If your dog has just bitten someone, deal with safety first: secure your dog, get the person first aid and medical care, and swap contact details. The bite may then be reported to your local council, which can investigate and, depending on what happened, declare your dog menacing or dangerous under the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
That’s a lot to take in while you’re still shaking, and the next few days matter too, for the council process and for preventing a second bite. This is general information checked in October 2026, and laws can change. It isn’t legal advice, so check your own situation with your council and a lawyer.
Key Takeaways
– Secure your dog first, then get the bitten person medical help. Better Health advises seeing a doctor after a dog bite because of the high risk of infection.
– Councils are expected to investigate reported attacks and may declare a dog menacing or dangerous.
– An owner may be able to ask VCAT to review a declaration, generally within 28 days.
– Keep records, stay off social media and start behaviour work early.
What should you do in the first hour after your dog bites someone?
Take the steps below in order. Why it happened can wait until everyone is safe.
Separate and secure your dog
Clip on a lead, move your dog away and shut it in a car, a closed room or a crate. Keep your voice low, move slowly, and keep children and other dogs well away. Training and working out what went wrong can wait. For now you’re only trying to stop a second bite.
Get first aid and medical care for the person
If the injury looks serious, call triple zero (000). The Better Health Channel’s first aid advice is to seek immediate medical help and call 000 for an ambulance in an emergency. It also says anyone bitten by an animal such as a dog or cat should seek medical attention, because there’s a high risk of infection (Better Health Channel).
Better Health lists animal bites as tetanus-prone wounds too, and says that if you haven’t been immunised for tetanus in the last 5 years, you should visit your doctor as soon as possible (Better Health Channel). Don’t try to judge how bad the bite is. Help the person get to a GP or hospital and let the doctor decide. For health advice at any hour, Nurse-on-Call is on 1300 60 60 24.
If your dog bit another pet, the other owner will want their vet to check it. If your own dog was hurt, have your vet look at it too.
Exchange details calmly
Swap names, phone numbers and addresses, and note any witnesses. Agriculture Victoria tells people who’ve been bitten or chased by a dog to report it to the council and to try to identify the owner by photograph, car registration or where they live (Agriculture Victoria). So expect a report, and be open from the start. Be kind, leave questions of fault for later, and get legal advice before you put anything about blame in writing.
Canine Services International is a dog training and dog behaviour business in Boronia, Melbourne’s east, led by Brad Griggs, canine behaviour specialist. It works with anxious, reactive and aggressive dogs, as well as everyday puppies and pet dogs, and offers temperament evaluations and expert witness reports for councils and courts, with one-on-one, small group and online sessions.
What will the council do after a dog bite in Victoria?
If the bite is reported, expect your local council to investigate. Agriculture Victoria says all reports of dog attacks are recorded and forwarded to the relevant council to investigate, and the Victorian Government expects councils to promptly investigate all reported attacks (Agriculture Victoria).
Reports can go to the council directly or to the Dangerous Dogs Hotline on 136 186, which operates 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. If a council officer contacts you, be honest and cooperative, keep copies of whatever you’re given, and ask a lawyer before any formal interview or written statement.
Which declarations can follow a bite?
Under the Domestic Animals Act 1994, councils in Victoria may declare a dog menacing if it causes a non serious bite injury to a person or animal, or if it rushes at or chases a person (Agriculture Victoria). Agriculture Victoria also notes that a serious bite may lead to a dog being declared dangerous.
A council declaring a dog menacing may require it to be muzzled and kept on a chain, cord or leash whenever it’s outside the owner’s premises. A menacing declaration can be upgraded to a dangerous dog declaration if the owner is issued two infringement notices for not complying with requirements such as leashing or muzzling in public. Our guide to dangerous and menacing dog declarations in Victoria covers what each one means day to day.
What penalties are possible?
Agriculture Victoria lists the possible consequences when a dog attacks a person or animal: the owner may be liable for thousands of dollars in fines, the dog may be seized and euthanased, and the owner may have to pay compensation ordered by a court. That’s hard to read late at night. What actually happens in your case depends on the facts and the investigation, which is why legal advice early on is worth it.
What should you keep, and what should you avoid doing?
Keep a dated record of what happened, and avoid anything that could look like hiding the dog or the facts. Good records help you, your lawyer and anyone who assesses your dog later. If a declaration is made, VCAT asks people applying for a review to attach a copy of the decision document if they have one (VCAT).
Records worth keeping
- A written account made the same day: time, place, who was there, and what was happening just before the bite.
- Photos of the location, your gates and fences, and the lead or collar your dog was wearing.
- Names and contact details of any witnesses.
- Vet notes for your dog, including any check-ups after the incident.
- All letters, emails and notices from the council, with the date each one arrived.
What to avoid
Don’t hide your dog, send it to stay with someone else or quietly rehome it. That’s hard to explain later, and declared dogs come with notification rules. If your dog is declared menacing, Agriculture Victoria says the owner must notify the council within 24 hours if the dog goes missing, its ownership changes or the place where it’s kept changes (Agriculture Victoria).
Don’t argue about it online. A heated post in a local community group can be screenshotted and shared, and it won’t help the person who was hurt or your dog.
Don’t let visitors interact with your dog for now. Agriculture Victoria’s advice to owners concerned about people’s safety around their dog is to keep it securely confined to the property and not let visitors interact with it until the aggression problem is resolved.
Can you challenge a dog declaration at VCAT?
If you’re the owner, you may be able to apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) for a review of a council’s decision to declare your dog dangerous or menacing, generally within 28 days (VCAT). The 28 days run from when the decision was made or, if you asked for a statement of reasons, from when you receive it or are told it won’t be given.
VCAT may extend the time for a late application, but don’t count on it. If you don’t apply, the council’s decision takes effect once the deadline has passed. On review, VCAT can affirm the decision, vary it, or set it aside and substitute its own, among other options.
VCAT’s page also says it can’t give legal advice and that you may have to pay a fee to apply. You don’t need a lawyer to appear, but the regulatory body in most cases uses legal representation, and hearings are usually public.
For menacing declarations, Agriculture Victoria says a council can revoke the declaration if the owner takes action to remedy the reasons for the dog rushing at or chasing a person, and satisfies the council that it won’t happen again. Ask your council how that applies to you.
When to get professional help
Get help now, not after the council decides. Agriculture Victoria says owners of dogs displaying aggressive behaviour must seek professional advice as soon as possible: have the dog checked by a vet for health problems that might contribute to the aggression, and contact an animal behaviourist or dog trainer (Agriculture Victoria).
Act sooner if any of these sound familiar:
- The bite came with little or no warning.
- Growling, snapping or lunging has been building for a while.
- You’ve started avoiding walks, guests or outings because of your dog.
- Someone in your home is now nervous around the dog.
The vet check comes first, and any decision about medication for your dog is your vet’s to make. After that, work with someone who handles aggression. Canine Services International’s view: “Most problems are not solved by suppressing them. We build the dog underneath, so it can feel and act differently.” As the business puts it: “No magic equipment. No overnight fix. We teach you the work and how to keep applying it.” There’s an indoor facility in Boronia, and temperament evaluations and expert witness reports are available for councils and courts.
Starting early gives your household a safer routine while the council process plays out, plus dated notes on what you’ve done. Your lawyer can tell you whether that’s relevant to any declaration.
If your dog has bitten someone, book a call to talk through your next steps or phone 0483 983 647. Mention any council contact or declaration when you call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can report a dog bite in Victoria?
A dog attack on a person, animal or pet can be reported to the local council or to the Dangerous Dogs Hotline on 136 186, which runs 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, according to Agriculture Victoria. Reports are recorded and passed to the relevant council to investigate. If your dog did the biting, ask a lawyer how best to deal with the council.
Will my dog be put down after biting someone?
Not necessarily. Agriculture Victoria lists seizure and euthanasia among the possible consequences of a dog attack, alongside fines and court-ordered compensation, and councils can also declare a dog menacing or dangerous with restrictions. The outcome depends on what happened and what the council’s investigation finds. Get legal advice early, and book a vet check and behaviour assessment straight away.
Should the person who was bitten see a doctor?
Yes. The Better Health Channel advises seeking medical attention after a bite from an animal such as a dog or cat, because there is a high risk of infection. Its tetanus page adds that anyone with a wound who hasn’t been immunised for tetanus in the last 5 years should visit a doctor as soon as possible. In an emergency, call triple zero (000).
How long do I have to challenge a dog declaration at VCAT?
Generally 28 days. VCAT says an owner must apply within 28 days from when the council’s decision was made or, if a statement of reasons was requested, from when it’s given or you’re told it won’t be. VCAT may extend the time for a late application. If you don’t apply, the council’s decision takes effect once the deadline passes.