When a canine attacks or bites an individual, its owner may be responsible for medical expenses and lost wages from time off work to recover from any inflicted injuries. If the dog acted out of its own volition and bit someone for the first time, the law holds its owner strictly liable for any harm or damage it caused.
An exception, however, may apply if an uninvited individual came onto the dog owner’s property and attempted to commit a crime, as noted on Ohio’s Laws and Rules website. Sensing that a wrongful act was taking place may have taunted or provoked the canine to attack a suspected intruder. The dog’s owner may not face any liability for injuries.
Owners walking their dogs on public sidewalks or in parks must keep their pets on a leash. If a dog breaks free from a leash and attacks another human or animal, its owner may incur a liability for injuries by failing to control his or her pet.
A dog owner has a duty of care to control his or her pet while on public property. When an injured individual seeks to recover medical expenses resulting from a dog bite, however, the harmed party may need to provide evidence of the owner’s negligence in controlling his or her pet.
Between the years 2013 and 2017, dog bites accounted for nearly 65,000 incidents reported to local health departments, as noted by the Dayton Daily News. Reporting a bite is a legal requirement and a county official may quarantine the animal to ensure that it does not have rabies or pose a threat to the public. Due to numerous unprovoked attacks on children, lawmakers have made it easier for injured individuals to press criminal charges against owners of dangerous dogs.
