Title: 3 Times a Landlord Could Be Liable for a Tenant's Dog Bite
Headings: 3 Times a Landlord Could Be Liable for a Tenant's Dog Bite
3 Times a Landlord Could Be Liable for a Tenant's Dog Bite
Vicious Dogs at Your Rental Property
Tenant Usually Liable for a Dog Bite
Advise Tenants to Purchase Renter's Insurance:
3 Times a Landlord Could Be Liable
3 Ways Landlords Can Protect Themselves

Content: 3 Times a Landlord Could Be Liable for a Tenant's Dog Bite
Landlords Legal Issues
3 Times a Landlord Could Be Liable for a Tenant's Dog Bite
Vicious Dogs at Your Rental Property
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Erin Eberlin wrote for The Balance Small Business, covering rental management, tenant acquisition, and property investment. She has more than 16 years of experience in real estate. Read The Balance's editorial policies
Erin Eberlin
Updated May 30, 2019
Dog bites are one of the big fears many landlords have when allowing their tenants to have pets. While the responsibility for the dog bite will usually rest on the animal owner, there are certain cases when a landlord could be liable. Here are three times you could be at fault.* Tenant Usually Liable for a Dog Bite
In most cases, if a dog causes harm, the owner of the dog is the one who is solely responsible. This is particularly true if this is the first time, to your knowledge, that the animal has displayed vicious behavior. Compare the situation to your responsibility for a tenant’s child. If their child gets into a fight with another child in the building, it is the child’s parents who have to deal with any legal issues, not you. Advise Tenants to Purchase Renter's Insurance: