New “Dangerous Dog” Bill Looks Poised To Pass Legislature
The State of Florida looks poised to pass a “Dangerous Dog” bill that would require the owners of dogs deemed dangerous to carry a $100,000 liability policy and have their dog microchipped. The push was spurred by the 2022 death of a Florida mail carrier who was viciously attacked by a dog while on the job. Sixty-one-year-old Pamela Rock was attacked by five dogs after her vehicle broke down in Putnam County. The mauling caused outrage and encouraged legislators to pass a comprehensive bill that would force owners to be accountable for their dogs.
How would a dog be classified as dangerous?
Under the new legislation, a dog would be classified as “dangerous” if it has “aggressively bitten, attacked, or inflicted severe injury on a human being” and “requires owners to securely confine them in a proper enclosure.”
The law would make it mandatory for dog owners with “dangerous” dogs to carry comprehensive insurance policies and force them to get their dogs microchipped. The bill also states that removing the microchip from a dangerous dog would be considered a third-degree felony, punishable by up to 5 years in state prison. The legislation is meant to make the public safer and hold owners accountable for the conduct of their dogs.
How does Florida currently handle dog bite cases?
Generally speaking, if you want to sue the owner of a dog, you are basically making a claim against their homeowner’s insurance policy or their renter’s insurance policy. Florida handles dog bite lawsuits under a strict liability standard. That means that owners are automatically liable for dog bites regardless of whether or not they caused or contributed negligence to the matter. Liability applies when a dog bite occurs either in a public space or on private property, but it does not apply to trespassing cases, and the owner can argue that the dog was provoked into attacking a plaintiff.
Examples of a dog bite lawsuit
A Panama City Beach man was recently attacked by a dog. He died of his injuries at a Florida hospital. According to reports, he was attacked by his neighbor’s pit bull at his home. The victim spent five days in the ICU before he succumbed to his injuries. Now, his family is filing a wrongful death claim against the owner of the dog that attacked him. His family is eligible to collect damages on the death of their loved one. If successful, they will be able to recover damages related to their emotional grief, pain and suffering, and the suffering the decedent must have gone through as he was being attacked.
Talk to a Jacksonville, FL, Dog Bite Injury Attorney Today
Gillette Law represents the interests of plaintiffs who have been attacked by dangerous dogs. Call our Jacksonville personal injury lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin investigating your case right away.
Sources:
insurancejournal.com/news/southeast/2025/05/23/824968.htm
mypanhandle.com/news/local-news/bay-county/victim-of-dog-attack-has-died-his-family-now-looking-to-build-a-civil-case/
