Dog Attacked My Dog: Can I Sue? Laws by State (2026)

Yes. In every state you can usually make a claim against the owner of a dog that injured or killed your dog, but the law treats your dog as property. That usually means the claim covers vet bills and the pet’s value, not your grief, and whether you must prove the owner was careless depends on your state’s statute.

This guide sets out what you can recover, which state statutes cover attacks on animals, how dog parks and your own dog’s conduct change the picture, when you may defend your dog by force, and how to start a dangerous-dog complaint. It is information, not legal advice. Each state’s full rules are on its page, listed at all states.

What is my dog worth in a claim?

Courts value a pet as personal property. In Julian v. DeVincent (1971), a case about a pet killed by a loose dog, West Virginia’s high court measured the loss by the pet’s market or special value and held that sentimental value and mental suffering are generally not recoverable ¹ ².

Some states go further for vet bills. Under Irwin v. Degtiarov (2014), as the Massachusetts model jury instruction explains, the owner of an injured pet can recover reasonable veterinary bills even when they exceed the pet’s market value, and even if treatment fails ³ ⁴. Connecticut wrote the rule into its dog statute: since 2013, “property” includes a companion animal, and the damages expressly include vet bills, the animal’s fair monetary value and burial expenses ⁵.

Nevada has a separate pet statute. When a person’s intentional or negligent act injures or kills a pet dog or cat, NRS 41.740 allows vet costs, market value and burial costs plus attorney’s fees, with no emotional damages and a cap of $5,000 per pet ⁶. It is aimed at the act of a person, so check the Nevada page for how it fits a dog attack.

The usual items of a pet claim are:

Veterinary care. Emergency treatment, surgery, medication and follow-up visits, with itemized invoices.
The pet’s value. Purchase price, age, breed, training and any working role, if the pet died or the injury is permanent.
Burial or cremation costs, where the state allows them, as Connecticut and Nevada do ⁵ ⁶.
Other property. A torn leash or collar, and your own medical costs if you were bitten, which form a personal injury claim under your state’s dog bite rule.

How long do I have to file?

Property claims often have their own deadline, which can differ from the bite deadline for people. Iowa allows five years for injury to property such as a pet ⁷, Wisconsin six ⁸, and Virginia five, against two for a personal injury ¹⁰. Montana runs the other way: a pet claim is an injury to personal property with a two-year period, shorter than the three years for a bite injury ⁹.

The dog bite statute of limitations guide has the personal-injury deadline for every state. Claims against a city or county can need a written notice much sooner.

Which state statutes cover attacks on other animals?

Many dog statutes cover damage to property or to “domestic animals”, which means the owner can be liable without proof that they knew the dog was dangerous. The wording varies, so the state’s own text decides.

Statutes that name domestic animals. Iowa makes the owner liable for all damages when the dog is caught worrying, maiming or killing a domestic animal ¹¹. Nebraska covers a dog that kills, wounds, injures, worries or chases a domestic animal ¹², and Wisconsin covers injury to “a person, domestic animal or property” ¹³. Kansas has made the owner of a dog that kills, wounds or worries a domestic animal liable since 1868, although it has no statute for bites to people ¹⁴. Washington makes the owner of a dog that kills or injures another animal liable to that animal’s owner ¹⁵, and South Dakota and Wyoming have similar rules for poultry, livestock and domestic animals ²⁵ ²⁶.

Statutes that cover any property. New Hampshire’s statute reaches damage to property and names sheep, fowl and other domestic creatures ¹⁶. Kentucky covers damage to “a person, livestock, or other property” ¹⁷. Louisiana’s strict-liability sentence covers injuries to persons or property, such as another pet ¹⁸, and Ohio’s covers loss to property, which includes a pet ¹⁹. In Connecticut and Massachusetts, the statute covers “any damage” a dog does to a person’s property, and the Massachusetts instruction applies it to a dog injured by another dog ⁵ ³.

Statutes limited to dogs at large. Arizona’s § 11-1020 makes the owner liable for property damage caused by a dog at large, including a pet ²⁰, and West Virginia’s § 19-20-13 covers a pet killed by a loose dog ².

Narrow statutes. North Carolina’s strict liability for injuries to “another animal” applies only if the attacker was already a dangerous dog ²¹. New York’s § 123(10) covers only medical costs, including vet bills, and only for a dog a judge has already found dangerous ²². Oregon’s rule is similar: after a court finds a dog potentially dangerous, its keeper is strictly liable for economic damages from later property damage ²⁷. Missouri’s § 273.036 leaves dogs that kill or maim sheep or other domestic animals to a separate section ²³. Utah’s statute excludes an injury to an animal that strays onto the owner’s land while the dog is fenced in ²⁴.

Where no statute applies, the claim runs on negligence, such as a leash-law violation, or on the owner’s knowledge of the dog’s dangerous traits. Your state page and the claim checker show which route your state uses.

Do earlier fights with other dogs count?

They can, but states disagree. The Vermont Supreme Court said in Martin v. Christman (2014) that a prior bite on a person is not required, and that known ferocity or attacks on other animals can be enough notice ²⁸. New Mexico’s 2025 committee commentary to its jury instruction says the opposite for claims by people: the dog’s vicious streak must have shown itself against a human being ²⁹.

So a report filed after your dog is attacked can matter later, for you and for the next person the dog meets. The one-bite rule guide explains how owner knowledge is proved.

What changes at a dog park?

Dog parks change the leash rules that many claims rely on. In D.C., an official dog park does not count as “at large”, so a dog playing there off leash is not at large under the city’s definition ³⁰. Illinois law makes local governments that allow dog parks immune from claims for incidents there, except for willful and wanton misconduct ³¹.

The owner of the other dog can still be liable under a statute that applies anywhere, such as Wisconsin’s or Iowa’s ¹³ ¹¹. But an off-leash meeting both owners chose makes shared fault more likely. Wisconsin’s dog statute applies its comparative-negligence rule ¹³, and the provocation and trespass guide explains how each state’s fault system cuts an award.

What if I was bitten breaking up the fight?

Your own injuries are a personal injury claim, judged by your state’s dog bite rule and its fault system. In D.C., which uses contributory negligence, a woman who grabbed an attacking dog while walking her own recovered nothing in Chadbourne v. Kappaz (2001) once the jury found her careless ³². 5 jurisdictions use that all-or-nothing rule.

Some dangerous-dog laws also protect the dog that bit you. Since a 2019 amendment, New Jersey bars a potentially dangerous finding based on a bite to someone breaking up a dog fight, or on a fight the other animal started ³³. The what to do after a dog bite guide covers first aid and rabies questions; see a doctor for any bite that breaks the skin.

Can I hurt or kill a dog that is attacking my dog?

Only within the limits of your state’s statute. These laws are narrow, and cruelty laws and local rules still apply.

Vermont allows killing a dog caught wounding, killing or worrying another pet when that is reasonably necessary to stop the attack ³⁴.
Maine lets anyone kill a dog when necessary to protect a person or a domesticated animal during a sudden, unprovoked assault ³⁵.
Wisconsin allows it to protect a pet or livestock only on property you own or control; otherwise you owe the dog’s owner double damages ³⁶.
Iowa lets anyone kill a dog caught chasing, maiming or killing a domestic animal or fowl ³⁸.
South Dakota lets anyone kill a dog found chasing or killing poultry or domestic animals anywhere except on its owner’s premises ³⁹.
Missouri’s absolute defense for injuring or killing an attacking dog requires a reasonable fear of imminent harmful contact to yourself or another person, not to an animal ³⁷.
Michigan’s Dog Law of 1919 covers dogs attacking people, livestock or poultry, not pets ⁴⁰.

Breaking up a fight without hurting the other dog keeps you clear of these questions, but it carries its own bite risk, as Chadbourne shows ³².

Can I report the dog or start a dangerous-dog case?

Yes. Many dangerous-dog laws count attacks on other animals, so a dog-on-dog attack can start the same process as a bite to a person. In California, a dog that twice within 36 months kills or injures a domestic animal off its owner’s property is potentially dangerous ⁴¹. In Washington, killing a domestic animal without provocation off the owner’s property makes a dog dangerous ⁴².

Other states count a single attack. In Ohio, an unprovoked killing of another dog is a dangerous dog act ⁴³, and in Oklahoma a dog that attacks and kills another dog is potentially dangerous ⁴⁴. Michigan’s definition covers a dog that seriously injures or kills another dog on its owner’s property or under its owner’s control ⁴⁵. Since July 1, 2025, a Hawaii officer can declare a dog dangerous after one unprovoked bite injury to another animal ⁵² ⁴⁷, and Oregon’s SB 733 (2025) added dogs that injure or kill another domestic animal off the keeper’s premises ²⁷.

The table shows each state’s dangerous-dog statute and the terms it uses.

State dangerous-dog laws (state files reviewed October 2026)
State	State law	Classes	Required insurance
Alabama	Ala. Code §§ 3-6A-1 to 3-6A-8	dangerous dog	$100,000
Alaska	Local ordinances only	vicious dog (AS 03.55.020), level one to level five animal (Anchorage), vicious animal (Dillingham)	None statewide
Arizona	A.R.S. §§ 11-1014, 11-1029; § 13-1208	vicious animal, aggressive dog	None statewide
Arkansas	Local ordinances only	—	None statewide
California	Cal. Food & Agric. Code §§ 31601–31683	potentially dangerous dog, vicious dog	None statewide
Colorado	C.R.S. § 18-9-204.5	dangerous dog	None statewide
Connecticut	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22-358	biting or attacking dog, nuisance by reason of vicious disposition	None statewide
Delaware	16 Del. C. §§ 3071F–3081F	dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog, nondangerous dog	$100,000
District of Columbia	D.C. Code §§ 8-1901 to 8-1908	dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog	None statewide
Florida	Fla. Stat. §§ 767.10–767.16	dangerous dog	$100,000
Georgia	O.C.G.A. §§ 4-8-20 to 4-8-33	dangerous dog, vicious dog, classified dog	$50,000
Hawaii	Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 711-1140 to 711-1148	dangerous dog	$50,000
Idaho	Idaho Code §§ 25-2810 to 25-2812	at-risk dog, dangerous dog	None statewide
Illinois	510 ILCS 5/15 to 5/15.5, 5/26	dangerous dog, vicious dog, potentially dangerous dog, reckless dog owner	None statewide
Indiana	Local ordinances only	—	None statewide
Iowa	Local ordinances only	—	None statewide
Kansas	Local ordinances only	—	None statewide
Kentucky	Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.235	vicious dog	None statewide
Louisiana	La. R.S. 14:102.12–14:102.18	dangerous dog, vicious dog	None statewide
Maine	7 M.R.S. § 3952-A	dangerous dog, nuisance dog	$100,000
Maryland	Md. Code, Crim. Law § 10-619	dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog	None statewide
Massachusetts	Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 157	dangerous dog, nuisance dog	$100,000
Michigan	MCL 287.321–287.323	dangerous animal	None statewide
Minnesota	Minn. Stat. §§ 347.50–347.565	dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog	$300,000
Mississippi	Local ordinances only	—	None statewide
Missouri	RSMo § 578.024	dangerous dog	None statewide
Montana	Mont. Code Ann. § 7-23-2109	vicious dog	None statewide
Nebraska	Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 54-617 to 54-624	dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog	None statewide
Nevada	NRS 202.500	dangerous, vicious	None statewide
New Hampshire	N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 466:31	nuisance, menace, vicious	None statewide
New Jersey	N.J.S.A. 4:19-17 to -37	vicious dog, potentially dangerous dog	None statewide
New Mexico	NMSA 1978, §§ 77-1A-1 to 77-1A-6	dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog	None statewide
New York	N.Y. Agric. & Mkts. Law §§ 108(24), 123	dangerous dog	None statewide
North Carolina	N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 67-4.1 to 67-4.5	dangerous dog, potentially dangerous dog	None statewide
North Dakota	N.D.C.C. ch. 42-03	public nuisance	None statewide
Ohio	Ohio Rev. Code §§ 955.22–955.24	nuisance dog, dangerous dog, vicious dog	$100,000
Oklahoma	4 O.S. §§ 44–47	potentially dangerous dog, dangerous dog	$50,000
Oregon	ORS 609.035, 609.095, 609.098 and 609.990	potentially dangerous dog, dangerous dog	None statewide
Pennsylvania	3 P.S. §§ 459-502-A to 459-507-A	dangerous dog	$50,000
Rhode Island	R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 4-13.1	vicious dog	$100,000
South Carolina	S.C. Code Ann. §§ 47-3-710 to 47-3-770	dangerous animal	$50,000
South Dakota	SDCL 40-34-13 to 40-34-15	vicious dog, dangerous animal	None statewide
Tennessee	Tenn. Code Ann. § 44-17-120	dog that attacks a human and causes death or serious bodily injury, potentially vicious dog, vicious dog	None statewide
Texas	Tex. Health & Safety Code §§ 822.041–822.047	dangerous dog	$100,000
Utah	Local ordinances only	vicious animal	None statewide
Vermont	20 V.S.A. § 3546	vicious domestic pet	None statewide
Virginia	Va. Code §§ 3.2-6540 to 3.2-6540.04; § 3.2-6540.1 (vicious dogs)	dangerous dog, vicious dog	$100,000
Washington	RCW 16.08.070–.110	potentially dangerous dog, dangerous dog	$250,000
West Virginia	W. Va. Code § 19-20-20	vicious, dangerous, in the habit of biting or attacking other persons	None statewide
Wisconsin	Local ordinances only	—	None statewide
Wyoming	W.S. 11-31-301	animal attacking any person in a vicious manner, vicious dogs	None statewide

The report also triggers health rules in some states. Connecticut requires a 10-day quarantine of a dog that bites or attacks another animal ⁴⁶, and its health department treats bites to other domestic animals as reportable to the local animal control officer ⁴⁸. Colorado makes the dangerous-dog offense a class 2 misdemeanor when it causes injury to or death of a domestic animal, with restitution to the animal’s owner ⁴⁹.

Wisconsin lets the owner of an injured domestic animal file a civil action asking a court to order a dog killed, but only after it caused serious injury on two separate occasions off its owner’s property ¹³. Each state’s process, and the owner’s right to a hearing, is on its dangerous-dog page, such as Ohio’s or Washington’s. The dangerous dog laws guide compares them.

What about rabies for my dog?

Ask your vet, and give them the other dog’s rabies tag or vaccination record if you have it. CDC guidance for veterinarians, updated July 16, 2025, says an up-to-date dog exposed to a possibly rabid animal should get an immediate booster and be watched for 45 days under the owner’s supervision ⁵⁰. For an unvaccinated dog, the same page recommends euthanasia, or a strict 4-month quarantine if the owner declines ⁵⁰.

Who actually pays?

In most cases, the other owner’s homeowners or renters insurer, if there is a policy. Georgia, for example, requires the owner of a dog classified as vicious to carry at least $50,000 of liability insurance covering injuries and property damage ⁵¹. The dog bite insurance guide explains coverage and exclusions.

Steps after a dog attacks your dog

Get your dog to a vet. Keep every invoice and the vet’s notes on the injuries.
Identify the other owner. Get a name, address, phone number and the dog’s rabies and license tag numbers.
Record the scene. Photograph injuries and the place, and take names of witnesses.
Report it. Call animal control or the police; the report creates a record of the dog’s behavior.
Ask about insurance. The other owner’s homeowners or renters policy may cover the claim.
Note the deadline. Find your state’s property deadline on its page at all states.

Questions

Can I get money for the emotional distress of watching my dog get attacked?

Usually not for the loss of the pet itself. West Virginia's high court held that sentimental value and mental suffering are generally not recoverable for a pet killed by a dog¹, and Nevada's pet-damages statute excludes emotional damages⁶. Your own injuries, if you were bitten, are a separate personal injury claim.

My dog was off leash too. Can I still recover?

Possibly, but your share of fault counts. Most states reduce or bar an award for the injured party's own fault, and Wisconsin's dog statute applies its comparative-negligence rule¹³. The provocation and trespass guide explains each system.

Will the other dog be put down for attacking my dog?

Rarely after one attack. In Wisconsin, for example, the owner of an injured domestic animal can ask a court to order a dog killed only after it seriously injured a person or domestic animal on two separate occasions off its owner's property¹³. See the dog bite euthanasia guide.

Who pays if two loose dogs attacked my dog together?

Wyoming makes owners of dogs that attack together jointly liable²⁶, while in Utah each owner pays a separate share²⁴.

Does the attacking dog have to be quarantined?

Quarantine rules usually turn on a bite to a person, but Connecticut's statute requires a 10-day quarantine of a dog that bites or attacks another animal⁴⁶. Check your state's dangerous-dog page.

Sources

Julian v. DeVincent, 155 W. Va. 320 (1971), CourtListener (Free Law Project). Checked 17 October 2026.
W. Va. Code § 19-20-13, Dog running at large; liability of owner, West Virginia Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Superior Court Civil Practice Jury Instructions, Instruction 9.00: Dog Liability (May 2024), Massachusetts Trial Court (mass.gov). Checked 17 October 2026.
Massachusetts General Laws ch. 140, § 155 (liability for damage caused by dog), Massachusetts Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Connecticut General Statutes § 22-357, Damage by dogs to person or property, Connecticut General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
NRS 41.740, Damages for killing or injuring a pet, Nevada Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Iowa Code § 614.1 (Period of limitations), Iowa Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Wisconsin Statutes § 893.52, Action for damages for injury to property, Wisconsin State Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-207, Injuries involving property, Montana Legislature (MCA 2025). Checked 17 October 2026.
Code of Virginia § 8.01-243, Virginia General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
Iowa Code § 351.28 (Liability for damages), Iowa Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 54-601 (dog owner liable for damages), Nebraska Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Wisconsin Statutes § 174.02, Owner's liability for damage caused by dog; penalties; court order to kill, Wisconsin State Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
K.S.A. 47-645, Liability of owner of dog for damages, Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes. Checked 17 October 2026.
RCW 16.08.010 Liability for injury to stock by dogs, Washington State Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
RSA 466:19, Liability of Owner or Keeper, New Hampshire General Court. Checked 17 October 2026.
Kentucky Revised Statutes § 258.235, Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Checked 17 October 2026.
Louisiana Civil Code art. 2321 (damage caused by animals; livestock), Louisiana State Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Ohio Revised Code § 955.28, Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Checked 17 October 2026.
A.R.S. § 11-1020, Dogs; liability, Arizona State Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
North Carolina General Statutes § 67-4.4 (strict liability), North Carolina General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
N.Y. Agriculture and Markets Law § 123 (Dangerous dogs), New York State Senate. Checked 17 October 2026.
RSMo § 273.036 (owner liable, when; fine), Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Checked 17 October 2026.
Utah Code § 18-1-1, Liability and damages for dog injury -- Exceptions, Utah Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
SDCL 40-34-2 (dogs harming poultry or domestic animals), South Dakota Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
W.S. 11-31-105 to 11-31-108 (dogs and livestock), Wyoming Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
ORS chapter 609 (§ 609.115 liability for potentially dangerous dog; § 609.035 definitions), Oregon Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Martin v. Christman, 2014 VT 55, Vermont Supreme Court. Checked 17 October 2026.
UJI 13-506 NMRA, Liability of a dog owner (as amended Oct. 31, 2025), New Mexico Supreme Court. Checked 17 October 2026.
D.C. Code § 8-1801 (animal control definitions), Council of the District of Columbia. Checked 17 October 2026.
Animal Control Act, 510 ILCS 5, Illinois General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
Chadbourne v. Kappaz, 779 A.2d 293 (D.C. 2001), CourtListener (Free Law Project). Checked 17 October 2026.
P.L.2019, c.82 (amending N.J.S.A. 4:19-22 and 4:19-23), approved May 7, 2019, New Jersey Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
20 V.S.A. § 3545, Vermont General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
7 M.R.S. § 3951, Killing for assault permitted, Maine Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Checked 17 October 2026.
Wisconsin Statutes § 174.01, Restraining action against dogs, Wisconsin State Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
RSMo § 273.033 (killing or injuring a dog in self-defense), Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Checked 17 October 2026.
Iowa Code § 351.27 (Right to kill tagged dog), Iowa Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
SDCL 40-34-1 (killing a dog that harms domestic animals), South Dakota Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
MCL 287.279, Killing of dog attacking persons or livestock, Michigan Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
California Food and Agricultural Code §§ 31601–31609 (definitions), California Legislative Information. Checked 17 October 2026.
RCW 16.08.070 Dangerous dogs and related definitions, Washington State Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Ohio Revised Code § 955.22, Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Checked 17 October 2026.
4 O.S. § 44, Dangerous dogs: definitions, Oklahoma State Courts Network (OSCN). Checked 17 October 2026.
MCL 287.321, Dangerous Animals act definitions, Michigan Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Connecticut General Statutes § 22-359, Control of rabies. Quarantine, Connecticut General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
Act 224, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024 (H.B. 2058), Relating to Dangerous Dogs, Hawaii State Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Rabies Statistics (bite reporting), Connecticut Department of Public Health. Checked 17 October 2026.
C.R.S. § 18-9-204.5, Unlawful ownership of dangerous dog, Colorado Revised Statutes (public.law copy). Checked 17 October 2026.
Information for Veterinarians (Rabies), last updated July 16, 2025, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Checked 17 October 2026.
O.C.G.A. § 4-8-27 (certificate of registration for classified dogs), Justia (Official Code of Georgia Annotated, 2022). Checked 17 October 2026.
Hawaii Revised Statutes § 711-1140 (Dangerous dogs: definitions), Hawaii State Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.

Dog Attacked My Dog: Can I Sue the Owner?