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Is A Dog Sitter Liable For Dog Bites

If you’re a CEO who has a dog, you most likely rely on a dog sitter to take care of your furry friend while you travel.

As the dog’s owner, it’s clear that you are responsible if your dog bites another person.

But when you are away and your dog’s care has been entrusted to someone else, the responsibility and legal liability is not as clear.

As a CEO, chances are you travel quite often. You may be called away to India or China at a moment’s notice, or you may go to a tropical island to relax.

According to one 2018 study conducted by Kelton Research for Banfield Pet Hospital, 93% of C-suite executives grew up with a pet, and 77% said they came up with a significant business idea while they were walking their dog.

Is A Dog Sitter Liable For Dog Bites

Tech titans like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and many other prominent CEOs have dogs, and if you’re reading this now chances are you do, too.

Before the next time you leave your dog with a sitter, read this article and check the fine print in your homeowner’s insurance policy.

If Your Dog Bites the Sitter

In general, when a dog sitter agrees to take care of your dog they assume responsibility for the dog’s behavior.

You should never ask a friend or acquaintance to watch your dog unless you have signed a contract and they have insurance that will cover any incidents.

You may want to stick to a professional pet sitter service that has liability coverage.

Your homeowner’s insurance policy may have a medical provision that will also cover the damages that were caused when your dog bit the sitter.

As long as the dog sitter wasn’t behaving negligently when your dog bit them, such as provoking the animal, if they don’t have insurance and you do, you may want to settle to avoid a lawsuit.

One situation that may warrant a lawsuit is if you knew your dog had shown signs of pet aggression or has bitten someone in the past but you failed to adequately warn the pet sitter.

If Your Dog Bites Someone Else

If your dog bites someone else while it’s under the sitter’s care, you may not be legally responsible.

The dog sitter who assumed responsibility for your pet is most likely on the hook from a legal perspective if your dog bites a neighbor, a friend, or a stranger.

One exception may be if your dog bites an intruder on your property, in which case you and the sitter may not be held liable.

Is A Dog Sitter Liable For Dog Bites

In some cases, even if you put your dog in the care of a pet sitter, you may still be held legally liable for a bite.

This will depend on your state’s laws and how much control you had over the situation, for example, if you ordered the dog sitter to do something dangerous.

It would also depend on whether or not the sitter was with an agency.

Whether or not you or the sitter are responsible may also depend on whether or not the bite took place on your property.

If the bite did take place on your property or you are the only party that is insured, you can expect the other parties’ attorneys to try to place you at fault.

If you have questions about your liability or your dog has bitten while they were in the charge of a pet sitter, contact dog bite lawyers for answers to your questions.

These cases can be complicated, and many factors can come into play.

You should also contact your insurance representative to learn more about your coverage before you take that next flight.

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