A woman in California claimed that she was bitten by a dog, only for its owner to hand her $60 and flee the scene.
The alleged incident took place in the West Hollywood area of Los Angeles County, prompting the woman to share her experience on Reddit. She titled her post, “I was bitten by a dog today, unprovoked, in broad daylight. Angelenos, I am BEGGING YOU to please get control of your dogs.”
The woman said she was walking back to her car after getting coffee and preparing to return to work when it happened. She noticed a man picking up after his pit bull while loosely holding the dog’s leash. As she walked past them, the dog allegedly broke free from its owner’s grip and attacked her, biting her upper thigh.
The encounter left the woman terrified, and she said she began crying. According to her account, the dog’s owner asked whether she was okay, then took out his wallet, handed her $60, and ran away with his dog. As a result, she couldn’t get his contact information.
“I have been hysterical for the entire afternoon,” the woman wrote. She explained that the attack had left her so shaken that she could no longer continue working. She went home to retrieve her insurance card before heading to an urgent care facility for medical attention. At the time she shared her Reddit post, she was still waiting to receive treatment.
What Happened Next
Reflecting on the frightening encounter, the victim expressed disbelief over what had happened. “I was literally just minding my business. This has never happened to me before and I just don’t even know how to process it. It’s shocking.” She then criticized the dog’s owner for failing to maintain control of his pet. “How can a dog owner be so irresponsible to the point where their dog just does something like this to a random passerby? The owner was apologetic but the fact that he never even offered to give me his contact info says a lot imo. It’s infuriating,” she wrote.
She concluded her original post by urging pet owners to take greater responsibility, writing, “Dog owners, please, please, please the time to train and secure your dogs when out in public at all times.” In a subsequent update, she thanked Reddit users for their support and revealed that she had received a tetanus shot and was taking a course of antibiotics following the attack.
The victim also confirmed that she was filing a police report and trying to obtain surveillance footage from nearby properties. “The incident happened too far away from the coffee shop for there to be any camera footage from the business, so my most reliable footage is likely going to come from residential homes on the opposite side of the street from where the attack took place.”
In a final update, she clarified that the dog had been on a leash, but its owner was “inattentive and distracted” while cleaning up after it. She maintained that “the dog was clearly poorly trained and aggressive as it lunged at me with zero provocation while wearing a leash,” emphasizing that the attack had been unprovoked. It remains unclear whether she has identified the owner or whether authorities will take further action.
Internet Users Sympathize With California Woman After Dog Bite
Many viewers online expressed sympathy for the California woman after learning about the alleged dog attack, with several criticizing the owner for how he handled the situation. “What a piece of [expletive]. Ask the business owners for camera footage, and blast this guy’s image. File a police report. That is not acceptable,” one person wrote. Another expressed concern for her and criticized irresponsible pet ownership, commenting, “I’m deeply sorry you had to experience that. It is sad that so many dog owners are not just careless but utterly negligent. My heart goes out to you.”
Several commenters also offered the victim advice on what steps she could take following the attack, with many encouraging her to obtain surveillance footage and identify the dog’s owner. “See if you can get any surveillance footage. Post the footage to Nextdoor, identify the man and hire an attorney when you do,” one person wrote. Another expressed concern that the dog could attack someone else, potentially a child, commenting, “please get the footage from neighboring businesses. It could be a child victim next and could be worse.”
The alleged attack highlighted the importance of responsible dog ownership, particularly keeping pets properly trained and under control when walking them in public. It also raised concerns about the injuries uncontrolled dogs can cause to unsuspecting pedestrians and owners’ responsibility to prevent such incidents and respond appropriately when they occur.
