Title: Landlord Liability for Dog Bites - FindLaw
Headings: Landlord Liability for Dog Bites
Landlord Liability for Dog Bites
Dog Bite Lawsuits and Liability
Landlord Responsibility for Dog Bites
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Content: Please try again. Learn more about FindLaw’s newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. In certain circumstances, courts have found landlords to be liable for injuries caused by a tenant's dog. A landlord's personal responsibility depends heavily on the facts of the particular case. For example, as a landlord you are more likely to be held responsible if you were aware of the dog's previously violent or aggressive behavior, you had the legal power to remove the dog from the premises, and you chose not to do so. Courts have also found landlords to be legally responsible for dog bites when the landlord had some level of control over the dog. Typically, this includes situations where a landlord cared for the dog as a typical owner would, including feeding the dog and taking it for walks. Once you take on a caregiving role, you may assume the same level of liability as the actual owner of the dog. To guard against liability for these sorts of incidents, smart landlords have clear dog policies and adequate insurance policies to cover tenant injuries.