Dog Attack Injuries
Ontario's Dog Owners' Liability Act makes owners responsible without proof of prior aggression. We act for people bitten or knocked down and pursue the owner's insurance.
A dog attack is frightening and often leaves more than physical scars. Bites can cause deep lacerations, nerve damage, infection, and permanent scarring, and many victims, especially children, are left with lasting anxiety around animals.
Ontario law is clear about who is responsible. At Kabir & Alam, we help people bitten or attacked by dogs recover compensation for their injuries.
The owner is responsible, whether or not they were careless
Under Ontario’s Dog Owners’ Liability Act, the owner of a dog is liable for damages caused by a bite or attack on a person or a domestic animal. You do not need to prove the owner was negligent, that the dog had bitten before, or that the owner knew the dog was dangerous. This is known as strict liability, and it makes dog attack claims different from most other injury claims.
Where more than one person owns the dog, they are jointly responsible. Someone who harbours or keeps a dog may be treated as an owner even if they do not own it in the usual sense.
Compensation in most cases is paid by the owner’s home or tenant insurance policy.
What the owner can argue
The Act allows a court to reduce your compensation if your own actions contributed to the attack, for example by provoking the dog. Owners and their insurers raise this in almost every claim. In practice, the argument is much weaker than insurers suggest, particularly where the injured person is a child.
Landlords and other occupiers
Where an attack happens on property the owner does not control, a landlord or other occupier may also bear some responsibility under the Occupiers’ Liability Act, for example where a known dangerous dog was allowed to roam common areas. Our Occupier’s Liability practice covers these situations.
What to do after an attack
- Get medical attention, even for what looks like a minor bite
- Identify the dog and its owner, and get the owner’s contact and insurance details
- Photograph your injuries, clothing, and the location
- Report the attack to your municipality’s animal services
- Keep records of treatment, scarring, time off work, and any counselling
A lawsuit generally must be started within two years of the attack. Contact us early so that evidence can be gathered while it is still available.
How we can help
If you or your child was bitten or attacked by a dog, we can help you:
- Identify the owner and the insurance available
- Document the injuries, including scarring and psychological harm
- Respond to any claim that you provoked the dog
- Recover compensation for medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and future treatment such as scar revision
- Pursue landlords or other occupiers where they share responsibility
You pay no legal fees unless we recover money for you. Our maximum contingency fee percentage is 33% of the amount recovered; the exact percentage and how it is calculated are set out in the Law Society of Ontario standard form contingency fee agreement, which we review with you before you sign anything. Our personal injury practice is led by Muniza Kabir, Managing Partner.
Attacked by a dog? Contact us for a free consultation.
The information on this page is general in nature and is not legal advice. Limitation periods and notice requirements apply to injury claims and can be short. For advice about your own situation, please contact us to arrange a consultation.