By
Craig Matthews
Cases
OHIO DOG BITE LAW (AND WHY IT’S STRONGER THAN MOST STATES)
Dog attacks are not “accidents” in the way people casually use that word. In Ohio, the law largely treats them as preventable events with a clear legal consequence: when a dog injures someone, the responsible party usually pays.
Ohio’s dog-bite statute imposes strict liability. That means a victim typically does not have to prove the dog’s owner was careless, or that the dog had bitten before. The central questions are usually (1) who is legally responsible for the dog and (2) whether one of the narrow statutory defenses applies.
If you’re searching for an Ohio dog bite attorney, you’re probably dealing with one or more of these realities: serious wounds, infection risk, scarring/disfigurement, lost work, or the lasting emotional impact that follows a violent attack. Ohio law is designed to give victims a direct pathway to compensation—quickly and clearly—when the facts support it.
1. OHIO’S STRICT LIABILITY RULE: THE CORE STATUTE
Ohio Revised Code 955.28 provides that the “owner, keeper, or harborer” of a dog is liable in damages for injury, death, or loss caused by the dog—subject to limited defenses.
This is the heart of most Ohio dog bite cases. It is why insurance companies often focus less on “Was the owner negligent?” and more on “Is this person/entity legally an owner, keeper, or harborer?”
2. WHO CAN BE LIABLE: OWNER, KEEPER, OR HARBORER
Ohio law intentionally uses three categories to prevent the “not my dog” shell game.
Owner: the legal owner.
Keeper: a person who had custody or control of the dog at the time (think: someone watching the dog, walking it, handling it, or otherwise acting as the person in charge).
Harborer: the most litigated category in many cases, especially in rentals and multi-occupant properties. Ohio courts define a harborer as someone with possession and control of the premises where the dog lives who acquiesces to the dog’s presence.
In practical terms, “harborer” disputes often come down to control. Who controls the property? Who can enforce rules? Who can require removal of animals? Who benefits from the arrangement and allows it to continue?
3. THE DEFENSES: WHAT CAN BAR OR LIMIT RECOVERY
The statute contains specific defenses. In general, the owner/keeper/harborer is not liable if, at the time of the injury, the injured person was:
• committing/attempting criminal trespass or another criminal offense (other than a minor misdemeanor) on the property of the owner/keeper/harborer; or
• committing/attempting a non-minor-misdemeanor criminal offense against any person; or
• teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog on the owner/keeper/harborer’s property.
Ohio’s statute also expressly addresses door-to-door sales/solicitation: a person can still be protected by the strict-liability rule even if they lacked a local permit, so long as they were not committing a disqualifying offense and were not teasing/tormenting/abusing the dog.
The takeaway is simple: the most important facts are often the few minutes before the bite—where the person was, why they were there, what the dog was doing, and what the handler did (or didn’t do).
4. “THE DOG WAS LOOSE AGAIN”: WHY PRIOR WARNINGS MATTER (EVEN IN STRICT LIABILITY CASES)
Strict liability does not require proof of prior aggression. But prior incidents still matter—because they often explain how a foreseeable risk was allowed to persist.
Many serious attacks follow a familiar pattern: repeated reports of dogs running at large, escalating neighborhood concern, and inadequate confinement until the predictable event finally happens. Your draft complaint frames this as a public-safety failure that “ripened” into a catastrophic outcome after repeated warnings—exactly the narrative juries understand.
Even when strict liability is the main claim, those facts can be powerful in:
• proving who qualifies as a keeper/harborer (control + acquiescence),
• supporting additional negligence theories where appropriate, and
• driving the real-world settlement value of the case.
5. DEADLINES: OHIO’S STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS\
Most Ohio dog bite injury claims are governed by the two-year statute of limitations for bodily injury under R.C. 2305.10, typically running from the date of the attack. Waiting is risky. Evidence fades, surveillance video disappears, witnesses move, and the defense narrative hardens.
6. WHAT TO DO AFTER A DOG BITE IN OHIO (PRACTICAL STEPS THAT PROTECT YOUR CASE)
Medical care first—but documentation is a close second. If you can, do the following:
• Get prompt medical evaluation and follow-up.
• Photograph injuries immediately, then at regular intervals (same lighting/distance).
• Identify the dog and the responsible person(s).
• Obtain names/contact info for witnesses.
• Preserve torn/bloody clothing and damaged personal property.
• Report the bite to local authorities/animal control.
Ohio law includes a mandatory quarantine framework for dogs that bite people. Among other things, the dog generally cannot be removed from the county (or transferred except to animal control) until the quarantine period is completed, which is typically ten days unless the local board of health requires longer.
7. DAMAGES IN OHIO DOG BITE CASES
Dog attacks often cause injuries that look “manageable” on day one but evolve into long-term issues: scarring, nerve damage, infection complications, and fear/anxiety around dogs or public spaces.
Compensation commonly includes:
• medical expenses (past and future)
• lost wages and diminished earning capacity
• pain and suffering
• scarring/disfigurement and functional impairment
• emotional distress
• out-of-pocket losses and property damage
8. OHIO DOG BITE FAQS
Do I have to prove the dog had bitten before?
Usually no. Ohio’s strict liability statute generally does not require prior-bite evidence.
What if the bite happened on my property?
That often strengthens the case factually because the statutory defenses (trespass/criminal offense) typically don’t apply. Liability still turns on whether the defendant is an owner/keeper/harborer and whether any defense applies.
Can a landlord be responsible?
Sometimes. The legal question is usually whether the landlord (or property owner/manager) qualifies as a “harborer,” which hinges on possession/control of the premises and acquiescence to the dog’s presence.
How long do I have to file?
Generally two years from the date of injury under R.C. 2305.10.
9. WHY CRAIG T. MATTHEWS & ASSOCIATES
When a dog bite case is handled properly, it’s built early: identify every potentially responsible owner/keeper/harborer, lock down the scene facts before they change, secure animal control and medical records, and document injuries the way insurers and juries actually evaluate them.
If you were attacked by a dog in Dayton, Montgomery County, or anywhere in Ohio, CTM Law can evaluate your case, explain who can be held responsible under Ohio’s strict liability statute, and pursue full compensation for the harm you’ve suffered.
Call us at 937-434-9393 or use our online form to request a consultation.
(Disclaimer: This page provides general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its facts.)