DOG BITES & DOG AT LARGE

A.R.S. § 11-1020 – Dog-at-Large

Any injury to person or property by a dog-at-large is the responsibility of the dog owner or the person responsible for the dog at the time the dog was at-large. To be at-large means the dog is not confined by an enclosure or the dog is not physically restrained by a leash when not confined in an enclosed area of private property. Dogs are never allowed to be at-large in public parks or on public school property. The safest thing to do is keep your dog on a leash at all times. Regardless of civil liability because of a dog-at-large, most municipalities have criminal ordinances prohibiting dogs being at-large.

A.R.S. § 11-1014

If a dog or other animal bites someone, the animal must be quarantined and the bite must be reported to the county immediately.

A.R.S. § 11-1014.01

A person who owns or who is responsible for the care of an aggressive dog shall take reasonable care to:

Prohibit the dog from escaping to the outside of a residence or an enclosed area, yard or structure.
Control the dog in a manner that prevents the dog from biting or attacking a person or domestic animal at all times while the dog is off the owner’s or responsible person’s property

An “aggressive dog” is defined as any dog that has bitten a person or domestic animal without provocation or that has a known history of attacking persons or domestic animals without provocation. Thus, once a dog has a person or domestic animal, the owner has an even greater responsibility to control the dog at all times, even if the dog is on a leash and/or on private property.