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

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Michigan's strict liability applies to the dog's owner. A landlord answers only if they knew about the danger and had the chance to act.

Owner only

MCL 287.351 places liability on the owner of the dog. Michigan landlords are not considered owners of a tenant's dog under the statute, so the claim against them is governed by common-law negligence principles instead.

Knowledge and control

A landlord can face negligence liability if they knew that a tenant's dog had previously attacked or bitten someone and failed to act, or if the bite happened in an area the landlord controlled. For a premises liability theory, the landlord's knowledge of the dog's dangerous propensity — including when the premises were first let — is where the case is won or lost.

Allowing pets isn't negligence

A pet-friendly lease alone doesn't make a landlord responsible. A claim typically needs specific knowledge of a dangerous dog and a failure to use the landlord's ability to address it, such as enforcing a lease provision or responding to complaints about aggressive behavior.

The tenant stays liable

The tenant who owns the dog remains strictly liable under the statute for an unprovoked bite, whether or not a claim against the landlord succeeds. For non-bite injuries, the owner's liability turns on the common law and the owner's knowledge.

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 Michigan attorney.