Washington dog bite law for owners of powerful dogs
One short statute carries most of the weight in Washington dog bite claims. Here is what summaries of it say.
What the statute covers
RCW 16.08.040 is titled Dog bites: liability. The Animal Legal & Historical Center summary describes strict liability for the owner of a dog that bites any person in a public place or lawfully on private property, including the owner's own, regardless of the dog's former viciousness or the owner's knowledge of it.
Limits worth knowing
A Washington law-firm note stresses that the strict-liability statute applies only when the dog bites a person and only to owners; other injuries, such as being knocked down, may need a negligence claim instead. FindLaw summary of Washington dog bite law makes the same point and adds that strict liability also reaches harm to another person's animal.
Secondary summaries report that provocation and trespass can matter as defenses. Whether either applies to a real incident is a question for a Washington attorney.
Insurance and housing
Ask the insurer how it treats the dog before it moves in, and ask a landlord or HOA what limits apply. State law does not override lease terms or association rules.
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