SPONSOR: Cook
Currently, a person commits the offense of keeping a dangerous dog if a person possesses a dog that has previously bitten any person or domestic animal, without provocation and bites a person on a subsequent occasion. This bill modifies the offense to include domestic animals or livestock. If a person possesses a dog that has bitten any person, domestic animal, or livestock without provocation on a single occasion, it is an infraction. The bill also specifies that if the subsequent bite results in:
(1) The death of a domestic animal or livestock, it is a class A misdemeanor; or
(2) Serious injury to a person or death to a domestic animal or livestock after a bite that previously resulted in serious injury to a person or death to a domestic animal or livestock, it is a class E felony.
The bill also specifies that the court can order the owner or possessor of the dog to pay any medical bill of a person, domestic animal, or livestock resulting from being bitten by the dog or the replacement cost of the domestic animal or livestock if the bite results in the death of the animal.
The bill specifies that a person, property owner, or livestock owner can kill a dog that shows aggression resulting in the person or owner fearing for his or her life, the life of others, or the live of a domestic animal or livestock.
Statutes affected: