Owning a dog comes with great responsibility. Along with fulfilling a dog's basic needs (food, shelter and water), it's also the owner's job to make sure the dog doesn't pose a threat to other people or animals.
But even the friendliest of dogs can bite if provoked or scared. Who is held liable when a dog attacks?
Who is Liable for Dog Bites?
Laws may vary from one location to the next, but more than half of states hold the dog owner responsible for bites and other dog-related injuries.
These laws may be called ""dog bite statutes,"" but they cover all dog-related injuries – not just bites.
Dog bite statutes are usually ""strict liability,"" which means the owner is held liable regardless of whether he or she did anything wrong. The belief is that dog owners should be responsible for any damages that their dog cause, no matter whether they were careful or even tried to stop the dog from injuring others.