Personal Injury · Dog Bite Liability
Dog Bite Laws in Colorado
Whether Colorado holds a dog owner automatically liable, follows the one-bite rule, or takes a mixed approach, plus landlord liability and the main defenses.
How liability works in Colorado
A hybrid: the two prongs below apply differently.
If a dog bite causes serious bodily injury or death, C.R.S. §13-21-124 lets you recover economic damages (medical bills, lost wages) on a strict basis. You do not have to prove the dog was vicious or that the owner knew of any danger.
For pain and suffering, or for a bite that is not "serious bodily injury," the statute does not apply. You fall back on common-law negligence or scienter, meaning you must prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous or was otherwise careless.
This is a hybrid that splits by the type of damage you claim.
Landlords & defenses
Who else can be liable, and what defeats a claim.
The statute lists its exceptions directly: a posted "no trespassing" or "beware of dog" sign on the owner’s property, knowing provocation, working dogs on the job, and dog professionals acting in their duties all bar the strict-liability claim.
The full picture, with the source
Every field, and any recent development.
| Liability model | Mixed / hybridBites only |
| Basis | Statute + common law — C.R.S. §13-21-124 (economic damages, serious injury) + common-law scienter |
| What it covers | Strict recovery under §13-21-124 requires (1) an actual bite, (2) serious bodily injury or death, (3) the victim lawfully on public or private property, and (4) economic damages only. Everything else runs on common-law fault. |
| Landlord | Generally no. Section 13-21-124 reaches the dog owner, not a landlord. To reach a landlord you would use common-law negligence: actual knowledge the dog was dangerous plus the ability to remove it. |
| Main defenses | Unlawful presence / trespass · Posted "no trespassing" or "beware of dog" sign · Knowingly provoking the dog · Working dog (herding, hunting, farm, ranch, predator control) · Veterinary, groomer, handler or show duties · Police or military dog |
What Colorado dog-bite victims get wrong
Colorado looks strict at first glance, but it is genuinely a mixed state, and the split is by the type of damage you claim. Under C.R.S. §13-21-124, if a dog bite causes serious bodily injury or death, you can recover your economic damages (medical costs, lost income) on a strict-liability basis: the dog’s history and the owner’s knowledge do not matter. The catch is that the statute stops there. It covers bites only, not knock-downs or scratches, it reaches only economic damages, and it applies only when the injury is serious. For pain and suffering, or for a lesser bite, you are back in ordinary common law and must prove the owner was negligent or knew the dog was dangerous. The statute also carries a long list of built-in exceptions, including a posted warning sign, knowing provocation, and working dogs doing their jobs.
Common questions
Is Colorado a strict-liability state for dog bites?
Only in part. C.R.S. §13-21-124 makes owners strictly liable for economic damages when a bite causes serious bodily injury or death. For non-economic damages or a lesser bite, you must prove negligence or the owner’s knowledge, which makes Colorado a mixed state.
Can I recover pain and suffering for a dog bite in Colorado?
Not under the statute. Section 13-21-124 covers economic damages only. To recover pain and suffering you must fall back on common-law negligence or prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
Does Colorado’s dog-bite statute cover being knocked down or scratched?
No. The statute is bite-only and applies only to serious bodily injury or death. A knock-down, scratch, or minor nip is handled under ordinary negligence, not the strict-liability statute.
What defenses can a Colorado dog owner raise?
The statute itself lists exceptions: the victim was trespassing, a "no trespassing" or "beware of dog" sign was posted on the owner’s property, the victim knowingly provoked the dog, the dog was a working dog on the job, the victim was a dog professional acting in their duties, or the dog was a police or military dog.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.