Legal Question in Personal Injury in Maine

After being bit by neighbours dog (both tenants of an abandoned apartment building, the dogs owner is allowing the dog outside unmuzzled, allowing it to intimidate my wife by growling and threatening her from both inside and outside the apartment. Can a protection from harassment order or some other injunction make him keep the dog entirely inside apartment (it hangs out a destroyed window screen, etc., to make his intimidation more intimate) and muzzled when outside untill arraignment?


Asked on 7/28/09, 10:16 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
David Marchese Drummond & Drummond, LLP

I suggest that you begin by going to your local police department and filing a complaint while asking for assistance. If that does not resolve the problem, then you will need to file a complaint for protection from harassment which is a civil action that you would do in the local District Court. You may be able to get an emergency order pending a final hearing, and many people do this without an attorney. In Maine, once you obtain that order for protection, a violation of it is chargeable as a misdemeanor crime. A separate issue is whether it is worth pursuing a claim with regard to the dog bite itself. I would be happy to talk to you further about this. Thank you for your inquiry.

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Answered on 8/11/09, 10:13 am


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