Kentucky's Dog Bite Laws Must Be Interpreted As Written
Every day, innocent Kentuckians are attacked by dogs who belong to individuals who rent homes or apartments. Most times, these dog owners have not obtained renters' insurance and have no other means to compensate victims for medical expenses (including reconstructive surgery) lost time from work, and pain and inconvenience. This leaves innocent victims holding the bag. And if the innocent victim does not have health insurance and is treated in the emergency room, this means that all of us are left holding the bag for someone else's negligent handling of their animal.
Kentucky's dog bite laws are written to hold all dog owner strictly liable for injuries caused by their dogs. This means both primary dog owners (who the dog belongs to) as well as secondary owners (such as landlords who are aware their tenants have a dog on the rental property) would be liable for all injuries caused by the dog. Unfortunately, Kentucky's courts have consistently failed to interpret the dog bite laws as they are written.
Vanessa Cantley, attorney and partner with Bahe Cook Cantley & Jones PLC is currently litigating a case to the Kentucky Supreme Court in the hopes that the Court will recognize the strong public policy reasons for interpreting and enforcing the current dog bite laws just as they are written. It's time that all those in position to prevent a vicious dog attack be held accountable when one occurs.
