Dog Owner Liability Laws: Legal Responsibility for Bites and Other Injuries

Dog owners have a legal responsibility to prevent their pets from injuring people or damaging property. Here's what to know at the outset:

• When a dog hurts someone, the owner of the animal may have to compensate the injured person for medical expenses, time lost from work, pain and suffering, and other effects of the incident. Criminal charges against the owner are also possible in rare instances.
• The dog owner's liability insurance (usually a homeowners' or renters' policy) may cover the injured person's losses, even if the injury happens off the owner's property.
• After a dog-bite incident, it's important for both the injured person and the animal owner to take steps to protect their legal rights.

Civil Liability for Dog-Bite Injuries

A dog owner could be liable in a civil lawsuit for a bite or another kind of injury caused by the animal if one (or more) of the following is true:

A strict liability statute applies. Most states have laws creating some form of "strict liability" for dog owners. This rule makes owners financially responsible for injuries caused by their pet, without requiring the victim to show that the owner was careless or that the dog was particularly dangerous. Some states limit strict liability only to bites, or to specific situations. Others impose strict liability more broadly, including for injuries other than bites.

The one-bite rule applies. Some states impose liability using a principle called the "one-bite rule." Under this approach, an owner is liable for injuries caused by their dog if they knew--or should have known--that the animal was vicious or dangerous.

The dog owner was negligent. Many states also impose liability if an injured person can prove that the harm occurred because the dog owner was negligent (legalese for unreasonably careless). For instance, an owner could be negligent if they violated a local leash law or left a gate open, and their dog was able to bite someone as a result.

Many states combine more than one of these rules--for example, Pennsylvania law makes dog owners strictly liable for a victim's medical expenses, but requires a victim to prove negligence to collect other damages.

These rules can be complicated, and vary (often significantly) from state to state. Get details on the state dog-bite laws that could come into play where you live.

Criminal Penalties and "Dangerous Dog" Rules

Owners can sometimes be held criminally responsible for injuries caused by their dogs. For example, Florida law authorizes misdemeanor charges against the owner of a dog that severely injures or kills someone, if the owner knew the animal was dangerous but recklessly ignored the risk. (Fla. Stat. § 767.136 (2025).)

In some states owners can face serious felony charges in rare and serious cases where a dog kills or severely injures someone. This criminal liability can be imposed even if the owner didn't deliberately order or intend for their dog to hurt someone. For example, under Texas law owners can be charged with felonies in certain situations where:

• they were criminally negligent or knew their dog was dangerous, and
• this allows the dog to kill or seriously injure someone.

When a dog injures or threatens someone, a state's "dangerous dog" laws can also come into play. Nearly all states have rules for identifying dangerous dogs and imposing requirements on the owners of these animals. Keep in mind that this process for dealing with dangerous dogs is administrative, not judicial. This means that it's run by a government agency like a police or animal control department, instead of taking place in court. So, even if a dog is declared dangerous, that doesn't automatically mean the owner faces civil or criminal liability.

However, a finding that a dog is dangerous or vicious can be relevant to a criminal or civil case against the owner. In particular, if a dog has been declared dangerous or vicious, then the owner is generally ordered to take steps to protect the public--for example, by keeping the animal either leashed or secured on their property at all times. If the owner disregards these requirements then they could face criminal penalties--including severe penalties if their dog injures or kills someone.

Because the consequences for owners and pets can be so significant, dog owners are entitled to due process, in dangerous dog hearings. This means they have the right to present evidence, make a case for themselves and their pet, and appeal in court if they disagree with the outcome of the hearing.

What To Do When a Dog Has Hurt You

There are several steps you should take as soon as possible after you've been bitten or otherwise injured by a dog:

• Safety first. Make sure you and others are out of immediate danger. Don't stay at the scene or near the animal if you don't feel safe doing so.
• Get the name and phone number of the dog's owner. Even if you don't think you'll be asking for any money, you may change your mind the next day, when you discover that jumping out of the way of that lunging dog has given you a swollen ankle. If the owner has liability insurance, get that information as well.
• Get names and contact information of any witnesses. You may need them to back up your version of what happened if you and the dog's owner later disagree or if you don't know who owns the dog. Animal control authorities may be able to find the dog from your description and then find its owner.
• Take pictures. If you can, get a picture of the dog, your immediate visible injuries, and anything in the vicinity that might support your version of what happened (such as an open gate or a hole in the fence that the dog came through).
• Get medical attention if you need it. If your injury is serious enough to require medical attention, get it quickly. Keep records of doctor's office or hospital visits and copies of bills.
• Report the incident to animal control authorities. This is especially important if the dog wasn't wearing a license tag and you don't know who owns it. Many cities and some states require that a dog be quarantined after it bites someone, to see if it's rabid, so authorities may try to pick up the dog for that purpose. You'll also want to check records at the animal control department to find out if the dog has attacked someone before. That could help you negotiate with the owner (or the insurance adjuster)— or win a case in court if it goes that far.

How Can I Seek Compensation for a Dog Bite or Injury?

Some of the post-attack steps we outlined above can help you ensure that your legal rights are protected. If you want to hold an animal owner legally responsible for your injuries and related losses ("damages" in the language of the law), there are usually two main avenues for doing this:

• File a claim with the animal owner's insurance company (if the liability provisions of a homeowner's, renter's, or other insurance policy apply to the underlying incident) and negotiate a settlement.
• File a lawsuit in civil court against the animal owner (here any applicable insurance policy will also cover any court award you receive if your case is successful). Remember that out-of-court settlement can still occur at any point on the personal injury lawsuit timeline.

Of course, getting compensation for dog-bite injuries from the animal's owner (or an insurance company) isn't a given. That's especially true if one or more legal defenses might be in play.

Dog Owners' Defenses to Liability for Bites and Injuries

The details vary from state to state, but a dog owner might be able to avoid some or all legal responsibility for injuries caused by their animal if they can prove that:

• the injured person was trespassing at the time of the incident
• the injured person teased or otherwise provoked the animal, and/or
• the injured person's own recklessness or carelessness caused or contributed to the incident. (Learn more about reducing or limiting an animal owner's liability when a dog-bite victim is partly at fault.)

Even in states with strict liability dog-bite statutes, owners can defend themselves by showing that the victim provoked the animal, trespassed, or posed a danger to the owner or others. Learn more about legal defenses for dog bites and other injuries.

Speaking With a Lawyer After a Dog-Bite Incident

Whether you've been hurt by someone else's dog or you're the animal's owner, consider speaking with an attorney to find out how state and local law applies to your situation, and how best to proceed.

Owners face not only civil liability, but also potential criminal charges and serious consequences for their pet. If your dog is at risk of being declared dangerous, you may want to consult with an animal law attorney to learn what you can to prevent a bad outcome—like having your dog seized and destroyed. And, if there's any possibility of criminal charges after a serious incident, you'd be wise to meet with a criminal defense lawyer who can help defend your rights.

If you've been injured by someone else's dog, you may be able to handle it directly with the owner, or through insurance. But if you've suffered serious injuries, or aren't able to get a fair settlement on your own, it might make sense to discuss your case with a personal injury lawyer.