether you need rabies post-exposure prophylaxis.

If the dog is a stray or the owner is unknown, note the dog's breed, size, color, and any distinguishing features. Note the exact location where the bite occurred. If the owner is present, take a photo of the dog if you can do so safely. If there are witnesses, get their names and phone numbers.

Report the bite to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Animal Care and Control — daytime (7 AM–3 PM) at (412) 255-2036, afternoon/evening (3 PM–11 PM) at (412) 255-2935. If the bite occurred outside Pittsburgh city limits, contact Allegheny County Animal Control at (412) 418-2163. Pennsylvania law requires healthcare providers to report all animal bites, but you should also file your own report.

Under Pennsylvania law, the biting dog must be quarantined for at least 10 days to monitor for rabies symptoms. Animal control will verify the dog's vaccination status and investigate the circumstances. Allegheny County recorded 2,157 animal bite reports in 2023, with dogs accounting for 76% of all bites — over 1,600 dog bites in one year. If the dog has a history of aggression or prior bites, this documentation strengthens your case and may lead to the dog being classified as 'dangerous' under 3 Pa.C.S. § 459-502-A.

Filing a report creates an official record. If the dog has bitten before, prior reports are critical evidence for establishing the owner's knowledge of the dog's dangerous tendencies — which unlocks full damages beyond just medical costs.

In addition to medical records and photos of your injuries, document: the location where the bite occurred (photograph it), any fencing or lack thereof, whether the dog was on a leash or running loose, 'Beware of Dog' signs, the circumstances that led to the bite, witness contact information, any communication with the dog's owner, and your symptoms and recovery over time.

If the bite happened on the owner's property, photograph the property — the fencing (or lack thereof), the gate (open or closed), and any signs. If it happened in a public area, note whether the dog was on a leash — Pittsburgh City Code Chapter 633 requires dogs to be leashed in public spaces, and violation of the Dog Law constitutes negligence per se. Pittsburgh has no breed-specific legislation (Pennsylvania state law explicitly prohibits municipalities from targeting specific breeds), so enforcement focuses on individual dog behavior, not breed. This evidence is relevant to negligence and whether the owner took reasonable precautions.

Pennsylvania has a specific structure for dog bite liability that differs from many states. It's a two-tier system.

Tier 1 — Strict liability for medical costs: Under 3 Pa.C.S. § 459-502, dog owners are strictly liable for the victim's medical expenses resulting from a dog bite, regardless of whether the owner knew the dog was dangerous and regardless of the dog's prior history. You don't need to prove negligence for this tier — just that the dog bit you and you incurred medical costs.

Tier 2 — Full damages for dangerous dogs or known vicious propensity: To recover full damages — including pain and suffering, scarring and disfigurement, emotional distress, and lost wages — you must show either: (a) the dog was previously classified as 'dangerous' under 3 Pa.C.S. § 459-502-A (history of attacks or severe injury without provocation), or (b) the owner knew or should have known about the dog's vicious propensity (prior bites, aggressive behavior, complaints from neighbors).

You can also pursue a common-law negligence claim if the owner failed to take reasonable precautions — such as letting the dog run off-leash in violation of a leash law, failing to secure a fence, or ignoring known aggressive tendencies. Under Pennsylvania's modified comparative negligence rule (42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7102), your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and recovery is barred at 51% or more.

Under 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524, you have two years from the date of the dog bite to file a personal injury lawsuit. For children, the statute of limitations is tolled until the child turns 18 — but don't wait, as evidence and memories fade.

If a government entity is involved (e.g., a dog owned by a government employee or a bite that occurred on government property due to negligent maintenance), you may need to provide notice within six months under Pennsylvania's Sovereign Immunity rules.

Pennsylvania's two-tier dog bite system means the difference between recovering just medical costs and recovering full damages depends on establishing the dog's dangerous classification or the owner's knowledge. An experienced attorney can investigate the dog's history (prior bite reports, animal control records, neighbor complaints), determine which tier of liability applies, negotiate with the homeowner's insurance company, and fight for fair compensation — including scarring, disfigurement, and emotional trauma.

Dog bite injuries to children are especially serious and often involve significant medical treatment, reconstructive procedures, and long-term psychological effects. An attorney can document the full impact of these injuries.

Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations and work on contingency — you pay nothing unless they recover compensation for you.