Torts: Strict Liability: Injuries Caused by Animals

Injuries caused by animals (doesn’t come up too much) – must make distinction between 3 categories of cases:
  • Domesticated animals: no strict liability. (dog bite cases). If your dog bites someone, the victim has to prove that you were negligent. That will be hard to prove.
    • Exception: if you have knowledge of your animal’s vicious propensities, then you will be strictly liable. Typically it means that the dog has previously bitten someone.
  • Trespassing cattle: strict liability if your animals go on your neighbor’s property. They eat crops and trample down vegetation.
  • Wild animals: if you keep a wild animal, you’re strictly liable.