Dog Bites
Utah Code 18-1-1 — the owner or keeper is liable, vicious dog or not
A person who owns or keeps a dog is liable for an injury the dog causes, whether or not the dog is vicious or mischievous, and whether or not the owner knew it was.
Who handles this in Utah: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Utah directory.
- The state, a county, city or town, and its officers are not liable for an injury by a certified law enforcement dog used reasonably and carefully under a written policy.
- An owner is not liable for an injury to another animal that happens on the owner's property while the dog is reasonably secured in a fence or other enclosure, among other circumstances the section lists.
Sources for this section (1)
- Utah Code 18-1-1 — Liability and damages for dog injury -- Exceptions
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Utah attorney.