This article provides a list of the states that impose strict liability to dog owners for any damages suffered by any person as the result of a dog bite.  Approximately 34 states and D.C. have some form of strict liability for dog bites or other personal injury done by dogs.  The main feature of these statutes is that liability is assigned regardless of the dog's former showing of vicious tendencies or the owner's knowledge of the dog's viciousness.  In general, the only two exceptions arise under these statutes: (1) provocation of the dog by the victim; and (2) governmental agencies (i.e., law enforcement) who are using dogs in the apprehension of criminal suspects or in the investigation of a crime.  Links to the actual text of the statute are provided by clicking on the state name.

State	Citation & Link	What Dogs (all dogs, loose or dangerous dogs)?	What Kind of Damage (bite or any injury)?	What places?	Provocation exclusion?	Exclusions other than provocation?
Alabama	AL ST 3-6-1	Any dog	Bite or injure	A place where victim has a legal right to be	Not expressly provided	Mitigation of damages provision: The owner of such dog shall, however, be entitled to plead and prove in mitigation of damages that he had no knowledge of any circumstances indicating such dog to be or to have been vicious or dangerous or mischievous, and, if he does so, he shall be liable only to the extent of the actual expenses incurred by the person so bitten or injured as a result of the bite or injury.
Arizona	AZ ST 11-1025	Any dog	Bite only	Is in or on a public place or lawfully in or on a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog	Proof of provocation of the attack by the person injured shall be a defense to the action for damages. The issue of provocation shall be determined by whether a reasonable person would expect that the conduct or circumstances would be likely to provoke a dog.	Any governmental agency using a dog in military or police work if the bite occurred while the dog was defending itself from a harassing or provoking act, or assisting an employee of the agency in any of the following: 1. In the apprehension or holding of a suspect where the employee has a reasonable suspicion of the suspect's involvement in criminal activity. 2. In the investigation of a crime or possible crime. 3. In the execution of a warrant. 4. In the defense of a peace officer or another person.
California	Cal Civ Code 3342	Any dog	Bite only	While in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog. (A person is lawfully upon the private property of such owner within the meaning of this section when he is on such property in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by the laws of this state or by the laws or postal regulations of the United States, or when he is on such property upon the invitation, express or implied, of the owner).	Not expressly listed in statute, but one case has held that defenses of assumption of the risk and comparative negligence (provocation). “The defenses of assumption of the risk and contributory negligence may still be asserted” in an action brought under section 3342. (Johnson v. McMahan (1998) 68 Cal.App.4th 173, 176 [80 Cal.Rptr.2d 173].)	Trespassers (not lawfully on owner’s property) Nothing in this section shall authorize the bringing of an action pursuant to subdivision (a) against any governmental agency using a dog in military or police work if the bite or bites occurred while the dog was defending itself from an annoying, harassing, or provoking act, or assisting an employee of the agency in any of the following: (1) In the apprehension or holding of a suspect where the employee has a reasonable suspicion of the suspect's involvement in criminal activity. (2) In the investigation of a crime or possible crime. (3) In the execution of a warrant. (4) In the defense of a peace officer or another person. (c) Subdivision (b) shall not apply in any case where the victim of the bite or bites was not a party to, nor a participant in, nor suspected to be a party to or a participant in, the act or acts that prompted the use of the dog in the military or police work. (d) Subdivision (b) shall apply only where a governmental agency using a dog in military or police work as adopted a written policy on the necessary and appropriate use of a dog for the police or military work enumerated in subdivision (b).
Colorado	CO ST 13-21-124	Any dog	Bite only	While lawfully on public or private property (a person shall be deemed to be lawfully on public or private property if he or she is in the performance of a duty imposed upon him or her by local, state, or federal laws or regulations or if he or she is on property upon express or implied invitation).	Provocation	(a) While the person is unlawfully on public or private property;     (b) While the person is on property of the dog owner and the property is clearly and conspicuously marked with one or more posted signs stating "no trespassing" or "beware of dog";     (c) While the dog is being used by a peace officer or military personnel in the performance of peace officer or military personnel duties;     (d) As a result of the person knowingly provoking the dog;     (e) If the person is a veterinary health care worker, dog groomer, humane agency staff person, professional dog handler, trainer, or dog show judge acting in the performance of his or her respective duties; or     (f) While the dog is working as a hunting dog, herding dog, farm or ranch dog, or predator control dog on the property of or under the control of the dog's owner.
Connecticut	CT ST 22-357	Any dog	Any damage to person or property	Presumably any place	Provocation - teasing, tormenting or abusing such dog. If a minor, on whose behalf an action under this section is brought, was under seven years of age at the time the damage was done, it shall be presumed that such minor was not committing a trespass or other tort, or teasing, tormenting or abusing such dog, and the burden of proof thereof shall be upon the defendant in such action.	Trespasser or committing other tort
Delaware	DE ST T. 7 Sec. 1711	Any dog	Any injury, death or loss to person or property	Presumably anyplace	Provocation - teasing, tormenting or abusing the dog.	A person who, at the time, was committing or attempting to commit a trespass or other criminal offense on the property of the owner, or was committing or attempting to commit a criminal offense against any person
D.C.	DC ST 8-1808 and DC ST 1812	ONLY dogs at large	Injures	Presumably any place	Not provided	Not provided
Florida	FL ST 767.04	Any dog	Bite	In a public place, or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog	Any negligence on the part of the person bitten that is a proximate cause of the biting incident reduces the liability of the owner of the dog by the percentage that the bitten person's negligence contributed to the biting incident. However, the owner is not liable, except as to a person under the age of 6, or unless the damages are proximately caused by a negligent act or omission of the owner, if at the time of any such injury the owner had displayed in a prominent place on his or her premises a sign easily readable including the words "Bad Dog."	None other than provocation/trespass
Georgia	GA ST 51-2-7	ONLY vicious or dangerous animals who are AT LARGE by negligence of the owner	Any injury	Statute does not limit, but may not include owner’s property b/c animal must be “at large”	Provocation	Not listed
Hawaii	HI ST 663-9; 663-9.1	Dog (or other animal); can be owner or harborer of dog	Any personal or property damage	Any place	Provocation (§ 663-9.1)	Trespassers not protected (§ 663-9.1)
Illinois	IL ST CH 510 Sec. 5/16	Dog (or other animal)	Attacks or injures	In any place where victim may lawfully be	Without provocation	None other than provocation
Indiana	IN ST 15-5-12-1	A dog	Bites	Any person who is peaceably conducting himself in any place where he may be required to go for the purpose of discharging any duty imposed upon him by the laws of this state or by the laws or postal regulations of the United States of America	Not specifically provided	The dog is owned by: (1) the United States; (2) an agency of the United States; or (3) a governmental entity (as defined in IC 34-6-2-49); and the dog is engaged in assisting the owner or the owner's agent in the performance of law enforcement or military duties.
Iowa	IA ST 351.28	Any dog	For all damages done by the dog (when the dog is caught in the action of worrying, maiming, or killing a domestic animal, or the dog is attacking or attempting to bite a person)	Presumably anyplace	When the party damaged is doing an unlawful act, directly contributing to the injury	This section does not apply to damage done by a dog affected with hydrophobia unless the owner of the dog had reasonable grounds to know that the dog was afflicted with hydrophobia and by reasonable effort might have prevented the injury.
Kentucky	KY ST 258.235(4)	Any dog	Any damage	Presumably anyplace	Not provided	Not provided
Louisiana	LA C.C. Art. 2321	Any dog	Injuries caused by a dog that an owner could have prevented	Presumably anyplace	Provocation	Not provided
Maine	ME ST. T.7 3961	Any dog	Any damage	NOT on the owner’s premises	Not provided	Note that any fault on the part of the person injured may not reduce damages, unless that fault exceeds the owner’s fault
Mass.	MA ST 140 Sec. 155	Any dog	Do any damage to either the body or property of any person	Presumably anyplace	A person who, at the time such damage was sustained, was committing a trespass or other tort, or was teasing, tormenting or abusing such dog. If a minor, on whose behalf an action under this section is brought, is under seven years of age at the time the damage was done, it shall be presumed that such minor was not committing a trespass or other tort, or teasing, tormenting or abusing such dog, and the burden of proof thereof shall be upon the defendant in such action.	§ 155A. Indemnification of law enforcement officers; damages caused by dogs used in performance of official duties If an action is brought against a law enforcement officer because of damage caused by a dog which said officer was caring for or maintaining in connection with his official duties, the commonwealth or the political subdivision employing said officer shall indemnify him for expenses or damages incurred in the settlement or defense of such action; provided that in the case of an officer employed by the commonwealth the settlement or defense of such case shall have been made by the attorney general, and that in the case of an officer employed by a city or town such settlement or defense shall have been made by the city solicitor or town counsel or by an attorney legally employed for the purpose by a city or town.
Michigan	MI ST 287.351	Any dog	Bites	Public property, or lawfully on private property, including the property of the owner of the dog (unless said person has gained lawful entry upon the premises for the purpose of an unlawful or criminal act.)	Provocation	None other than provocation
Minnesota	MN ST 347.22	A dog	Attacks or injures any person	any place where the person may lawfully be	Provocation	None other than provocation
Montana	MT ST 27-1-715	Any dog located within an incorporated city or town	Bite	a public place or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of such dog (A person is lawfully upon the private property of such owner within the meaning of this section when he is on such property in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by the laws of this state or by the laws or postal regulations of the United States of America or when he is on such property as an invitee or licensee of the person lawfully in possession of the property).	Provocation	None other than provocation
Nebraska	NE ST 54-601	Any dog	Bite a person	Presumably any place	Not listed	Trespasser excluded
New Hampshire	NH ST 466:19	Any dog	Damage done by a dog	Presumably anyplace	Not listed	Unless the damage was occasioned to a person who was engaged in the commission of a trespass or other tort.
New Jersey	NJ ST 4:19-16	Any dog	Bite	On or in a public place, or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog (a person is lawfully upon the private property of such owner when he is on the property in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by the laws of this state or the laws or postal regulations of the United States, or when he is on such property upon the invitation, express or implied, of the owner thereof).	Not listed	Trespasser (not lawfully on property)
New York	NY Ag & Mkts Sec. 121 (10)	Dangerous dog ONLY (e.g., the dog has been previously declared "dangerous")	Injury from the dog	Any place	Not listed	Not listed
Ohio	OH ST 955.28	Any dog	Any injury, death, or loss to person or property that is caused by the dog	Presumably anyplace	Unless the injury, death, or loss was caused to the person or property of an individual who, at the time, was committing or attempting to commit a trespass or other criminal offense on the property of the owner, keeper, or harborer, or was committing or attempting to commit a criminal offense against any person, or was teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog on the owner's, keeper's, or harborer's property.	None other than provocation
Oklahoma	OK ST T. 4 Sec. 42.1	Any dog	Damages caused by bite or injury	In or on a place where he has a lawful right to be (when he is on such property in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by the laws of this state, or by the laws of the United States, or the postal regulations of the United States, or when reading meters, or making repairs to any public utility or service located on said premises, or when working on said property at the request of the owner or any tenant having a lease upon any portion of said property, or when on such property upon the invitation, either expressed or implied, of the owner or lessee of such property).	Provocation
Penn.	PA ST 3 P.S. § 459-502	Any dog	Any cost to the victim for medical treatment resulting from an attacking or biting dog must be paid fully by the owner of such dog.	Any place	Without provocation (according to Commonwealth v. Hake, 738 A.2nd 46 (Pa Commw. Ct. 1999).	None other than provocation
Rhode Island	RI ST 4-13-16	Any dog	Assaults, bites, or otherwise injures any person	While traveling the highway or out of the enclosure of the owner or keeper of that dog	Not listed	Not listed
South Carolina	SC ST 47-3-110	Any dog	Bitten or otherwise attacked by a dog	While the person is in a public place or is lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog or other person having the dog in his care or keeping,	If a person provokes a dog into attacking him then the owner of the dog is not liable.	None other than provocation
Tenn.	TN ST 44-8-213	Dogs running at large/not under reasonable control	Any damages (but TN limits SL for dog on owner’s property)	While the person injured is in a public place or lawfully on the private property of another	Excludes strict liability while a person was provoking the dog	- Military or police dog - While the dog was protecting the owner or innocent person - While dog was securely confined (i.e., kennel, crate, etc.) - If a dog causes damage while on its owner’s property, then the claimant has to show owner knew of vicious propensities
Utah	UT ST 18-1-1	Any dog	Injury committed by such dog	Presumably anyplace	Not listed	But neither the state nor any county, city, or town in the state nor any peace officer employed by any of them shall be liable in damages for injury committed by a dog when: (1) The dog has been trained to assist in law enforcement, and (2) The injury occurs while the dog is reasonably and carefully being used in the apprehension, arrest, or location of a suspected offender or in maintaining or controlling the public order.
Washington	WA ST 16.08.040	Any dog	Bite	In or on a public place or lawfully in or on a private place including the property of the owner of such dog. A person is lawfully upon the private property of such owner within the meaning of RCW 16.08.040 when such person is upon the property of the owner with the express or implied consent of the owner: PROVIDED, That said consent shall not be presumed when the property of the owner is fenced or reasonably posted.	Proof of provocation is a complete defense	Trespasser
West Virginia	WV ST 19-20-13	Only if dog is running at large	Any damages inflicted upon the person or property of another	Presumably anyplace	Not listed	Not listed
Wisconsin	WI ST 174.02	Any dog	Full amount of damages caused by the dog injuring or causing injury to a person, domestic animal or property	Presumably anyplace	This section has been held by a WI court to impose strict liability, "subject only to the defense of comparative negligence." See Becker v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. , 141 Wis.2d 804, 808, 416 N.W.2d 906 (Ct. App. 1987).	Law enforcement dogs while the dog is performing law enforcement functions