The City of Schenectady, N.Y., Demands Insurance for Dangerous Dogs

Residents of Schenectady who are convicted of dog-related offenses have to buy liability insurance to pay for medical expenses of anyone bitten by their animals.

The city council voted Monday to require the special insurance for owners convicted of two loose-dog offenses or one dangerous-dog offense.

The insurance must cover all dogs the owner ever has, even if the owner gets rid of the dog involved in the original offense.

Owners who ignore the law face up to 90 days in jail.

The law was proposed after several people were mauled by loose dogs and the dog owners didn’t have any money for medical expenses, so the victims had to pay for it themselves.