A terrible tragedy.
First:
An animal bite needs to be assessed and if necessary treated. If you are not qualified in first aid or medically trained yourself - see a doctor. Full stop. Better safe than sorry.
(Those of us who work with unknown animals make sure we are up to date on all our shots, btw. Just a precaution.)
Second, assuming the article was written by a journalist who understood terminology:
THIS IS WHY WE BANG ON AND ON about the proper way to go about adopting. Buying a dog online is not adoption, it is not rescue. It's buying a dog from a dodgy source. It is the opposite of well-run, ethical rescue practice.
Just need to get that out there. This sad tragedy should not deter anyone from adopting from a reputable rescue. It should, however, stop people from buying a sentient being online.
To repeat what has been said many times in the Pets Corner: The Dark Side has cottoned on to the popularity of rescue, the 'feel good factor' in adoption has been monetized both by clueless individual sellers and organized Dark Side bad actors. Too many sellers pretend to be rescues. They are not. They are still the same dodgy scam artists and abusive dog dealers.
There is not enough background in the article to make assumptions about how things went wrong. However, because we have also had threads where posters complain about the difficulty of adopting, where people are unwilling to go through the assessment process and instead turn to online buying because it's easier and quicker, a few comments about why what some see as hurdles to adoption are actually safeguards:
First: Assessment goes two ways - is this the right dog for you, and are you right for the dog?
Many of the cases I have worked with could have been avoided with a better understanding of this point.
Assessment of the animal includes:
Health, including vacination records and appropriate test results.
Temperament, individual assessment and breed traits
Training
Physical needs
Behavioral needs
Accomodation needs.
Assessment of the adopter includes:
Adopter's understanding of what he or she needs to be able to provide, given the above assessment of the animal.
Adopter's commitment to providing what is necessary for the animal to live safely and happily with the adopter.
Understanding that assessment is a snap-shot in time, a good faith effort based on what is known to date, and that an animal is not a robot and may react differently in different environments. An adopter needs to be willing and able to roll with the punches.
Due diligence on of the source of the animal should be done by the adopter:
Understanding of what best practice is wrt to all of the above, for both breeders and rescues. Including back-up!
Assessment that the breeder/rescue are following best practice.
If best practices are not followed, are you knowledgable/experienced enough, have sufficient time and finances, to fill the gaps?
Knowing when to walk away when it becomes clear that the source is not reputable.
It is critical to understand if you buy from an individual/privately adopt, there are no safeguards. I've adopted privately, so I won't tell people not to do this per se. But you have to understand that you go in with eyes wide open, and understand that the onus is on you to take all necessary assessment steps.
Yes, adoption from an ethical rescue can be a long and tough process, and yes, some people come away disappointed when told that they are not the right family for this animal. But the process is there to safeguard the animal and done ultimately in the interest of the adopter.
Yes, acquiring a dog is a highly emotional endeavor. Moreso during the pandemic, as suddenly people deprived of human companionship sought comfort through animals. It is not easy to logically assess a potential adoption when in an emotional state - but it is necessary. Let your heart lead the search, make sure your head makes the decision.
If you are not willing to go through assessment to ensure that you and the dog are a good fit, you really should and ask yourself if you are ready to take on an animal at this time.
As above, a tragedy all around. Could have been prevented? Far too little in the article to even begin to guess.
tl;dr
Know basic first aid and seek medical attention after a bite.
Do not buy a sentient being online. Only adopt/buy from reputable ethical sources.
Understand your responsibilities to ensure that animals and humans live safe and happy lives together, and commit to that.