Your Dog and the Law

Dog Licenses
Leash Laws
Liability for Dog Bites
Injuring or Killing Livestock
Rabid Dogs
Shipping Your Dog by Public Carrier
Cruelty to Animals
Breeding Fees
Leases and Dogs
Ownership
Warranty of Quality
Puppies and Registration

Your dog doesn’t recognize any man-made laws. As far as he is concerned, he is subject only to those natural laws dealing with food, mating and self-preservation. Therefore, you are responsible for his actions. As a dog owner, you are liable for any damage done by your dog to a person, property or the welfare of the community.

In general, most of the laws involving dogs are restrictive and very few favor the dog. Under the law, your dog is regarded as a piece of property or chattel. But he is a unique property. Like a house or car, the dog has monetary value; unlike them, he is alive and has emotional value. Yet the dog laws often ignore both the monetary value and emotional aspect of owning dog. In some sections of the country, your dog can be seized or shot on sight without your permission or without your being compensated for the loss of the dog. And this happens in spite of the fact that the Constitution of the United States specifically states that no person can be deprived of property without his consent. It further provides that a person must receive due compensation for his property. Obviously, the law is a bit lopsided when it comes to dogs.

Most of the dog laws are invested in the states and are considered “police powers.” Each state, in turn, can job out t he dog laws to the various counties, towns, villages or hamlets. This is usually done by the state legislature passing laws permitting the counties or towns to control the licensing and keeping of dogs in their bailiwicks. It is a delegation of authority by the state to the county or local government.

There are so many state, county and local laws governing dogs that it is impossible to give them here. We can only generalize and make you aware that dog laws exist and that you are liable for your dog’s action. The old legal cliché, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse,” still has teeth and can result in a big bite.