“Dangerous Dogs” and Florida Law
Posted on 31. May, 2010 by Attorney in Uncategorized
- Your dog will be considered dangerous if it has bitten someone or acted aggressively in a public place
- There are legal requirements for keeping a dog labeled as dangerous under Florida Law
Under the Dangerous Dog Statute in Florida Law, a dog is considered dangerous if it has bitten someone aggressively or attacked or severely injured a human being. Under the law a severe injury means that the attack caused bones to be broken, there were multiple bites or lacerations that are disfiguring and required stitches or surgery.
Any dog that is used for dog fighting or trained to fight is considered a dangerous dog under the law.
If your dog has attacked and severely injured or killed another domestic animal on more than one occasion then it will be considered dangerous.
If your dog has chased or acted aggressively towards another person in any public place and the incident was without provocation then your dog will also be labeled as dangerous.
However, the exceptions to the above are if your dog was being provoked, tormented or assaulted in any way or if you as the owner, or a member of your family was being abused and the dog was merely protecting you or your family. Another exception is if the person who was injured was trespassing on your property at the time of the attack.
If your dog is considered dangerous then you must register your dog with the state, confine your dog when at home soi t cannot escape, use a muzzle and keep the dog on a leash when out and post clearly visible signs warning of the dogs danger at entry points to your property.
Dangerous dogs must be micro-chipped or have a tattoo for identification. If you move house or sell your dog you must notify the authorities and if your dog escapes you must also immediately inform them.
Any violations of these requirements can lead to a $500 fine. If your dog bites a person or another domestic animal you face a fine of up to $1000 and a year in prison. For more serious attacks the fine can be up to $5000 and have a jail term of up to five years.
Further legal pages : Jodat Law Group, personal injury lawyers with offices in Bradenton, Florida.
