(504) 821-2222 is the non-emergency number in New Orleans.

The Records and Identification/Support Services of the New Orleans Police Department takes calls at (504) 658-5455 and is at 715 South Broad Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70119.

Under the applicable state law in New Orleans, a dog bite claimant may seek restitution for the intangible non-economic and tangible economic harm sustained during an attack. The former ranges from emotional distress to lasting pain, while the latter covers medical bills and lost wages. Serious attacks are likely to result in non-economic compensation.

Yes, a dog owner in New Orleans may claim as a defense that the animal has no prior history of violent behavior. The law permits canines one free bite before liability for an attack attaches. The rationale is that this gives the owner notice that the creature is dangerous and that negligence will attach once this has become evident.

Yes, a dog owner's insurer in New Orleans may posit the defense that an animal was provoked into attacking. For provocation to be present, the canine has to be deliberately harmed or agitated to elicit a violent reaction. It goes beyond merely passing near the animal if the person is somewhere there is a right to be.

In New Orleans, negligent dog owners walk their pets without a leash and thus cannot restrain these canines during tense situations. Bringing an animal to public spaces once it has bitten once shows a lack of diligence, as does failing to post a "beware of dog" sign once the pooch's aggression has been discovered.

No, a dog bite victim in New Orleans may not go to court two years after an attack. The statute of limitations in the jurisdiction sets a single-year deadline within which to sue over a personal injury. The plaintiff in this case is two years removed from the attack and thus is one year over the deadline.