Third Parties in Dog Attack Claims: Who Else Can Pay

TL;DR

Third parties in dog attack claims might be landlords, dog walkers, boarding businesses, or even employers. It’s not always about the dog’s owner. In California, the law only places strict liability on the owner. Other people can get dragged in, but only if they were careless in some way. A recent case in Los Angeles gives a clear picture of just how tough it can be to hold someone else responsible.

Sometimes, the person who could have stopped the attack isn’t the actual owner. This happens a lot more often than you might think. When it does, the whole claim takes a different turn.

Third parties in dog attack claims show up when someone else had the power to stop what happened, but didn’t. In California, under Civil Code Section 3342, the owner is always on the hook if their dog bites someone. The law is clear on that. There’s no need to show the dog was dangerous before. But for everyone else, like landlords or dog walkers, it’s not so simple. They only get pulled in if you can show they made a mistake or were careless.

A landlord can be held liable for a tenant’s dog, but it’s not easy to prove. In California, there’s a famous case from 1975, Uccello v. Laudenslayer, that set the rules. The landlord must know the dog is dangerous. That means the landlord must have proof, not just a feeling. The landlord also needs the power to act, usually by ending the lease.

At Blair and Ramirez LLP, when we look at whether a landlord can be held liable for a tenant’s dog, we always ask the same thing first. Is there proof the landlord knew the dog was dangerous? Maybe someone complained before. Maybe the dog bit someone in the past. There needs to be something written down. Just guessing that a landlord should have known is not enough. That small detail decides most cases like this.

The answer is no. Just knowing a dog lives on the property doesn’t mean you know it’s dangerous. A case from Los Angeles in 2024 makes this very clear. In Fraser v. Farvid, two pit bulls got out of a rental home and attacked someone. The jury awarded the victim over $600,000. Then the judge threw out that verdict. The appeals court said the same thing. The landlord knew dogs were at the house, but there was no strong proof the landlord knew those dogs were risky before the attack.

This case really shows how the law works. The jury wanted to help the victim and even gave her a big award. But the case still fell apart because of a strict rule. Knowing a dog is there is not the same as knowing it could hurt someone. In California, that difference decides the whole case.

When someone is paid to walk, watch, or board a dog, the rules change. These people are not held to the same strict standard as the dog’s owner. Instead, what matters is whether they were careful enough. Did they let go of the leash? Did they ignore signs the dog might bite? Did they forget to lock the kennel? Simple mistakes can make a big difference in dog bite liability claims.

This part of dog bite liability claims is more important than most people think. If a dog walker knows a dog has snapped at someone before and still lets it run loose in a busy park, that’s a problem. But if the walker did everything right and something bad happened anyway, the law usually protects them. It all comes down to what the person did, or didn’t do.

Sometimes an employer can be blamed for a dog attack. This happens when an employee makes a mistake with a dog while working. Maybe a security guard lets a guard dog get loose. Maybe a delivery driver brings their own dog to work, and it bites someone. In these situations, the boss can be held responsible.

The big question is always the same: Was the employee doing their job when the bite happened? If yes, the employer might have to pay.

Dog attack claims often pay for doctor bills, scars, missed work, and even pain you can’t see. It works a lot like other injury cases. Some money is for clear bills, like an emergency room visit. Other money is for things that are harder to measure, like pain or changes to how you look. If you’re confused about how economic and non-economic damages get added up, don’t hesitate to consult us. We’ll review your case and give you clear answers.

There’s one big difference with third-party claims. It’s about who pays the bill. Sometimes a landlord or boss has insurance that covers a lot more than what the dog owner’s own policy can pay. That can be a huge deal if your medical costs are high and the owner’s insurance runs out.

You don’t have to know right away who’s to blame. Learning about your rights doesn’t cost a thing. It can help you see if someone besides the dog’s owner played a part in what happened.

A dog bite lawyer starts by looking for proof. They search for old complaints or anything showing what a landlord or business knew.

The dog owner isn’t always the only one who had a chance to prevent this.

Get a free case review.

• In California, the strict rule makes the dog’s owner pay for bites. The law doesn’t automatically blame anyone else.
• A landlord can be held responsible, but only if there’s proof the landlord knew the dog was dangerous and had the power to kick it out.
• A case in Los Angeles in 2024 showed this clearly. Even when a jury wanted to help the victim, the case fell apart because there was no real proof the landlord knew about the danger.
• Dog walkers, sitters, and kennels don’t get strict blame as owners do. Instead, the law looks at whether they were careful enough.
• Sometimes, a boss can be responsible too. If a worker makes a mistake with a dog while on the job, the employer might have to pay.