Shock Decision: If You Want Compensation for a Dog Bite, Bring This

VALJEVO: If you are bitten by a stray dog in Valjevo and want to claim compensation from the city, you will have to provide a photograph of the dog as evidence.

The city authorities made this bizarre decision to protect themselves, because in 2016 they paid out 24 million dinars to citizens for stray dog bites. This unusual decision of the City Council also states that the injured party, that is, the citizen attacked by the dog, will have to find that same dog in the field, accompanied by a municipal inspector. Under the new decision, the injured citizen files a report after a bite or attack by a stray dog with the City Administration department responsible for inspection affairs. In order to establish the further facts of the incident, the injured party goes out to the scene with the municipal inspector and photographs the stray dog, if possible.

The municipal inspector is then obliged to organise the identification and capture of the stray dog together with the competent animal hygiene service, states the decision of the Valjevo City Council. As they explain, the purpose of the "photographing and identification" is to establish whether the "attacking dog" is really a stray and thus the responsibility of the City, or whether it is a dog that has an owner but was let out onto the street.

In that case the City would disclaim responsibility, and the bitten citizen would have to seek compensation from the animal's owner.

The overcrowded city shelter houses more than 150 stray dogs, but it is estimated that there are still twice as many dogs on the streets.

On the other hand, the public utility company "Vidrak" says it does not have enough workers in animal hygiene to bring in strays for sterilisation.

(Blic)