Dog Bite or Attack

Under Ontario law, liability for a dog bite or attack is borne by the owner or whomever is “harbouring” the dog, which means they exercise some care and control of the dog. If this is a minor, the liable person is whoever has custody of the minor.

An owner is liable for injury caused by a dog, regardless of whether the dog was known to bite or be vicious, and regardless of whether the owner was negligent. In other words, liability arises simply because there is an injury. The owner may only argue that the victim or someone else contributed to the injuries. For example, they may claim that the parent of an injured child that was playing with a dog failed to properly supervise the child. The team at Miskin Law can help you navigate liability as you build your dog bite lawsuit.