Dog bite claims at Ipswich County Court and Family Hearing Centre
An animal's keeper is liable for damage it causes under the Animals Act 1971, subject to narrow defences - and a dog bite claim at Ipswich County Court and Family Hearing Centre is mainly a documentation exercise: the injury, the treatment, the costs.
Liability basics
The Act keeps liability with the keeper where the animal's characteristics (here, the propensity to bite) caused the damage. Defences include provocation and full assumption of risk - rare in ordinary dog-bite facts. Identify the keeper (usually the owner; check the microchip record if disputed) before issuing.
The evidence pack
Medical records or A&E notes for human injuries; vet receipts for injuries to pets; photographs of the injuries; the incident report if police or council dog wardens attended. Quantify: treatment costs, lost earnings, damaged clothing - each with an exhibit reference in the witness statement for Ipswich County Court and Family Hearing Centre.
Checklist
- Keeper identified (owner/microchip record)
- Medical/vet records exhibited
- Injury photos dated
- Losses itemised with document references
Official sources and related pages
Court details (verified register data)
- Court: Ipswich County Court and Family Hearing Centre
- Court code: 233
- Address: 8 Arcade Street, Ipswich, Ipswich, IP1 1EJ
- Phone: 0300 123 5577; 0300 303 0642; 0330 808 4424
- Civil filing email: enquiries.norwich.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
- DX: DX 97385 Norwich 5 -Civil
- Public counter hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 4pm
- Document drop-box: Not published in the register - confirm with the court directly
- Hearing format: Not published in the register - confirm with the court directly
- Facilities: disabled access, hearing loop, interview rooms, baby changing, GovWiFi
Source: https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/ipswich-county-court-and-family-hearing-centre. Verified 2026-09-04. Always confirm against the official court finder before travelling.
Free national support
- Support Through Court: 0300 081 0000 - free, independent support for litigants without a lawyer
- Citizens Advice consumer service: 0808 223 1133 - consumer disputes, pre-claim guidance
- HMCTS general enquiries: 0300 123 7050 - finding the right court or money claim centre
Filing a witness statement? The Casewright CPR Part 32 Witness Statement & Bundle Builder structures your statement into CPR 32-compliant numbered paragraphs with a correct statement of truth and indexed exhibits - flat £79. This site is independent of Casewright; link is a sponsored referral.
This page is general information about County Court procedure, not legal advice, and it is not provided by HMCTS or any court. Procedures and fees change - always confirm against the official sources linked here before you act.
>Small Claims Court Help is an independent information directory. It is not affiliated with HMCTS, the Ministry of Justice, or any court.
Reviewed by Sean McNamara, 2026-09-04.