Injury to Livestock
In the eyes of the law, injuring economically valuable livestock is traditionally a more serious matter than injuring a person.75 In at least one state, Minnesota, a dog owner is even guilty of a minor criminal offense - a petty misdemeanor - if the dog kills or pursues domestic livestock.76
The two cardinal rules, which apply almost everywhere, are:
1. A livestock owner is free to kill a dog that is killing, wounding, chasing,
worrying, harassing, or attacking livestock.
2. A dog's owner or keeper is financially liable for any livestock damage the
dog causes.
In some states, the dog's owner may be liable for double the amount of actual damages. In California, for example, the owner of livestock injured or killed by a dog may sue the dog's owner for twice the amount of the financial loss.77
Several states have funds to reimburse farmers or ranchers who lose livestock to dogs. The animal owner must file a claim with the state, following procedures set out in the statute. To seek reimbursement from the Illinois Animal Control Fund, for example, an owner must:
- be an Illinois resident
- report the loss to the state within 24 hours, and
- appear before the County Board and make a sworn statement setting out how many animals were killed, their value, and the owner of the dog, if known.78
The Board investigates and files a written report with the county treasurer, who makes payments once a year. Unless the county sets the amount to be paid at the reasonable market value, maximum amounts per injured or killed animal are set by state law.
The livestock owner may still sue the owner of the dog responsible for the damage. An amount equal to what the livestock owner has received from the Animal Control Fund is simply deducted from what is awarded in court, if anything, and paid back to the fund.
Endnotes
1 Estimate of the Centers for Disease Conrol and Prevention in Atlanta.
2 A community approach to dog bite prevention, J. Am. Vet. Med. Ass'n, vol. 218, No. 11 (2001).
3 Jannuzzelli v. Wilkens, 158 N.J. Super. 36, 385 A.2d 322 (1978).
4 Morris v. Weatherly, 488 N.W.2d 508 (Minn. App. 1992).
5 Cal. Civ. Code 3342; Ariz. Rev. Stat. 11-1020 (D).
6 Holden ex rel. Holden v. Schwer, 242 Neb. 389, 495 N.W.2d 269 (1993).
7 Johnson v. Lindley, 41 F. Supp. 2d 1021 (D. Neb. 1999).
8 Lewellin v. Huber, 465 N.W.2d 62 (Minn. 1991).
9 Georgia has a dog-bite statute, but instead of imposing strict liability (liability without fault) as other statutes do, it merely puts the common law rule in a statute.
10 Tessiero v. Conrad, 588 N.Y.S.2d 200 (App. Div. 1992).
11 See, for example, Slack v. Villari, 59 Md. App. 462, 476 A.2d 227, cert. denied, 301 Md. 177, 482 A.2d 502 (1984).
12 See, for example, Fontecchio v. Esposito, 108 A.D.2d 780, 485 N.Y.S.2d 113 (1985).
13 See, for example, Henkel v. Jordan, 644 P.2d 1348, 7 Kan. App. 2d 561 (1982). (Dog ran after bicyclists, who fell and were injured. The owners, who knew of the dog's habits, were held liable.)
14 Nava v. McMillan, 176 Cal. Rptr. 473, 123 Cal. App. 3d 262 (1981).
15 Fowler v. Helck, 278 Ky. 361 (1939).
16 Rucker v. Goldstein, 497 So. 2d 491 (Ala. 1986).
17 See, for example, Roupp v. Conrad, 287 A.D.2d 937, 731 N.Y.S.2d 545 (2001).
18 Alfano v. Stutsman, 471 N.E.2d 1143 (Ind. App. 1984).
19 Partipilo v. DiMaria, 211 Ill. App. 3d 813, 156 Ill. Dec. 207, 570 N.E.2d 683 (1991).
20 Laylon v. Shaver, 590 N.Y.S.2d 615 (App. Div. 1992).
21 Williams v. Hill, 658 So. 2d 381 (Ala. 1995).
22 Hill v. Williams, 144 N.C. App. 45, 547 S.E.2d 472, rev. denied 354 N.C. 217, 557 S.E.2d 531 (2001).
23 For example, see Delfino v. Sloan, 20 Cal. App. 4th 1429, 25 Cal. Rptr. 2d 265 (1993), petition for review denied (1994), and Silva v. Micelli, 178 A.D.2d 521, 577 N.Y.S.2d 444 (1991).
24 Los Angeles Daily Journal, Jan. 26, 1987.
25 Selger v. Steven Brothers, Inc., 222 Cal. App. 3d 1585, 272 Cal. Rptr. 544 (1990).
26 Von Behren v. Bradley, 266 Ill. App. 3d 446, 640 N.E.2d 664, 203 Ill. Dec. 744 (1994), petition for leave to appeal denied (1995).
27 Brans v. Extrom, 2005 WL 1026050, __ N.W.2d __ (Mich. App. 2005).
28 See, for example, Reed v. Bowen, 503 So.2d 1265 (Fla. App. 1986); Toney v. Bouthillier, 129 Ariz. 402, 631 P.2d 557 (1981).
29 "Retired doctor not at fault for dog's attack, jury says," Memphis Commercial Appeal, Dec. 7, 1990.
30 Benton v. Aquarium, Inc., 62 Md. App. 373, 489 A.2d 549 (1985).
31 Lundy v. Stuhr, 185 Ga. App. 72, 363 S.E.2d 343 (1987).
32 Carlson v. Friday, 694 N.W.2d 828 (Minn. App. 2005).
33 Murphy v. Buonato, 241 Conn. 319, 696 A.2d 320 (1997).
34 Prays v. Perryman, 213 Cal. App. 3d 1133, 262 Cal. Rptr. 180 (1989).
35 Pulley v. Malek, 25 Ohio 3d 95, 495 N.E.2d 402 (1986).
36 Collins v. Kenealy, 492 N.W.2d 679 (Iowa 1992).
37 Hass v. Money, 849 P.2d 1106 (Okla. Civ. App. 1993).
38 Nelson v. Hall, 165 Cal. App. 3d 709, 211 Cal. Rptr. 668 (1985); Vanderlei v. Heideman, 83 Ill. App. 3d 158, 38 Ill. Dec. 525, 403 N.E.2d 756 (1980).
39 Kenney v. Barna, 215 Neb. 863, 341 N.W.2d 901 (1983).
40 Alvin v. Simpson, 195 Mich. App. 418, 491 N.W.2d 604 (1992).
41 See, for example, Wroniak v. Ayala, 14 Conn. L. Rptr. 328 (1995) (officer bitten while investigating a burglary in the dog owner's home could sue under state dog-bite statute).
42 Jones v. Manhart, 120 Ariz. 338, 585 P.2d 1250 (1978).
43 Restatement (Second) of Torts 514 (1977).
44 Mech v. Hearst Corp., 64 Md. App. 422, 496 A.2d 1099 (1985).
45 DeRobertis v. Randazzo, 94 N.J. 144, 462 A.2d 1260 (1983).
46 Mitchell v. Chase, 87 Me. 172, 32 A. 867 (1895).
47 Verrett v. Silver, 244 N.W.2d 147 (Minn. 1976).
48 Armstrong v. Milwaukee Mutual Ins. Co., 191 Wis. 2d 562, 530 N.W.2d 12 (1995).
49 Verrett v. Silver, 244 N.W.2d 147 (Minn. 1976).
50 Kirchgessner v. County of Tazewell, 162 Ill. App. 3d 510, 114 Ill. Dec. 224, 516 N.E.2d 379 (1987).
51 Hassell v. Wenglinski, 243 Ill. App. 3d 398, 183 Ill. Dec. 807, 612 N.E.2d 64 (1993), petition for leave to appeal denied (1993).
52 Zwinge v. Love, 37 A.D.2d 874, 325 N.Y.S.2d 107 (1971).
53 Gilbert v. Christiansen, 259 N.W.2d 896 (Minn. 1977).
54 Hagenau v. Millard, 195 N.W. 718 (Wis. 1923).
55 Guerrero v. Capron, 121 Wash. App. 1063 (2004).
56 510 Ill. Comp. Stat., 5/2.16, 5/16.
57 Hampton ex rel. Hampton v. Hammons, 743 P.2d 1053 (Okla. 1987).
58 Schleier ex rel. Alter v. Alter, 767 P.2d 1187 (Ariz. App. 1989).
59 Thelen v. Thelen, 174 Mich. App. 380, 435 N.W.2d 495 (1989) (child allowed to sue father and stepmother for bite by father's dog).
60 See, for example, Squeglia v. Squeglia, 234 Conn. 259 (1995) (four-year-old child couldn't sue father, under state strict liability statute, for dog bite).
61 Nakhla v. Singer-Shoprite, Inc., 500 A.2d 411 (N.J. Super. A.D. 1985).
62 Humphries v. Rice, 600 So. 2d 975 (Ala. 1992).
63 Barrett v. Rodgers, 408 Mass. 614, 562 N.E.2d 480 (1990).
64 Graham ex rel. Graham v. Murphy, 135 A.D.2d 326, 525 N.Y.S.2d 414 (1988).
65 Fontecchio v. Esposito, 108 A.D.2d 780, 485 N.Y.S.2d 113 (1985).
66 Insurance Information Institute, Dog Bite Liability, January 2005.
67 Wiley v. Travelers Ins. Co., 534 P.2d 1293 (Okla. 1974).
68 Lititz Mutual Ins. Co. v. Branch, 561 S.W.2d 371 (Mo. App. 1977).
69 Diehl v. Cumberland Mutual Fire Ins. Co., 296 N.J. Super. 231, 686 A.2d 785 (1997).
70 Heringlake v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., 74 Wash. App. 179, 872 P.2d 539 (Wash. Ct. App. 1994).
71 Cieslewicz v. Mutual Service Casualty Ins. Co., 84 Wis. 2d 91, 267 N.W.2d 595 (1978).
72 The Dreamer's Dictionary, by Robinson and Corbett (Taplinger Pub. Co., 1974).
73 Murdock v. Balle, 144 Ariz. 136, 696 P.2d 230 (1981).
74 101 Law Forms for Personal Use contains more information about releases and tear-out release forms.
75 Strict liability statutes (which make an owner liable just because he owns a dog, not because he is at fault in any way) are relatively new when it comes to personal injury caused by dogs, but for years dog owners have been strictly liable for damage to livestock. Many states that still don't impose strict liability for injury to persons do impose strict liability if the dog injures livestock.
76 Minn. Stat. 347.01(b).
77 Cal. Food & Agric. Code 31501.
78 510 Ill. Comp. Stat., 5/19.
