Dog bite law in all 50 states and D.C., cited to the statute and dated
Every state checked against its statutes, October 2026
Strict liability statutes, the one-bite rule, provocation and trespass, landlords, police dogs and bites at work: who answers for a dog bite, state by state.
7 articles, newest first
Bitten on the job? Workers' comp pays regardless of fault, and a claim against the dog's owner can add more. Mail carriers, drivers, vets and dog walkers, cited.
Read more about Dog Bite at Work: Workers' Comp and Claims Against the OwnerEvery state's dog bite rule in one table: strict liability, partial statute or one-bite rule, with the statute, deadline and shared-fault rule, cited and dated.
Read more about Dog Bite Laws by State: Strict Liability, One-Bite Rule and DeadlinesCan you sue the landlord when a tenant's dog bites? Most states require knowledge of the danger plus control. Leading cases, HOAs and every state's rule, cited.
Read more about Landlord Liability for a Tenant's Dog Bite: The Rule in Every StateThe one-bite rule makes a dog owner liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous. What counts as knowing, the states that use it, the cases.
Read more about One-Bite Rule: What It Means and Which States Still Use ItBitten by a police K-9? State dog bite statutes often exempt police dogs, but a Fourth Amendment claim may remain. Exemptions, immunity and notice deadlines.
Read more about Police Dog Bite Claims: State Exemptions, § 1983 and DeadlinesWhen provoking a dog, trespassing or a crime bars a bite claim, how courts treat children, and how shared fault cuts the award in each state. Cited and dated.
Read more about Dog Bite Provocation and Trespass: Owner Defenses by StateWhich states make dog owners strictly liable for bites, what each statute covers, where it applies, and the defenses that still defeat claims. Cited and dated.
Read more about Strict Liability Dog Bite States: Which States, and What It Means
