Dog Bite Defenses: Provocation and Your Own Fault

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

With no bite statute, the defenses come from the common-law routes and comparative fault.

No knowledge

In a scienter claim the owner can argue it had no reason to know of a dangerous propensity; one Wyoming firm lists proof the owner knew or had reason to know the dog was dangerous as the first element.

Provocation and warnings

Courts may ask whether you provoked the attack, abused the dog, or approached it despite warning signs; there is no statutory list of defenses.

Your own fault

Under W.S. 1-1-109, your fault reduces damages and bars them only if it is more than 50% of the total fault. Nonparty fault also counts.

Trespass

A summary lists trespass and provocation defenses alongside the 51% bar.

Insurance

Standard Wyoming homeowner's policies include personal-liability coverage that typically applies, according to a lawyer-referral site's summary.

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