The Utah Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee has scheduled a hearing for tomorrow (Thursday, February 11) on a bill that clarifies current law regarding liability for owners when their dog causes injuries to another animal.
Those who wish to comment on this bill are encouraged to contact the committee prior to tomorrow’s hearing. Scroll down for contact information.
Bill Summary:
Current law states that a person is liable for injury caused by a dog they own or are keeping, regardless of whether the dog is already known to be “vicious or mischievous.” The only exceptions are for law enforcement dogs.
As passed by the House, Utah House Bill 213 would expand exemptions to protect people from liability when their dog causes injury in certain circumstances, including:
- Injury or death to another animal,
- The injury occurs on the property of the person who owns/maintains the dog, the dog was properly contained, and the animal that was harmed entered the property without consent.
AKC appreciates this clarification, which protects owners and those caring for dogs from liability when their dog harms another animal on private property.
What You Can Do:
Those who wish to comment on this bill are encouraged to contact the members of the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee prior to their hearing on Thursday, February 11:
Sen. Todd Weiler, Chair
tweiler@le.utah.gov
Sen. Kirk Cullimore
kcullimore@le.utah.gov
Sen. Luz Escamilla
lescamilla@le.utah.gov
Sen. Michael Kennedy
mkennedy@le.utah.gov
Sen. Derek Kitchen
dkitchen@le.utah.gov
Sen. Jerry Stevenson
jwstevenson@le.utah.gov
Sen. Daniel Thatcher
dthatcher@le.utah.gov
AKC Government Relations continues to track legislation impacting dog owners in Utah. For questions, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.