Man’s Best Friend and the Law of Dogs

The state of Connecticut is very strict about the keeping of dogs. In addition to requiring all dogs to be licensed and leashed, Connecticut has what is known as strict liability as to injury that may be caused by man’s best friend. Section 22-357 of the Statutes provides:

“If any dog does any damage to either the body or property of any person, the owner or keeper … shall be liable for such damage

EXCEPT

when such damage has been occasioned to the body or property of a person … who was committing a trespass or other tort

OR

when the person was teasing, tormenting or abusing such dog.”

So, the law specifies that the dog has the right to defend its owner’s property against a trespasser and no one has the right to abuse a dog. This is called STRICT LIABILITY, because if a dog causes harm, the victim does not have to prove that the dog was of “known vicious propensities” as is required in some states. Or as it is known in those states, “the dog is entitled to its first bite”. Connecticut’s strict liability law only applies to the owner or keeper of the dog. However, victims of dog bites are not limited to the owner or keeper of the dog. If the victim can show another person, e.g., a landlord was aware of a known vicious dog kept by his tenant, the landlord could be held personally responsible, similar to the other states described above. This is called the common law.

INSURANCE

Homeowner’s insurance has traditionally provided coverage for injuries caused by the owner’s dog. However, with the growing popularity of special breed dogs, e.g., Pit bulls, Rottweilers, Akitas, etc. more insurance companies are excluding such breeds from coverage or excluding all dogs completely. Apartment dwellers can also obtain tenant’s insurance with the possibility of exclusions as in homeowner’s insurance. Of course, where these are such exclusions, special endorsements to include dogs can be obtained, for an extra premium, of course.

DAMAGES

The usual cases we see arise from dog bites which can be quite serious. Risk of infection, even rabies is always a possibility – therefore any dog bite should be reported to the dog warden/animal control officer/police so the dog can be quarantined for the proper length of time. Medical attention should be sought immediately, especially if the skin is broken.

Next the identity of the dog and its owner should be obtained – from its license and/or the Town Clerk.

Any witnesses should be identified and contact information be obtained.

Next, any injury should be photographed. Frequently, we employ a professional photographer because scarring and disfigurement are difficult to portray accurately and realistically.

Cosmetic surgery may be required or recommended. This may be problematic for children as surgery may have to wait until their teens. Meanwhile, children must live with scars and disfigurement, which can be psychologically traumatizing.

There will be medical bills, which if paid for by health care insurance, may have to be reimbursed. Future medical costs also may have to be considered.

So although a dog may be man’s best friend, it’s usually your own dog, not the other guy’s dog.

Suisman Shapiro Attorneys-at-Law is the largest law firm in eastern Connecticut, serving the community for over 75 years with a wide range of legal services. For more information, visit suismanshapiro.com or call 860-460-0875. 860-364-6937 is located a 2 Union Plaza, P.O. Box 1591, New London, CT 06320.