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

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Owning the building is not enough in Nevada. Landlord liability turns on what the landlord knew and could do.

The 1989 decision

According to a summary of Nevada dog bite law, a passerby injured by a tenant's dog sued the tenant's landlord, and in 1989 the Nevada Supreme Court held that status as a landlord did not alone create liability for the tenant's dog.

Facts can still matter

A more recent summary notes that the Nevada Supreme Court has explained that property ownership alone does not automatically create responsibility for a dog attack, and in one case reversed summary judgment for a property owner because factual questions about duty remained.

Knowledge and control

Practitioner summaries say a landlord who knew or should have known a tenant's dog was dangerous and failed to take reasonable action, such as enforcing lease rules or removing the danger, may share liability under Nevada negligence law.

The owner still pays

The dog's owner remains the primary defendant, and the owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance often funds a claim. Nevada has no strict liability statute that reaches a landlord.

Official sources

• NRS 41.141

This is general information, not legal advice, and the state comparisons above are illustrative, not an exhaustive survey. Confirm how Nevada's rules apply to your specific case with a licensed Nevada attorney.