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2005 SESSION

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HB 630 Mauling by dogs; penalty.

Introduced by: John M. O'Bannon, III | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Mauling by dogs; penalty. Provides that any person who owns or is in custody of a dog that bites a person resulting in substantial physical injury is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor if he failed to exercise ordinary care and knew or reasonably should have known of the dangerous nature of the dog or if the victim failed to take all the precautions that a reasonable person would ordinarily take in the same situation. However, this bill does not apply if the injury was sustained by a person who was (i) committing a crime upon the premises occupied by the animal's owner or custodian, (ii) trespassing upon the premises occupied by the animal's owner or custodian, or (iii) provoking, tormenting, or physically abusing the animal, or can be shown to have repeatedly provoked, tormented, abused, or assaulted the animal at other times. Also, this bill does not apply to: (a) any police dog engaged in the performance of its duties or any dog that responded to pain or injury, or was protecting itself, its kennel, its offspring, or its owner, or owner's property; or (b) any veterinarian, on-duty animal control officer, or law-enforcement officer if he is assigned to a canine unit.


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