A cyclist’s guide to dealing with dogs

Escaping the city and its sprawl to quiet country roadways is always the highlight of my cycling season. I look over maps of the most rural gravel roads to explore, as well as avoid heavy traffic and the dangers of distracted motorists. Even on gravel, however, you and I must still be vigilant—for cars, tractors and pickups sure, but also unleashed farm dogs. It’s not just country roads though. Frequently we see cases in parks or on trails, where cyclists are riding and someone has their dog off-leash in an on-leash area. Dogs dart across pathways causing people on bikes to lose control, fall or hit the animals themselves. The outcomes are never pleasant.

Our client Samantha was enjoying a solitary Sunday morning ride when two dogs tore after her as she biked by their farm. She nearly evaded them but one leapt at her leg and bit in. She didn’t crash to the ground and escaped with a few painful bite marks. Samantha was at first incensed by this incident so she drove back in her car later and took down as much information about the property as she could glean from the road. She then filed a complaint with the local municipality.

Samantha shared her concerns with her local cycling club. It turned out these dogs had chased other cyclists, too. She dug deeper and with our help found out that the municipality had been alerted to this danger several times. Not only did Samantha pursue a lawsuit against the dog owners but she ensured the municipality dealt the owner a penalty as well.

We see this and other types of interactions with dogs more frequently than we would like. I have been chased twice in the past year on similar country roads to where Samantha was riding. Thankfully, I escaped injury. I’ve often thought about what else I could do to protect myself, aside from biking really fast. Spraying them with my water bottle could inflame the situation. I could fall off my bike while undertaking the panicked manoeuvre.

Perhaps the best defence is our collective offence. When you encounter an off-leash dog that chases you, take a mental note of where you are and report the incident to the nearest municipality. That may lead to some action or at least make a record that will help demonstrate a pattern should someone else fall victim to the dogs.

“I’ve often thought about what else I could do to protect myself, aside from biking really fast.”

If you are bitten by a dog, identify and speak with the owner. Get a picture of the person’s ID and confirm their address. Call the authorities to the scene if you’re injured (both police and ambulance) and ensure the person stays around. Even if you aren’t injured, it’s wise to call authorities. In most cases, bylaw officers handle these situations where injury does not result.

Once you’ve been assessed by a medical doctor, you may have a case. Unlike motor vehicle collision insurance law that is stacked against cyclists, many provinces and territories place strict liability and responsibility on dog owners for their animals. So, if you get injured, it’s very unlikely they won’t be on the hook to compensate you for it.

Certainly, the incidents of dog versus cyclist ordeals pale in comparison to the thousands of motorists involved in collisions, but it’s good to be prepared.

Dave Shellnutt is the founder and managing partner of The Biking Lawyer LLP, lawyers for injured cyclists, thebikinglawyer.ca.