California Dog Bite Law Euthanasia

This means the owner of a dog who bites someone is liable in a civil lawsuit for the victim s injuries even if the animal has never bitten before and the owner had no reason to believe the animal was dangerous.

California dog bite law euthanasia.

Whether you own a dog in california or have a claim for a dog bite or other injury you ll want to understand the state s laws on owners civil and criminal liability when their animals hurt someone or have been aggressive read on for the details. Euthanasia can be required after a dog bite in california if the dog has rabies if the dog has bitten at least 2 people or if the dog has bitten and seriously injured someone and had been raised to attack people or fight. Limitations a the owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place including the property of the owner of the dog regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner s knowledge of such viciousness. Dogs cats and ferrets that bite a human or another dog cat or ferret are subject to isolation and observation or euthanasia and testing.

This hearing aims to determine whether the dog is a threat to public safety. Dog bite law is a unique combination of city and county ordinances state statutory law state case law i e legal principles that result from specific lawsuits within the state and common law i e legal principles resulting from specific lawsuits from throughout the united states usually as reported in authoritative legal works such as the restatement of law. Military or police work excluded. But dogs that have not been declared dangerous who cause a severe injury with one bite such as padi have no right to contest euthanasia based on the same grounds under current law.

This contrasts with the one bite rule in effect in other states by which the owner is only held liable if the. If the dog jumped on the person tripped over the person or scratched the person but never bit the person then that is not enough to be covered under the state s dog bite law. The bite does not have to penetrate the skin but it must be an actual bite nonetheless. For legal authority see los angeles county law and california law.

Management of animals other than dogs cats and ferrets depends on the species the circumstances of the bite the epidemiology of rabies in the area and the biting animal s history current health status and potential for exposure to rabies. If you are bitten by an animal report the bite to your local health department or animal control agency. Unless the dog has rabies a hearing is required before the dog is euthanized. Rabies is rarely identified in domestic animals such as dogs and cats but can occur if they are bitten by a rabid wild animal.

Because states can change their laws at any time it s always a good idea to check the current california statutes using this. If the bite is judged by the local health officer to be unusual or to represent an increased risk for rabies e g unprovoked attacks bites to the face or considerable deep tissue damage the.