A Vicious Dog
SDCL § 40-34-14 — an unprovoked attack in public, or on a worker on private property, and a public nuisance
- Unprovoked, approaches in an attitude of attack, bites or injures a person on a street, sidewalk or other public place.
- Unprovoked, does so on private property to a mail carrier, meter reader, delivery person or other worker there with permission.
A dog that does either is a vicious dog, and owning or keeping one is a public nuisance.
Not when provoked. No dog is declared vicious for injuring someone trespassing, teasing or abusing it, or committing a crime.
Cities and counties have rules of their own. A particular dog is a question for a licensed South Dakota attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- SDCL § 40-34-13 — Ownership of vicious dog as public nuisance
- SDCL § 40-34-14 — Vicious dog defined
- SDCL § 40-34-15 — Injury to person trespassing, teasing dog, or attempting to commit crime
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed South Dakota attorney.