Does a “Beware of Dog” sign absolve the owner of responsibility?

In some cases, people will get hurt by a dog on someone else’s property. An example of this could be a mailman who gets bitten or even a child who may be trespassing on the property. Joggers and walkers may be bitten when passing by someone else’s property on the sidewalk.

After the injury, the dog owner may say that they aren’t responsible for the medical bills and related costs. Their reasoning is that they had a “Beware of Dog” sign on their property. Anyone near their property should have known that the dog was dangerous, so the owner claims they are no longer liable and the responsibility lies with the injured party. Is this true?

Was the owner negligent?

No, a “Beware of Dog” sign does not automatically remove the owner’s liability. They certainly could still be responsible for the other party’s injuries, especially if they were negligent.

In fact, some argue that the presence of a “Beware of Dog” sign indicates that the owner knew the dog was potentially dangerous. If anything, this increases their obligation to protect people from injury. The owner should do this by keeping the dog on a leash, keeping it behind a fence, using an electric fence and much more.

When a pet owner acts negligently and creates a dangerous situation where someone else suffers harm, they are responsible for the actions of their own pet. Regardless of any signage on their property, they must take proper steps to keep others safe. As such, it’s important for injured parties to know if they have a legal right to seek financial compensation after a dog bite.