My Dog Bit Someone: What Happens Next (2026)

When your dog bites someone, three processes can start at once: a public health process (the bite report and a 10-day rabies observation of the dog), an animal control process that can end in a dangerous-dog designation, and a civil claim for the injury, usually paid by your homeowners or renters insurer. In serious cases a fourth, criminal charges, is possible.

This guide takes them in the order they usually happen. It is general information from each state’s statutes, not legal advice. Your state’s exact rules are on its page, reachable from the state list, and every state’s dangerous-dog page is linked at the end.

Step 1: Help the injured person and exchange information

Control the dog first. Put it on a leash or behind a closed door so it cannot bite again, then make sure the injured person can get first aid or medical care. The what to do after a dog bite guide sets out the CDC’s first aid advice from the victim’s side; a doctor decides what treatment is needed.

Give the person your name, address and phone number, and tell them whether the dog is vaccinated against rabies. Their doctor needs that fact to decide whether they need rabies shots. Have the rabies certificate or tag number and your veterinarian’s name ready.

Keep to facts. Write down the time, the place, what happened just before the bite, and the names of witnesses. Whether the person was provoking the dog or trespassing can matter later, because those are defenses in most states (see provocation and trespass). If the person bitten was a mail carrier or delivery driver, see my dog bit a mail carrier or delivery driver for what changes.

Step 2: The bite report

Expect the bite to be reported, and in some states you must report it yourself. Doctors are required to report bites in many states, so a report often follows any medical visit.

Two examples from the state files:

North Carolina. When a dog bites a person, both the bitten person (or a parent) and the dog’s owner or keeper must notify the local health director immediately, with names and addresses ⁴. See North Carolina dog bite law.
Texas. Any person who knows of a bite that could transmit rabies, including the owner, must report it to the local rabies control authority, which must investigate ⁵. See Texas dog bite law.

The report puts the dog on file with animal control or the health department. If the dog has bitten before, it is also how a dangerous-dog case begins. Cooperate with the officer, keep the case number, and ask what the next steps are.

Step 3: The 10-day rabies observation

Your dog will almost certainly be confined and watched for 10 days, even if it is vaccinated. CDC guidance tells veterinarians and health departments that a healthy dog that exposes a person should be confined and observed for 10 days ¹. A dog that stays healthy through those 10 days was not shedding rabies virus when it bit, which is why the observation can spare the bitten person rabies shots ².

State law decides where and on what terms. In 49 jurisdictions the state files record a 10-day period. Some examples:

Texas quarantines a biting dog in a state-licensed facility by default, regardless of vaccination. Home confinement is allowed only with an approved secure enclosure, a vaccinated dog that was not a stray, and checks on the first and last days ⁶. The owner pays, and refusing to quarantine is a Class C misdemeanor ⁵.
North Carolina requires confinement at a place the local health director picks, whatever the dog’s vaccination status; home confinement is at the director’s discretion, and disobeying is a Class 2 misdemeanor ⁴.
California makes the 10-day isolation mandatory statewide. A dog held in a shelter or veterinary hospital can be released after 5 days if a veterinarian examines it and certifies no signs of disease ⁷.

Do not give away, move or euthanize the dog during the observation unless the health authority tells you to. The dog’s survival is the evidence the bitten person’s doctor relies on. If the dog falls ill, call the health department and your veterinarian at once; a dog that shows signs of rabies is euthanized and tested ². The dog bite quarantine guide compares every state’s rule.

Step 4: Tell your insurer

Notify your homeowners or renters insurer soon after the bite, even before anyone makes a claim. According to the Insurance Information Institute, these policies typically cover dog bite liability, including legal costs, up to the policy’s liability limit, which is often $100,000 to $300,000; the owner is responsible for damages above that ³.

Policies usually require prompt notice, and a late report can give the insurer a reason to dispute coverage. Read the liability section and any animal or breed exclusion. Triple-I also notes that after a bite the insurer may raise the premium, decline to renew, or exclude the dog from coverage ³.

Some states require the owner of a dog that has been declared dangerous to carry its own liability coverage. Ohio set a $100,000 minimum per occurrence from March 20, 2026 ¹², and Florida a $100,000 minimum from July 1, 2025 ⁹. The dog bite insurance guide covers exclusions, breed lists and umbrella policies.

Step 5: A possible dangerous-dog proceeding

A single bite does not automatically make a dog “dangerous,” but it can start a case that does. Every state handles it differently: who can file a complaint, whether a court or an agency decides, what injury is required, and what the owner must do after a finding.

Typical owner obligations after a designation are registration, a secure enclosure, a leash and muzzle off the property, signs, and insurance. Euthanasia is usually reserved for the most serious cases and comes with a hearing and an appeal:

Texas. After a dog causes death or serious bodily injury, any person can file a sworn complaint; a court orders the dog seized and holds a hearing within 10 days. The court must order the dog destroyed if it killed someone and may do so for serious bodily injury, and no dog can be destroyed while an appeal is pending ⁸. See the Texas dangerous dog law page.
New York. A judge who finds a dog dangerous may order euthanasia only on an aggravating circumstance, such as an unjustified attack causing serious physical injury or death. The order cannot be carried out during the 30-day appeal period ¹⁰. See the New York dangerous dog law page.
Florida. A dog may be destroyed only in listed cases, and no dog may be destroyed while an appeal is pending ⁹. See the Florida dangerous dog law page.

If you get a notice of a hearing, read it for the deadline to respond or appeal; some are only days long. You can bring witnesses, vaccination and training records, and evidence that the dog was provoked or the person was trespassing. The dangerous dog laws and dog bite euthanasia laws guides explain the process in detail. This table summarizes each state’s dangerous-dog law from the state files:

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

Step 6: The civil claim

The bitten person can ask you, and in practice your insurer, to pay for the injury. What they must prove depends on your state. In 22 jurisdictions a statute makes the owner liable without proof that the owner knew the dog was dangerous, 16 have a narrower statute, and 13 use the common-law one-bite rule and negligence.

Strict liability. California’s statute makes the owner liable for a bite in a public place or where the person was lawfully on private property, including the owner’s, regardless of the dog’s past behavior or the owner’s knowledge ¹³. Ohio’s reaches any injury the dog causes, and covers the owner, keeper or harborer, but excludes a person committing a crime or teasing the dog on the property ¹⁴.
One-bite rule. In Texas the injured person must generally show the owner knew or should have known of the dog’s dangerous tendencies, or was negligent ¹⁵.
Narrow statutes. Pennsylvania’s Dog Law makes the owner or keeper pay the victim’s medical costs in full; other damages need a negligence claim ¹⁶.

Shared fault reduces or bars recovery in most states, and each state sets a deadline to sue. The dog bite laws by state guide has every state’s rule, the dog bite settlements guide explains what claims are paid, and the statute of limitations guide lists the deadlines. If someone sends you a demand letter or serves a lawsuit, send it to your insurer immediately; a lawyer licensed in your state can tell you how your state’s rule applies.

Step 7: Criminal exposure

Most bites lead to no criminal charge. Charges usually require either a dog already declared dangerous, or serious injury or death combined with the owner’s negligence or knowledge. Penalties range from civil fines to felonies:

Texas. An owner who with criminal negligence fails to secure a dog that makes an unprovoked attack off the owner’s property causing serious bodily injury commits a third-degree felony, a second-degree felony if the victim dies ⁸.
Ohio. An owner who negligently fails to stop an unprovoked attack that kills or seriously injures a person commits a third-degree misdemeanor on a first offense, and a third-degree felony if the dog was already designated dangerous or vicious ¹¹.
New York. An owner whose dog bites through the owner’s negligence faces a civil penalty of up to $400, or $1,500 for serious physical injury; a dangerous dog that seriously injures someone through negligence exposes the owner to a misdemeanor ¹⁰.
California. An owner who knows a dog is dangerous and lets it run loose or fails to use ordinary care commits a felony if it kills a person ¹⁷.
Florida. Since the 2025 Pam Rock Act, the owner of a declared dangerous dog that seriously injures or kills a person commits a second-degree felony ⁹.

If police or a prosecutor contact you, you have the right to talk to a criminal defense lawyer before answering questions. The dog bite criminal charges guide has the full list:

Owner's criminal exposure when a dog seriously injures or kills a person (state files reviewed October 2026)
State	Rule
Alabama	An owner whose previously declared dangerous dog causes serious physical injury or death commits a Class B felony; if the dog was not declared but the owner knew of its dangerous propensities and acted with reckless disregard, it is a Class C felony.
Alaska	Alaska has no crime specific to a dog attack.
Arizona	The owner of a dog with a known history of biting, or found vicious by a court, commits a class 5 felony if it bites or attacks a person while at large; deliberately causing a dog to inflict serious injury is a class 3 felony.
Arkansas	Arkansas has no crime written for dog attacks.
California	Under Penal Code § 399, an owner who knows a dog is dangerous and lets it run loose or fails to use ordinary care commits a felony if it kills a person, and a misdemeanor or felony if it causes serious bodily injury.
Colorado	Owning a dangerous dog that injures a person is a class 2 misdemeanor; serious bodily injury is a class 1 misdemeanor (a class 6 felony on a second offense); a death is a class 5 felony, punishable by one to three years and a fine of $1,000 to $100,000.
Connecticut	Failing to comply with a final restraint or disposal order is a class D misdemeanor (up to 30 days and a $250 fine).
Delaware	Under 11 Del.
District of Columbia	Violating the registration or confinement rules for a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog is a misdemeanor: up to $500 and 90 days for a first offense, up to $1,000 and 90 days after that.
Florida	If a dog already declared dangerous seriously injures or kills a person, the owner commits a second-degree felony (raised by the 2025 Pam Rock Act); an unprovoked bite by a declared dog is a first-degree misdemeanor.
Georgia	Most violations of the law are misdemeanors.
Hawaii	Negligent failure to control a dangerous dog is a misdemeanor when a bite injury results from breaking the owner rules or the dog injures a person.
Idaho	Owning a dog found dangerous or at risk without complying with the court's order is a misdemeanor.
Illinois	If a vicious dog kept outside its required enclosure, or not spayed or neutered, makes an unprovoked attack that seriously injures or kills someone, the owner commits a Class 3 felony, or a Class 2 felony if the owner knowingly let it run at large.
Indiana	An owner who recklessly, knowingly or intentionally fails to restrain a dog that leaves the owner's property and bites someone without provocation commits a Class C misdemeanor.
Iowa	Iowa has no state crime for owning a dog that injures or kills someone.
Kansas	Permitting a dangerous animal to be at large, by an owner or custodian who knows of its vicious propensities, is a class B nonperson misdemeanor: up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
Kentucky	Harboring a dog found to have attacked a person off the owner's premises carries a fine of $50 to $200, 10 to 60 days in jail, or both.
Louisiana	If a dog kills a person and the owner was reckless and criminally negligent in confining or restraining it, the owner commits negligent homicide, punishable by up to 10 years and a $5,000 fine.
Maine	Keeping a dog the court has declared dangerous or a nuisance is a civil violation with a $250 to $5,000 fine.
Maryland	Breaking the § 10-619 confinement, leash-and-muzzle or transfer-notice rules for a dangerous dog is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $2,500.
Massachusetts	Chapter 140 punishes failure to comply with a dangerous-dog or nuisance-dog order: up to $500 and 60 days in jail for a first offense, up to $1,000 or 90 days for a later one.
Michigan	If a dog that meets the dangerous-animal definition kills a person, the owner is guilty of involuntary manslaughter under MCL 750.321; a serious injury is a felony punishable by up to 4 years, a fine of at least $2,000, or 500 hours of community service.
Minnesota	Letting a dog run uncontrolled or failing to confine it, causing great or substantial bodily harm, is a misdemeanor, and a gross misdemeanor for a repeat with the same dog.
Mississippi	If a dog the owner knew to be mischievous kills a person who took reasonable precautions, and the owner willfully let it go at large or kept it without ordinary care, the owner is guilty of manslaughter under § 97-3-45.
Missouri	Keeping a dangerous dog (a dog that has bitten before and bites again) is a class B misdemeanor, a class A misdemeanor if the attack causes serious injury, a class E felony if both attacks caused serious injury, and a class D felony if a person dies.
Montana	Violating a county vicious-dog ordinance is a misdemeanor.
Nebraska	Breaking the dangerous-dog rules is a Class IV misdemeanor.
Nevada	Knowingly keeping a vicious dog more than 7 days after actual notice, or transferring it, is a misdemeanor.
New Hampshire	A vicious-dog offense is a violation, not a crime: a $400 civil forfeiture the first time and $1,000 for a second within 12 months, and the owner is liable for all of the victim's medical bills.
New Jersey	No New Jersey statute makes a serious or fatal dog attack a crime in itself.
New Mexico	If a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog causes serious injury to a person without provocation, the owner commits a third-degree felony; if it kills a person, a third-degree felony resulting in death.
New York	An owner whose dog bites through the owner's negligence faces a civil penalty of up to $400, or $1,500 for serious physical injury.
North Carolina	An owner of a dangerous dog that attacks a person and causes injuries needing more than $100 of medical treatment commits a Class 1 misdemeanor.
North Dakota	No North Dakota statute makes a dog attack a crime in itself.
Ohio	An owner who negligently fails to stop an unprovoked vicious dog act (killing or seriously injuring a person) commits a third-degree misdemeanor on a first offense, even if the dog had no history; if the dog was already designated dangerous or vicious, it is a third-degree felony.
Oklahoma	If a dangerous dog, or a dog that has already bitten or threatened a person, kills someone, the owner commits a Class D1 felony, with prison of up to five years and a fine of up to $25,000.
Oregon	Maintaining a dangerous dog (failing, with criminal negligence, to prevent a serious injury or death) is a Class A misdemeanor, up to 364 days and $6,250.
Pennsylvania	If a dog aggressively attacks and causes severe injury or death to a person through the owner's intentional, reckless or negligent conduct, the owner commits a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to five years in prison.
Rhode Island	Chapter 4-13.1 punishes owners with fines rather than jail: $1,000 when a declared vicious dog attacks or injures a person, $1,000 for each later attack, and $550 for keeping one without the required insurance, enclosure or identification.
South Carolina	The owner of a dangerous animal that makes an unprovoked attack injuring a person off its confinement commits a misdemeanor punishable by up to $5,000 or three years for a first offense; a second or later offense is a felony with up to $10,000 or five years.
South Dakota	No South Dakota statute makes it a specific crime when a dog injures or kills a person.
Tennessee	If a dog running at large causes serious bodily injury, the owner commits a Class E felony; if it causes death, a Class D felony.
Texas	If an owner with criminal negligence fails to secure a dog and it makes an unprovoked attack off the owner's property that causes serious bodily injury, the owner commits a third-degree felony; a second-degree felony if the victim dies.
Utah	Under Utah Code § 76-13-212, the owner of a vicious animal who knows its propensities and lets it run at large, or keeps it without ordinary care, commits a class B misdemeanor if it injures a person or animal, and a third-degree felony if it kills a person.
Vermont	Vermont has no crime specific to dog attacks.
Virginia	An owner whose willful act or omission in controlling a dog is so gross, wanton and culpable as to show reckless disregard for human life, and which causes an attack that seriously injures a person, commits a Class 6 felony.
Washington	The owner of any dog that aggressively attacks and causes severe injury or death of a person commits a class C felony, if the state proves the owner knew or should have known the dog was potentially dangerous.
West Virginia	Knowingly owning, keeping or harboring a vicious or dangerous dog violates § 19-20-20.
Wisconsin	Chapter 174 sets civil forfeitures, not crimes: $50 to $2,500 when a dog injures a person, rising to $200 to $5,000 if the owner knew of an earlier injury.
Wyoming	Under the state dog statute the penalties are small: a fine of up to $50 ($100 on a repeat) for an animal that attacked a person, and up to $200 when the attack was vicious.

After the bite: preventing a second one

A first bite puts you on notice. In a one-bite state, a second bite of the same kind is much easier to prove against you (see the one bite rule), and a dangerous-dog statute can treat a later incident more harshly. Keep the dog’s rabies vaccination current, keep it leashed or securely fenced, and consider a veterinarian or certified trainer to assess the behavior that led to the bite.

Every state’s dangerous-dog law

Each page covers the bite report, the quarantine, the dangerous-dog hearing, euthanasia, penalties and breed rules for that state, cited to the statute:

Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming

To see how your state’s rule, defenses and deadline fit a set of facts, the dog bite claim checker walks through them question by question.

Questions

Will my dog be taken away after biting someone?

Usually not right away. The first step is a 10-day rabies observation, and some states let a vaccinated dog spend it at home with approval; Texas, for example, allows home confinement only with an approved secure enclosure and a vaccinated dog that was not a stray⁶. Seizure and euthanasia come from a separate dangerous-dog process with a hearing⁸.

Do I have to report that my dog bit someone?

In some states the owner must. North Carolina requires both the bitten person and the dog's owner or keeper to notify the local health director immediately⁴, and Texas puts the duty on any person who knows of the bite⁵. Your state page lists its rule.

Can I be sued if my dog bit someone on my property?

Yes, in most states, though the rules differ. California's statute covers a person bitten while lawfully on private property, including the owner's¹³, while Ohio's excludes a person committing a crime or teasing the dog on the property¹⁴.

Does my homeowners insurance cover my dog biting someone?

Homeowners and renters policies typically cover dog bite liability up to the policy's liability limit, and the owner is responsible for anything above it³. After a claim, the insurer may raise the premium, decline to renew or exclude the dog³.

Can I go to jail if my dog bites someone?

It is possible in serious cases. In Texas, an owner who with criminal negligence fails to secure a dog that makes an unprovoked attack off the owner's property causing serious bodily injury commits a third-degree felony⁸, and California makes it a felony when an owner who knows a dog is dangerous lets it run loose and it kills a person¹⁷.

Sources

Rabies: Information for Veterinarians, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Checked 16 July 2025.
Human Rabies Prevention, United States, 2008: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (MMWR 57(RR-3)), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Checked 23 May 2008.
Spotlight on: Dog bite liability, Insurance Information Institute. Checked 17 October 2026.
North Carolina General Statutes § 130A-196, North Carolina General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
Texas Health and Safety Code ch. 826 (Rabies Control Act), Texas Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
25 Tex. Admin. Code § 169.27, Bite Incidents, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. Checked 17 October 2026.
Cal. Code Regs. tit. 17, § 2606 (Rabies, Animal), Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. Checked 17 October 2026.
Texas Health and Safety Code ch. 822 (regulation of animals; dangerous dogs), Texas Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
Florida Statutes chapter 767, part II, Dangerous Dogs (§§ 767.10–767.16), The Florida Legislature. Checked 17 October 2026.
N.Y. Agriculture and Markets Law § 123 (Dangerous dogs), New York State Senate. Checked 17 October 2026.
Ohio Revised Code § 955.22, Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Checked 17 October 2026.
Ohio Revised Code § 955.24, Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Checked 17 October 2026.
California Civil Code § 3342, California Legislative Information. Checked 17 October 2026.
Ohio Revised Code § 955.28, Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Checked 17 October 2026.
Marshall v. Ranne, 511 S.W.2d 255 (Tex. 1974), CourtListener (Supreme Court of Texas opinion). Checked 17 October 2026.
Pennsylvania Dog Law, Act of Dec. 7, 1982, P.L. 784, No. 225 (3 P.S. § 459-101 et seq.), as amended through Act 47 of 2024, Pennsylvania General Assembly. Checked 17 October 2026.
California Penal Code § 399, California Legislative Information. Checked 17 October 2026.

My Dog Bit Someone: What Happens Next, Step by Step