Sometimes dogs and children don’t mix well together. One of those instances is in-home day cares. Dogs may feel threatened when children they aren’t familiar with enter their living space. Dogs can be eye-level with small children, and the temptation may be too great for dogs to lash out at them. A child can get excited seeing a dog and want to run and play with them just being friendly, but the dog could see it as aggression and bite the child.
Some factors can make the possibility of a dog attack even greater. Certain breeds as Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and German Shepherds are among the most dangerous, and shouldn’t be allowed at day care homes. But in their defense, dogs act as they are trained. Even the most gentle-looking breeds can be provoked when a child pulls on their ears or tail, or tries to sit on them. It only takes one bite to cause disfiguring injuries requiring stitches or even surgeries to a child’s face to repair their injuries. It’s easy to see why people like to have dogs as pets, but when it comes to running a child care business in their home, the most important concern should be safety of the children.
Some carriers allow dogs at in-home day cares, and may even offer full or sublimit coverage for dog bite injuries. Others exclude any injury or damage caused by animals.
Please contact our experienced Underwriters at Erickson-Larsen Inc and Bjornson/Sentinel-E&L to discuss coverage options. Applications are available on our website for these and many other types of risks.
Disclaimer: This post is intended for general information purposes only. The information is not intended to constitute and should not be considered legal or professional advice, nor does it represent any policy coverage.