Ramp agent attacked by a leashed, unmuzzled dog upon opening aircraft door at ZZZ, us.

Attributes
ACN	628197
Time
Date	200408
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	other personnel
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1700
ASRS Report	628197
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance FAA Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

I was attacked by passenger's dog when I opened the airplane door. Our company does not require dogs to be inside a container or to be muzzled at ZZZ. I believe that puts ramp agents, passenger, and pilots at danger from dog attacks in-flight and on the ramp. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he was bitten on the hand by an unidentified type of dog weighing approximately 30 pounds. Reporter advised that the dog's owner did not react quickly enough to restrain the dog, that injury was minor, and that he received a tetanus shot. Reporter stated that company policy allows dogs to be unmuzzled on a leash on flts to and from ZZZ, ZZZ1, and ZZZ2. All other flts require that animals be in containers. Reporter advised that the incident was reported to the company safety officer who stated that it was the first such incident reported and that the animal policy was investigated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RAMP AGENT ATTACKED BY A LEASHED, UNMUZZLED DOG UPON OPENING ACFT DOOR AT ZZZ, US.

Narrative: I WAS ATTACKED BY PAX'S DOG WHEN I OPENED THE AIRPLANE DOOR. OUR COMPANY DOES NOT REQUIRE DOGS TO BE INSIDE A CONTAINER OR TO BE MUZZLED AT ZZZ. I BELIEVE THAT PUTS RAMP AGENTS, PAX, AND PLTS AT DANGER FROM DOG ATTACKS INFLT AND ON THE RAMP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE WAS BITTEN ON THE HAND BY AN UNIDENTIFIED TYPE OF DOG WEIGHING APPROX 30 LBS. RPTR ADVISED THAT THE DOG'S OWNER DID NOT REACT QUICKLY ENOUGH TO RESTRAIN THE DOG, THAT INJURY WAS MINOR, AND THAT HE RECEIVED A TETANUS SHOT. RPTR STATED THAT COMPANY POLICY ALLOWS DOGS TO BE UNMUZZLED ON A LEASH ON FLTS TO AND FROM ZZZ, ZZZ1, AND ZZZ2. ALL OTHER FLTS REQUIRE THAT ANIMALS BE IN CONTAINERS. RPTR ADVISED THAT THE INCIDENT WAS RPTED TO THE COMPANY SAFETY OFFICER WHO STATED THAT IT WAS THE FIRST SUCH INCIDENT RPTED AND THAT THE ANIMAL POLICY WAS INVESTIGATED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.