Quote Originally Posted by channlluv View Post

What recourse does a cyclist have when they're attacked by a dog running loose in a neighborhood?

Roxy
It depends on the city ordinances in the city where you live. Most cities have leash laws (at least) and dog laws regarding bites (at best). File a report with the police or Animal Control should you receive a bite. If the dog has bitten someone before, it may be curtains (as it should be) for him.
I was bitten by a dog at a party when I was about 25. It was an unprovoked bite by an older doberman cross. It bruised me very badly above the knee (where it grabbed me). The owners were present and witnessed it, and the wife confessed that the dog had bitten someone before. They were apologetic, and I said I was fine, yada, yada, yada, and, not wanting to make problems for them or the dog, let it go.
Less than a year later, the dog bit the face of the owners' little girl, who was about three. I felt partially responsible for not filing a report. The dog was unreliable, and had a history of unprovoked biting, and wound up disfiguring a beautiful little girl.
So if you are bitten, make sure to contact the city. If it is the dog's first bite, it generally goes on his 'record". A second or third bite tend to hold the owner responsible for taking some action.