Personal Injury · Dog Bite Liability
Dog Bite Laws in Ohio
Whether Ohio 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 Ohio
What the rule is, and what you must show.
Landlords & defenses
Who else can be liable, and what defeats a claim.
The full picture, with the source
Every field, and any recent development.
| Liability model | Strict liability |
| Basis | Statute — Statute — R.C. §955.28(B) |
| What it covers | Liability attaches unless the victim was trespassing or committing a crime, or was teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog on the owner’s property. It reaches any injury, not just bites. |
| Landlord | Conditional — only if the landlord is a "harborer" (housing or controlling the dog) or the attack was in a common area the landlord controls. Ohio has narrowed "harborer" so a property owner who merely allows a tenant’s dog is not strictly liable. |
| Main defenses | Criminal trespass / other crime · Teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog (provocation) |
Avery’s Law (HB 247) (effective 2026-03-18) — overlay only, the liability type did not change: Avery’s Law adds a tiered dangerous/vicious classification system, mandatory liability insurance (minimum $100,000) for vicious/dangerous dogs, and authority for a dog warden to seize a dog immediately after a serious attack. It strengthens criminal enforcement and public safety — it does NOT change the civil standard. Ohio remains strict liability under §955.28(B); do not read Avery’s Law as a flip to one-bite.
What Ohio dog-bite victims get wrong
Ohio is a broad strict-liability state: under R.C. §955.28(B) the owner, keeper, or harborer is liable for any injury a dog causes — bite or not — unless the victim was trespassing, committing a crime, or tormenting the dog. The headline you may have seen is Avery’s Law (HB 247), effective March 18, 2026, and it is important to read it correctly: it adds a tiered dangerous-dog classification, mandatory liability insurance of at least $100,000 for vicious or dangerous dogs, and immediate-seizure authority for dog wardens. What it does not do is change the civil standard — Ohio is still strict liability. Anyone telling you Avery’s Law turned Ohio into a "one-bite" state has it backwards. On landlords, Ohio has narrowed "harborer," so simply allowing a tenant’s dog is not enough.
Common questions
Is Ohio a strict-liability dog-bite state?
Yes. Under R.C. §955.28(B) the owner, keeper, or harborer is strictly liable for any injury a dog causes, without proof of prior viciousness or the owner’s knowledge.
Did Avery’s Law change Ohio from strict liability to one-bite?
No. Avery’s Law (effective March 18, 2026) adds a dangerous-dog classification, mandatory $100,000 insurance, and seizure authority — but Ohio remains strict liability under §955.28(B). The civil standard did not change.
Does Ohio’s dog-bite law cover injuries other than bites?
Yes. Section 955.28(B) reaches any injury a dog causes, so being knocked down or otherwise hurt can qualify, not just a bite.
Is a landlord liable for a tenant’s dog in Ohio?
Only if the landlord is a "harborer" or the attack was in a controlled common area. Ohio has narrowed "harborer," so merely allowing a tenant’s dog is not enough for strict liability.
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.