[Michael11]

I'm posting this here in the hopes that I can locate the Poodle owner whose Standard black male poodle, well groomed, bit my wife's leg on her way to work at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles on February 19, 2020 around 9:30 am.

We just want to make sure the dog is up-to-date on all his shots, as he left an "open dog bite," as diagnosed by the Doctor. We love dogs - my wife was a professional dog walker and sitter for years here in Los Angeles. We are trying to determine what kind of medical treatment she should still seek. We aren't looking for money or retribution, just assurance that all vaccinations are up to date -- ideally we'd see the shot records.

If anyone has any information please reply, or you can call ‪(310) 494-6495.
Or if the owner happens to read this, you could anonymously post the shot records here.

It is very unlikely that domesticated dogs in Los Angeles have rabies, but it has been found locally in bats, raccoons, and other wild animals (coyotes) that live in and around Griffith Park. Even the smallest chance (.001%) of this incurable life-threatening disease being transmitted is terrifying. We just want to put our minds at ease.

Thank you in advance.

Michael

 

[The Opera Poodle]

I am very sorry this happened to you. What a traumatic experience for your wife. I personally, and I think others on this site would agree, do not know ANY owners of Standards that let their dogs run free out of their sight. As they are not a common dog, we run the risk of them being picked up and kept or sold on Ebay. So, I am guessing the owner is already aware and saw it happen and ducked away because of a lack of a spine (which makes it unlikely they will own up on a website to you,) or this is a dog that is an escapee from someones yard. In that case, the owner may have no clue if their dog was in the area where your wife was bit. But, I understand you taking the long shot to ask here.

As you pointed out, the chances of it being life-threatening are very slim. And to lessen the chance, if the dog was well groomed, you can cut that chance quite a bit more. Poodle's owner's biggest expense is grooming. Shots and vet care cost pale in comparison for the breed. We rarely will risk our big investment by saving a few buck on vaccinations. And, most grooming places require we bring in shot records so we have extra motivation to keep them up to date. Of course the dog could be owner groomed, but again, with the time that takes, it is unlikely that an owner who does this themselves would be careless as to their dog escaping or running off leash without supervision or being un-vaccinated.

I suggest you check the lost dog notices in Craig's List or any other local sources. The dog may no longer be missing but you could look at the date of the bite to see if any post still exist with phone numbers on them.

Again, I am so sorry. This is highly unusual behavior for this breed. I hope your wife heals quickly and this has not caused too much mental anguish. Best wishes.

 

[Michael11]

Thank you for your kind and thoughtful response. The dog was actually on leash, and the owner interacted briefly with my wife but left without providing contact info or information.

It is precisely because we know this is out of character for the breed that we are concerned.

 

[The Opera Poodle]

Thank you for your kind and thoughtful response. The dog was actually on leash, and the owner interacted briefly with my wife but left without providing contact info or information.

It is precisely because we know this is out of character for the breed that we are concerned.

Oh my. That is a whole different case then. If she walks the dog a lot in that area, ask others who frequent the area or put up a flyer. That is so irresponsible of her to not offer that information at the time of the bite. You may want to contact the CDC for your county to see if vets or doctors have reported any other bites or dogs seen with problems. Vets and physicians are required to report cases of animal to human infections.

I would be mortified if my dog bit a person. Again. So sorry you are going through this.

 

[Rose n Poos]

I haven't seen it in use, but recently, members are referencing Nextdoor for many uses in their geographic area. Maybe that's a possibility?

 

[Michael11]

Thank you both. This is very helpful. I am on NextDoor, but Los Angeles is very large and that side of Griffith Park is not officially part of my expanded "neighborhood" on NextDoor... but I'll log in and see what I can do.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Yes, share on Nextdoor. Good idea, Rose n Poos. Even if they're not in your community network, others who share a community network with her might see your post. You can also invite folks to spread the word.

I'd post in local poodle and pet owner Facebook groups, too.

Good luck. What a nasty thing to have happened.

My first ever dogbite came almost 40 years ago, from a family member's senior poodle. I was very small and my feet were dangling tantalizingly in midair. It's not unusual for poodles to have a high prey drive, and this particular dog was not used to children, so you can imagine what happened next. I can still recall the shock and the teeth marks.

 

[Michael11]

I've posted in my neighborhood. I actually tried to sign up as if I lived at Griffith Observatory but next door is really strict. We are very grateful for the kind responses.

 

[lily cd re]

Just for informational purposes on this. There is no such thing as a local CDC. The CDC is a federal agency and will collect reports from state and local health agencies they don't have local offices. In a situation like this I think the best agency to contact about the particular dog is animal control and the best health advice regarding wound treatment is a physician.