What is a dangerous dog?

Under N.C.G.S. 67-4.1, a dog that, without provocation, killed or inflicted severe injury on a person, a dog owned or trained for dog fighting, or a dog determined by the local animal control authority or board to be potentially dangerous based on listed behaviors.

What if the dog was not declared dangerous?

You must show the owner or keeper knew or should have known of the dog's dangerous tendencies, or was negligent. Violating a local leash law can support negligence per se.

Does contributory negligence apply to dog bites?

Yes. If your own negligence contributed to the injury, even slightly, recovery can be completely barred, subject to exceptions such as last clear chance.

Can a landlord be liable?

Only if the landlord knew a dangerous dog was on the rental property and had the legal right to remove it but did not. The strict liability statute applies only to the owner. Personal injury claims, including dog bites, generally have a three-year deadline under N.C.G.S. 1-52.

North Carolina Dog Bite Liability

Q: Is North Carolina a strict liability state for dog bites?

Only for dangerous dogs. Under N.C.G.S. 67-4.4, the owner of a dangerous dog is strictly liable for the civil damages from injuries the dog inflicts. Otherwise the common-law one-bite rule or negligence applies.

North Carolina makes the owner of a dangerous dog strictly liable under N.C.G.S. 67-4.4. For other dogs you must prove the owner knew of the danger or was negligent. Pure contributory negligence can bar the claim if you share any fault.

Cited to N.C.G.S. 67-4.4 FigureMyTax Editorial Team Free · no sign-up

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

What is your claim worth?

Enter your estimated damages and a few quick facts about the incident.

Estimated damages (medical bills, lost wages, etc.)

Is the dog a "dangerous dog" (it severely injured or killed a person without provocation, was trained for fighting, or animal control has determined it dangerous)?

Did the owner or keeper know, or should they have known, the dog was dangerous (a prior bite, aggressive behavior, a potentially-dangerous designation)?

Did the owner violate a leash or animal control law?

Did you provoke the dog?

Who are you claiming against?

Was the injured person even slightly at fault?

Estimated result

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Add pain & suffering to this number →

Strict for dangerous dogs, proof required otherwise

Under N.C.G.S. 67-4.4, the owner of a dangerous dog is strictly liable for the civil damages from injuries the dog inflicts, and the statute applies only to the owner. Dogs that killed or severely injured a person without provocation, or were determined potentially dangerous based on specified behaviors, can be classified as dangerous; sources differ on whether a "potentially dangerous" label alone triggers strict liability.

For dogs that have not been declared dangerous, victims pursue the one-bite rule, general negligence and negligence per se for leash law violations. Contributory negligence still applies.

Injured in North Carolina?

A local personal injury attorney can review your claim — many offer a free consultation.

Talk to a North Carolina attorney

Official sources

This is an estimate for general guidance only and is not legal advice. Figures are based on the cited North Carolina statutes. Confirm how these rules apply to your specific case with a licensed North Carolina attorney.

North Carolina Dog Bite Liability

What is your claim worth?

Strict for dangerous dogs, proof required otherwise

Official sources

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