Dog Bite Laws

Experienced Pennsylvania Dog Attack Attorney Explains Dog Bite Laws

Serving Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, Delaware, and all other counties in the Commonwealth.

The Pennsylvania dog bite laws enable a dog bite victim to seek full compensation in cases where owners are found negligent or otherwise fail to comply with state-wide legal guidelines. The laws under the Section 459-502(b) of Pennsylvania Statutes explain owners are liable for all damages when an attack causes severe injuries or disfigurements that may require cosmetic surgery. 

You’re here because you or someone you love has been the victim of a dog attack. Now, you can work with a skilled, experienced dog bite lawyer to enforce your legal rights under the Pennsylvania dog bite laws. 

Jeffrey Harlan Penneys, Esq. is a Pennsylvania dog attack lawyer with over 25 years of experience helping injury victims. He will not only help you understand the state’s dog bite statutes and your rights under them, but also help you settle your dog bite case and get the compensation you deserve.

Whether you’re trying to determine the legal definition of a “dangerous dog” or want to learn more about your injury compensation options, Jeffrey Penney will use his over 25 years of dog bite law experience to guide you. Call the Dog Bite Lawyer to learn more or to schedule a case review for your full range of legal options.

PA Dog Bite Lawyer Dog in green field

What Qualifies a Dog as a "Dangerous Dog" under State Law?

When you are a dog owner in Pennsylvania and your dog has been found to be a “dangerous dog” under state law, then you as the owner are in for some serious hoop-jumping. In other words, there are many restrictions and requirements that you must adhere to once you are found to be “harboring a dangerous animal” – which is actually a crime in our state. So the requirements listed below cannot be taken lightly.

But what makes a dog a dangerous animal in the eyes of the law? The statute states that the following elements must be proven to a magistrate beyond a reasonable doubt in order to classify an animal as “dangerous”.

One must show that the dog has done any of the following:

  • Inflicted severe injury on a person without provocation, and while on public or private property,
  • Killed or inflicted severe injury on a domestic animal (pet) without provocation while off the owner’s property,
  • Attacked a human being without provocation, or
  • Been used in the commission of a crime.

Additionally, it must be shown that the dog has one or all of the following:

  • A history of attacking human beings and/or domestic animals, dogs, or cats without provocation,
  • A propensity to attack human beings and/or domestic animals, dogs, or cats without provocation, which may be proven by a single incident of the conduct described {above}, or
  • The defendant is the owner or keeper of the dog.

Dog Bite Laws in Pennsylvania

Below, we’ve compiled a simplified list of PA dog bite laws:

  • All Pennsylvania dog owners must control their dogs at all times. This means that a dog should either be safely confined on the dog owner’s property, secured by a leash or chain, or under the reasonable control of a person. There are exceptions for dogs that are lawfully hunting, on exhibition, or field training.
  • You may kill a dog that is actively endangering others. If you see a dog in the act of pursuing or wounding or killing any domestic animal, including household pets, or pursuing, wounding or attacking human beings, you can kill that animal without breaking any laws or being held liable for damages. In addition, anyone who has been attacked by a dog, or who has had a pet attacked by a dog, may file a complaint to have the dog registered as “dangerous”.
  • Dangerous dogs must be insured and contained. Not only is it a crime in Pennsylvania to harbor a dangerous dog, but an owner must post a surety bond for $50,000 (or buy an insurance policy) and the dog must be properly enclosed unless muzzled and restrained by a substantial chain or leash while under physical restraint of a responsible person. The law does not apply if the injury victim was trespassing on the dog owner’s property, attempting to commit a crime, or tormenting, abusing, or assaulting the dog.
  • The owner must also put up a clear sign. This will inform both adults and children that a dangerous dog is being kept on the property. For the sake of children, it is best to use illustrations to convey the seriousness of the threat. Owners must also have a microchip implanted in their dog that identifies the animal as a dangerous animal, and they must have their dog spayed or neutered.
  • Dog owners may be held liable for any damage caused by their negligence. Generally, dog owners are legally responsible for the behavior of their dogs. In most dog bite cases, the dog’s owner will be required to pay all medical bills and related future medical bills of the personal injury victim, as well as lost wages associated with a dog bite or dog attack. Sometimes the dog’s “keeper”, or the person who was taking care of the animal at the time of the dog attack, may be held liable.
  • A landlord may be liable for a dog attack injury. This law states that if a landlord knows that a tenant owns a dangerous dog, and if the landlord has the right to control or remove the animal from the property, he should be held liable for any injuries the dog causes while on the property.
  • If a dangerous dog attacks someone else, the dog’s owner could be guilty of a second-degree misdemeanor. If a dangerous dog, through intentional, reckless, or negligent conduct of the dog’s owner or keeper, attacks a person or a domestic animal, the dog’s owner or keeper is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree. The dangerous dog will be immediately seized by a dog warden or police officer and placed in quarantine. After a period of ten days, if the dog owner does not file an appeal, the dangerous dog will be put to sleep. If an appeal is filed, the dangerous dog shall remain confined until the proceedings are completed and, if found guilty of the cited offense, the dangerous dog is put down.
  • If a dangerous dog causes severe injury or death to a human, the dog’s owner could face a first-degree misdemeanor. A dog owner that allows a dog to aggressively attack and cause severe injury or death of a human through intentional, reckless, or negligence shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. The dog shall be immediately confiscated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and placed in quarantine. After a period of ten days, if the dog owner does not file an appeal, the dangerous dog will be put to sleep. If an appeal is filed, the dangerous dog shall remain confined until the proceedings are completed and, if found guilty of the cited offense, the dangerous dog is put down.

Uphold the Law. Speak to Pennsylvania Dog Attack Attorney.

Get Compensation For Pain and Suffering

I offer free, confidential consultations to Pennsylvania dog bite injury victims and their families.

It is common to be unsure about whether you have a valid dog bite insurance claim, even after you have read the Pennsylvania dog bite statutes and laws. Pennsylvania dog attack lawyer Jeffrey Harlan Penneys is here to listen to your story, analyze the evidence of your case, and explain your best options for legal action.

 

To better understand the legal aspects of your dog bite case, and to take the first step toward securing fair compensation, call Jeffrey H. Penneys, Esq. today. He makes his phone numbers available to injury victims and their families, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.