A dog bite or attack can cause physical injury, scarring and lasting effects beyond the initial wound. Lexera helps injured people understand owner liability and the evidence relevant to a claim.
Ontario’s Dog Owners’ Liability Act makes a dog’s owner liable for damages resulting from a bite or attack. Liability does not depend on proving that the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
The circumstances still matter. Identifying the dog and owner, documenting the attack and establishing the resulting injuries can all affect how the claim is assessed and supported.
Ontario’s definition of an owner can include someone who possesses or harbours the dog, not only the person formally identified as its owner.
Where the attack happened, whether the dog was restrained and what occurred immediately beforehand can help establish the circumstances surrounding the injury.
Bites and attacks may cause punctures, fractures, nerve damage, infection risk or scarring, along with other effects that require treatment and follow-up.
Visible scarring, movement restrictions and other continuing effects can influence work, daily activities and quality of life after the initial physical injury.
Under Ontario law, an owner’s liability does not depend on prior knowledge of the dog’s tendency to bite or on proving negligence by the owner.
Seek treatment for the injury and make sure the location, severity and resulting symptoms are documented, particularly where wounds, infection concerns or scarring are involved.
Record the owner’s name and contact information, the dog’s description and anything known about who possessed or controlled the dog at the time.
Photographs taken over time can help document wounds, bruising, stitches and scarring that may change substantially during the healing process.
Preserve witness details, photographs, correspondence and any available reports concerning the attack while the circumstances remain fresh.
The Dog Owners’ Liability Act makes an owner liable for damages resulting from a dog’s bite or attack, without requiring proof that the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
If the injured person’s own fault or negligence contributed to the damages, a court can reduce the award in proportion to that contribution.
Photographs, witness information, ownership details and records showing where and how the attack occurred can help establish the circumstances and identify the person responsible for the dog.
Medical records, treatment information and photographs taken during healing can help document the injury itself, including scarring, functional limitations and other continuing effects.
Lexera can review how the incident occurred, identify the person or people who may qualify as the dog’s owner and assess the evidence relevant to liability.
The legal team can also help document treatment, scarring, functional limitations and other effects of the injury while organizing the claim around the losses that can be supported.
No. Ontario law does not require proof that the owner knew the dog had a tendency to bite or attack before liability can arise.
Potentially. The legislation applies to damages resulting from a dog biting or attacking a person, so an injury caused during an attack does not necessarily require a bite.
Where a dog has more than one owner, Ontario law provides that the owners are jointly and severally liable for damages arising from the bite or attack.
A claim is not necessarily eliminated. However, damages can be reduced to reflect the degree to which the injured person’s own fault or negligence contributed to the loss.
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