A Dog Bite
KRS 258.235 — an owner whose dog causes damage to a person, livestock or property is responsible for it
- An owner whose dog is found to have caused damage to a person, livestock or other property is responsible for that damage.
- Anyone may kill or seize a dog seen attacking a person, without liability.
- A person attacked, or someone on their behalf, may file a complaint in District Court charging the owner or keeper with harboring a vicious dog.
A dog found vicious by a court and returned to its owner is kept in a locked enclosure at least seven feet high or a locked kennel with a secured top, and leaves only muzzled, for the veterinarian or a shelter.
Sources for this section (1)
- KRS 258.235 — Authority to kill or seize dog -- Return by court to owner of vicious dog -- Liability for damage -- Proceeding by person attacked by dog -- Disposition of dog after seizure -- Powers of animal control officer -- Vicious dog not to run at large
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Kentucky attorney.