Aggressive Dog Laws

When a dog bites a person, for whatever reason, it's a no-win situation. As the victim of a dog bite, you hope to be compensated for your pain and trouble. As the dog owner, you want to be sure your dog is treated fairly in the situation. Depending on what state you live in, the same situation can be treated differently. It's important to know how you state law treats aggressive dogs as both a citizen and a dog owner.

  1. Statistics

    • Even one dog bite victim is one too many. Unfortunately, dog attacks are common occurrences. The most recent survey of dog bite victims took place more than 10 years ago, and the results were quite discomforting. At the time of the survey, more than 4.7 million people were bit by dogs every year in the United States. These results emphasize the importance of dog bite laws to distribute responsibility and liability.

    Strict Liability States

    • Most states in America are known as strict liability states. This means that you are fully responsible for any damage caused by your dog. Even if it wasn't directly or indirectly your fault, you must cover any costs and bills. Your dog might never have bit anyone previously or even showed any signs of aggression. States that follow these laws are trying to reach out and cover the victim versus covering the owner of the dog.

    One Free Bite States

    • Not all states are strict liability. Some states give the dog and the dog owner the benefit of the doubt. These laws maintain that the owner is not responsible for the first bite or attack of his dog, but only under certain conditions. First, you must not have been aware the dog had a violent temperament. Second, you must not have caused the injury through any sort of negligence of your own. Lastly, you must not have broke any laws relating to the canine involved in the attack, such as restraint laws.

    Negligence States

    • Almost all states are negligence states. This means that the dog owner is personally responsible for any damages caused by her dog as a result of her personal negligence. Negligence basically means acting irresponsibly for failing to act responsibly. For example, it is negligent behavior to take a dog you know to be aggressive out into public or to ignore fence laws and let your dog loose.

    Breed Specific Legislation

    • Breed specific laws are also extremely important to be aware of. These laws are preventative; they often ban certain breeds or types of dogs thought to be more apt to aggressive behavior. Even if a specific dog has never shown aggressive behavior in the past, if it is of a banned breed, it may be put to sleep according to local legislation. These laws are highly controversial, as many people believe they punish innocent dogs instead of irresponsible dog owners. Dogs commonly targeted under these laws are Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, Chow Chows, German Shepherds, and American Bull Dogs.