Dogs may be man’s best friend, and most dog owners in Connecticut are responsible pet owners who train their animals not to harm others. However, even the most mild-mannered dogs can lash out and bite or in some other way attack a person. When that happens the dog’s owner could face liability.
Under Connecticut law, if a canine causes damage to a person’s body, for example by biting or scratching a person, or if a canine damages a person’s property, the animal’s owner is liable for the damage caused by the dog. However, there are some exceptions to this blanket rule.
One exception to this is if the person harmed by the dog was trespassing on the owner’s property or committing some other type of tort. Another exception is if the person harmed by the dog was abusing, tormenting or teasing it. That being said, if the person harmed by the dog was a child under seven-years-old, there is the presumption that the child was not trespassing on the owner’s property, nor was the child abusing, tormenting or teasing the dog. In that situation, the burden of proof shifts to the dog owner.
Dog bites can cause significant damage. A person wounded by a dog bite may need immediate medical care, which can be costly. There is also the pain and suffering, both physical and emotional, that comes if a person is attacked by a dog. Therefore, it is important to hold dog owners responsible for the actions of their pets. By doing so, not only may a person who was attacked by the dog pursue compensation for their injuries, but it could also prevent such animal attacks from happening in the future.
