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Animals

negligent handling

The owner of a dog or other animal may be liable for negligence in handling the dog when the dog causes personal injury or property damage. Sometimes a plaintiff must show that the owner had knowledge of the dog's dangerous propensities in order for the dog's owner to be liable for negligent handling.

In Arizona, the liability of a dog owner for injuries or damages caused by their dog is governed by both statutory law and common law principles. Under Arizona Revised Statutes Section 11-1025, a dog owner is strictly liable for any injuries their dog causes to a person or another person's property, regardless of the dog's previous behavior or the owner's knowledge of the dog's viciousness. This means that the injured party does not need to prove the owner's negligence or knowledge of the dog's dangerous propensities to establish liability. However, for incidents that do not involve a dog bite, such as when a dog knocks someone over, the injured party may need to show that the owner failed to exercise reasonable care in controlling the dog, which could involve proving the owner's knowledge of the dog's dangerous tendencies. Additionally, Arizona follows a comparative negligence rule, which means that if the injured party is found to be partially at fault for the incident, their recovery may be reduced by their percentage of fault.

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Animals

negligent handling

Individual & Family Legal Plan

Articles

Arizona State Code

Animals

negligent handling

Arizona State Code

Articles