State Dog Bite Law

Dog bite law in all 50 states and D.C., cited to the statute and dated

Every state checked against its statutes, October 2026

Contact

The simplest way to reach the editorial team is by email. Every message is read.

Write to [email protected]. A short subject line that names the state or guide helps.

What to write to us about

  • Corrections. If a rule, deadline or citation is wrong or out of date, tell us the page and, if you can, the statute, regulation or decision that shows the right answer. We recheck and correct it.
  • Changes in the law. New statutes and appellate decisions are welcome tips, especially from lawyers, animal-control officers and health departments.
  • Questions about a page. We can't advise on individual cases, but questions show us where a page needs to be clearer.

What we can't do

We are not a law firm. We can't evaluate a bite claim, recommend a lawyer, contact an insurer or appear at a dangerous-dog hearing for you. If you need help with a case, the state pages list each state's official lawyer referral service. If someone has been seriously hurt, get medical care first; if a dog is still a danger, call 911 or local animal control.

State Dog Bite Law does not publish sponsored content or accept paid listings, so we will not reply to offers of that kind.

Privacy

We use the details in your email only to reply to you. Please don't send medical records or other sensitive documents. Our privacy policy explains how long messages are kept and what your rights are.

The company that publishes State Dog Bite Law is identified in our privacy policy. You can reach us at [email protected].