Is the Landlord Liable for a Tenant's Dog Bite in Louisiana?

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Louisiana's strict liability standard for dogs targets the owner — a landlord who isn't that owner typically needs a separate, harder-to-prove negligence theory.

Strict liability targets the owner, not the landlord

Under Civil Code article 2321, strict liability attaches to the owner of the dog. A landlord who neither owns nor keeps the dog — and simply owns the property where a tenant's dog lives — generally falls outside that strict liability standard.

Negligence remains a separate path

A landlord who knew a tenant's dog was dangerous and had the practical ability to address it — by requiring removal of the dog or terminating the tenancy — but failed to act, can potentially face liability under general negligence principles found in Civil Code article 2315. This requires more than a general awareness that pets are allowed; it typically takes specific knowledge of that particular dog's dangerous propensity.

A pet-friendly lease alone isn't enough

Simply allowing pets under a lease doesn't automatically make a landlord an owner or keeper for purposes of article 2321. A negligence claim typically needs specific knowledge of the dog's dangerous behavior, not just an awareness that tenants generally keep pets on the property.

The tenant-owner remains liable either way

Regardless of whether a separate negligence claim against the landlord succeeds, the tenant who owns the dog remains subject to Civil Code article 2321's strict liability standard for the attack itself.

Official sources

• La. Civil Code art. 2323 — comparative fault

This is general information, not legal advice. Landlord liability for a tenant's dog turns heavily on the specific facts and what the landlord actually knew or controlled. Confirm how this applies to your situation with a licensed Louisiana attorney.