Dog bit person walking on property

[Guitarmonster]

What is the name of your state?
New Jersey

My boss is dealing with a potentially serious situation regarding a dog bite. He said that he has his dog in his yard on a leash. Someone walked on his property to try to pet the dog and the dog "nipped" his ankle. My boss apologized to the person and asked how much his pants cost (they were damaged). The person said $20 so my boss gave him cash. Two days later he found a notice on his door saying he needed to contact the police about the matter. Now he is worried because NJ holds dog owners completely responsible for dog bites, regardless of history, or if the dog is known to be vicious or not. I told him that if he speaks to the police to only answer the basic questions (his name, name of the dog, address, and whether or not the dog has had all her shots) and to state nothing else. My boss believes that he may not be liable because he says the person was trespassing on his property. But his yard was not fenced in and there were no "no trespassing signs" posted so i'm not sure of this.

What should he do next? Call his insurance company, call a lawyer? Will his dog be put down?

[jackmcmanus21]

I doubt the dog will be put down. He should definitely call a lawyer.

[Guitarmonster]

What about the police, can he just say "i'm reserving my right to remain silent". He feels that he is required to talk to the police about the situation. If he remains silent are there any standard questions that he has to answer? Or can he tell them to deal with his insurance company?