Dog Owners’ Liability: What You Need to Know About Pets and Injury

If you are a dog owner, it is important to be aware of your legal responsibilities in the event that your pet injures someone. In most cases, dog owners are liable for any injuries their pet causes, regardless of whether or not the owner was negligent. In this blog post, we will discuss the basics of dog owners’ liability and what you need to know if your pet injures someone.

Under most state laws, dog owners are automatically liable for any injuries their pet causes, regardless of whether or not the owner was negligent in supervising the animal. This is known as “strict liability.” In some states, however, dog owners may be able to avoid liability if they can prove that they took reasonable steps to prevent their pet from injuring someone (such as keeping the animal on a leash or in a fenced yard).

If your pet does injure someone, you may be liable for medical expenses, property damage, and even pain and suffering damages. In some cases, you may also be subject to criminal charges (such as assault or reckless endangerment). If you are facing legal action after your pet injures someone, it is important to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you understand your rights and options.

What is Dog Owners Liability?

Dog owners liability is the legal term for the responsibility that dog owners have to take care of their pets and make sure they do not cause injury to other people. This includes keeping their dog under control, making sure it is well-behaved, and preventing it from biting or attacking anyone.

There are a few different ways that dog owners can be held liable for injuries caused by their pets.

• The first is if the owner knew or should have known that their dog was dangerous and did not take steps to prevent it from harming someone. For example, if a dog has a history of biting people and the owner does nothing to stop it from happening again, they could be held liable if it bites someone else.
• The second way is if the owner was negligent in taking care of their dog. This could be if they did not properly train their dog, or if they let it roam free without a leash even though they knew it was not well-behaved. If their negligence results in someone getting injured, they could be held liable.

Who is Liable if a Dog Bites Someone

In most cases, the owner of the dog will be held liable if their pet bites someone. This is because dog owners are responsible for ensuring that their animal does not pose a danger to others. 

In some cases, however, the victim of a dog bite may be able to sue the owner even if they were not at fault. For example, if the owner knew that their dog was aggressive and did not take steps to prevent it from biting someone, they may be held liable.

Negligent Dog Owner’s Liability

As a dog owner, you may be held liable if your pet injures someone. This is because dogs are considered “dangerous animals” under the law. If you are found to be negligent in the care of your pet, you could be sued for damages.

Negligence is defined as the failure to take reasonable care to prevent foreseeable harm. For example, if you know your dog has a history of biting people, and you do not take steps to prevent such behavior, you could be held liable if your dog bites someone.

Proving Negligence in Dog or Pet Owner’s Liability

As a pet owner, you may be held liable if your animal injures another person. This is true even if the injured person was trespassing on your property. To be held liable, however, the injured party must prove that you were negligent in caring for or controlling your animal.

There are four elements to proving negligence in dog or pet owner’s liability:

• duty,
• breach of duty,
• causation, and
• damages.

Duty of Care:

The first element that must be proven is that the pet owner had a duty of care to the injured party. This means that the pet owner was required to take reasonable steps to prevent their animal from harming others. 

The level of care required will depend on the type of animal involved and the circumstances surrounding the incident. For example, if you own a dangerous breed of dog, you may be held to a higher standard of care than someone who owns a small, docile dog.

If you live in an area with leash laws, you are also generally required to keep your animal on a leash when in public places.

Breach of Duty:

Once it has been established that the pet owner had a duty of care to the injured party, it must then be proven that the pet owner breached (failed to uphold) this duty. This can be done by showing that the pet owner knew or should have known that their animal was dangerous and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it from harming others.

Causation:

The third element that must be proven is causation. This means that the pet owner’s negligence must have been the direct cause of the injury suffered by the victim. In other words, if the victim would have been injured even if the pet owner had not been negligent, then causation has not been proven and the pet owner cannot be held liable.

Damages:

Finally, it must be shown that the victim suffered some type of damages as a result of the injury. This could be physical, emotional, or financial damages. If no damages are proven, then the pet owner cannot be held liable, even if all of the other elements have been met.

What if There is No Duty of Care?

If you do not have a duty of care to someone, then you are not legally responsible if your actions (or inaction) cause them harm. In order for a defendant to be found liable in negligence, they must owe the plaintiff a duty of care. This means that if there is no duty of care, the plaintiff cannot win their case.

There are several situations where a defendant may not owe the plaintiff a duty of care. For example, if the plaintiff was trespassing on the defendant’s property or if the plaintiff assumed the risk of injury by voluntarily participating in an activity with known risks (such as bungee jumping), then the defendant would not be held liable.

In some cases, even if the defendant does owe the plaintiff a duty of care, the plaintiff may still be unable to win their case if they did not take reasonable care to protect themselves from the risk of injury. This is known as contributory negligence and it can be used as a defence by the defendant.

For example, if the plaintiff was injured while trespassing on the defendant’s property, the court may find that the plaintiff was contributorily negligent and therefore not entitled to damages.

It is important to note that in some jurisdictions, contributory negligence is no longer a defence. This means that even if the plaintiff was partially at fault for their own injury, the defendant would still be held liable.

Where Negligence Doesn’t Matter

There are some situations where negligence does not matter and the defendant will be held liable regardless of whether they owed the plaintiff a duty of care or not. This is known as strict liability.

There are three main situations where strict liability applies: 

• When the defendant is engaged in an ultra-hazardous activity, when the defendant has a statutory duty to take care and when the plaintiff is a child.

Ultra-hazardous activities are activities that are so dangerous that it would not be fair to hold the defendant liable in negligence because they could not have reasonably foreseen or prevented the injury. Examples of ultra-hazardous activities include blasting, chemical manufacturing and wild animal ownership.

• When the defendant has a statutory duty to take care, this means that they have a duty under law to take care and if they do not, they will be held liable regardless of whether they could have reasonably foreseen or prevented the injury. An example of this is when a property owner has a duty to take care under health and safety laws.

• Finally, when the plaintiff is a child, the courts have recognized that children are not able to take care of themselves and therefore must be protected from harm. This means that defendants owe a higher duty of care to children than adults and will be strictly liable if their actions (or inaction) cause injury to a child.

While strict liability does away with the need to prove negligence, there are still some defences available to the defendant. For example, if the plaintiff knew of the risk and voluntarily assumed it, or if the injury was caused by an act of God, then the defendant may not be held liable.

What is Reasonable Care in Pet/Dog Owner’s Liability Claims

In order to hold a pet owner liable for injuries caused by their animal, it must be proven that the owner did not take reasonable care to prevent the harm. But what exactly is reasonable care?

There is no one answer to this question as it will vary depending on the circumstances of each individual case. For example, if an owner knows that their dog has a history of aggression and attacks people, they will likely be held to a higher standard of care than someone with a dog who has never shown any signs of aggression.

Generally speaking, pet owners are expected to take steps to ensure that their animals do not pose a danger to others. This may include keeping them properly confined, supervising them when they are around other people, and providing them with the necessary training.

Evidence of reasonable care could be proved or disproved by:

Animal Restraint Measures:

The type of restraint used can play a role in whether an owner is held liable for injuries caused by their pet. For example, if a dog is known to be aggressive and is only being kept on a leash that is not strong enough to hold it back, the owner may be found negligent if the dog attacks someone.

On the other hand, if an animal is properly restrained with a leash or fence and still manages to escape and injure someone, the owner may not be held liable as they took reasonable care to prevent the harm.

It should also be noted that some states have laws that require pet owners to use certain types of restraints, such as a leash or collar, when their animals are in public places.

Failure to comply with these laws could result in the owner being held liable for any injuries caused by their pet, even if they took other reasonable precautions.

Supervision:

Another factor that will be considered is whether the owner was supervising their animal at the time of the incident. For example, if a dog is left alone in a backyard and escapes through a hole in the fence, the owner may be held liable if it attacks someone.

On the other hand, if an owner is walking their dog on a leash and it bites someone, they may not be held liable as they were taking reasonable steps to supervise the animal.

Training:

The level of training an animal has received can also be a factor in determining liability. For instance, if a dog is known to be aggressive and has not received any obedience training, the owner may be held liable for any injuries it causes.

On the other hand, if an animal has been properly trained and still injures someone, the owner may not be held liable as they took reasonable steps to prevent the harm.

Warnings and Notices:

In some cases, an owner may be held liable for injuries caused by their animal even if they took reasonable steps to prevent the harm. This is typically the case when the owner has been given notice that their animal is dangerous and it still injures someone.

For example, if a neighbor tells an owner that their dog is aggressive and it goes on to bite someone, the owner may be held liable for the injuries even if they were not aware of the dog’s aggression.

Similarly, if a landlord tells an tenant that there have been complaints about their dog being aggressive and it goes on to attack someone, the tenant may be held liable for the damages.

Previous Incidents:

One of the most important factors that will be considered is whether the animal has a history of aggression or violence. If an animal has attacked people in the past, its owner will likely be held to a higher standard of care and may be found negligent if it injures someone again.

Pet/Dog’s Breed:

Another factor that may be considered is the breed of the animal. Some breeds, such as pit bulls and Rottweilers, are known to be more aggressive than others and their owners may be held to a higher standard of care.

However, it should be noted that many states have laws that prohibit discrimination against certain dog breeds. As such, a pet owner’s liability cannot solely be based on the breed of their animal.

The victim’s actions:

In some cases, the victim’s actions may contribute to the incident and they may be found partially or fully responsible for their own injuries. For example, if someone provokes an animal and it attacks them, the owner may not be held liable for the damages.

Similarly, if someone trespasses on another person’s property and is attacked by their dog, they may not be able to recover damages from the owner.

The victim’s Age:

The age of the victim may also be a factor in determining liability. In general, children are held to a lower standard of care than adults and are more likely to be seen as innocent victims.

As such, an owner may be held liable for injuries caused by their animal even if the child was trespassing or provoking the animal.

The Location of the Incident:

The location of the incident will also be considered when determining liability. For instance, if an animal attacks someone in a public place, its owner may be held liable.

On the other hand, if an animal injures someone on its owner’s property, the victim may have a harder time recovering damages from the owner.

The type of Injury:

The severity of the injury will also be taken into account when determining liability. In general, an owner will only be held liable for serious injuries, such as broken bones or lacerations.

However, if an animal causes minor injuries, such as scratches or bruises, its owner may not be held liable.

The applicable laws:

The laws of your state will also play a role in determining liability. For instance, some states have strict liability laws that make pet owners automatically responsible for any injuries caused by their animals.

Other states have laws that allow owners to avoid liability if they took reasonable steps to prevent the harm.

The insurance policy:

In some cases, an insurance policy may cover the damages caused by an animal. For instance, many homeowner’s insurance policies include coverage for animal attacks.

Similarly, some pet owner’s insurance policies will cover injuries caused by a pet. However, it should be noted that most insurance policies have limits on the amount of damages that they will cover.

What are “Dangerous Propensities?”

Dangerous propensities are a pet or animal’s natural tendencies that could cause harm to another person. These dangerous propensities can be either known or unknown to the pet owner. If a pet owner is aware of their animal’s dangerous propensities, they may be held liable for any injuries caused by those propensities.

Some examples of dangerous propensities that could lead to liability claims are:

• a dog’s tendency to bite or attack people;
• a cat’s tendency to scratch people;
• a snake’s tendency to bite people.

Defences to Dog Owner’s Liability

If you have been attacked by a dog or bitten, you may be able to sue the owner for damages. The law in this area is complex, and there are a number of defences that owners can raise.

Provocation.

The owner can argue that the victim provoked the dog, and that the attack was not their fault. This defence is often raised in cases where children have been bitten, as it can be argued that they were teasing or playing with the animal.

Trespassing.

If the victim was on the owner’s property without permission, they may not be able to sue for damages. This defence is often used in cases where delivery people or meter readers have been bitten while on someone’s property.

Finally, the owner can argue that they took all reasonable steps to prevent the attack.

This defence will only be successful if the owner can show that they did everything possible to stop the dog from attacking, and that the victim was at fault for not taking precautions.

You Were Not Aware of Your Pet’s Dangerous Propensity:

If you can show that you were not aware of your pet’s dangerous tendencies, you may not be held liable.

You Took Reasonable Steps to Prevent the Harm:

If you took reasonable steps to prevent the harm caused by your pet, you may not be held liable. For example, if you kept your dog on a leash in a public place, and the victim was bitten while trespassing on your property, you may not be held liable.

The Victim Assumed the Risk of Injury:

If the victim knew of your pet’s dangerous propensity and still chose to interact with the animal, they may have assumed the risk of injury and cannot sue you for damages.

Pet or Dog Owner’s Liability Insurance

As a pet owner, you’re responsible for your animal’s behavior. That includes any damage or injuries your pet may cause. Dog owners’ liability insurance can help cover the cost of medical bills and property damage if your dog injures someone or damages their property.

Most homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies include some coverage for dog bites, but it may not be enough to cover all the costs associated with an injury. A separate dog owners’ liability policy can provide additional protection.

If you’re considering purchasing a dog owners’ liability policy, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Coverage limits: 

Most policies have coverage limits of $100,000 to $300,000. Make sure the limit is high enough to cover the cost of any potential damages.

Deductibles: 

Some policies have a deductible, which is the amount you’ll need to pay out of pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in.

Breed Restrictions: 

Some insurers may not provide coverage for certain breeds of dogs that are considered high risk, such as pit bulls and Rottweilers.

Exclusions: 

Most policies exclude damage caused by intentional acts or criminal behavior. Make sure you understand what’s covered and what’s not before you purchase a policy.

Dog owners’ liability insurance can help give you peace of mind knowing that you’re protected financially if your dog injures someone or causes damage to their property. Be sure to shop around and compare policies to find the one that best meets your needs.

Conclusion

Many people choose to get a pet or a dog for their family without fully understanding the responsibility that comes along with owning a pet. Dog owners’ liability is an important issue to be aware of, as it could potentially result in serious injury or even death. If you are considering getting a dog, it is important to do your research and make sure you are prepared to take on the responsibility of caring for your pet.

While dogs can make great companions, they can also be dangerous if they are not properly trained and cared for. It is important to be aware of the potential risks associated with owning a dog, and to take steps to ensure that your pet is safe and well-behaved. By being informed and taking precautions, you can help keep your family safe from harm.