Answers to Today's Real Estate: Is the Landlord responsible for a Tenant's Dog Bite?

Friday, May 7, 2021

Is the Landlord responsible for a Tenant's Dog Bite?

Is the Landlord responsible for a Tenant’s dog bite?

According to the CDC 4.5 Million people are bitten per year. 900,000 require medical attention! The most recent data I could get my hands on was 2018, the Insurance Information Institute said 1/3 of all home owner claims were due to dog bites and the average cost per claim was $39,000. Ouch, that bite hurts!

Who is responsible? The Tenant who owns the dog or the Landlord who allowed the dog? After numerous articles, it comes down to State and County Law. In Arizona, it’s the dog OWNER who is responsible must compensate victims for their injuries and losses.

Steve German, A Law Firm, January 27, 2017 outlines Maricopa County rules:

Ordinance requires that all dog bites be reported to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control (MCACC).
The MCAAC also encourages citizens to report other incidents or potentially dangerous dogs. This includes non-bite attacks and menacing behavior, such as a dog that chased children, a dog that attacked other pets, a chained dog that growls and lunges at passersby, stray dogs, dogs loose on school grounds and leash law violations.
After a report of a dog bite, the dog must be quarantined for 10 days as a rabies precaution. The MCAAC can remove the dog from the home or it may allow the dog to be confined at the owner's residence. The owner must pay any quarantine costs.
Dog bite victims and concerned neighbors can file a vicious dog petition. The MCAAC determines whether the animal is vicious. If the dog is deemed to pose no public threat, it is released to the owner after quarantine.
If the dog is deemed vicious, the MCAAC can impose a range of measures, up to and including euthanizing. The owner might be required to post "dangerous dog" signage, purchase liability insurance, have the dog spayed or neutered and/or keep their pet indoors or in a locked pen.