Personal Injury: Legally Justified Killing of a Dog

In Alaska, dog laws give permission to kill a dangerous dog that is running at large or that is chasing livestock. The law also defines a dangerous dog as, ‘any dog which unprovoked has ever bitten or attacked a human being’. It must be noted that any person may lawfully kill any vicious or mad dog running at large. This article will discuss the circumstances under which the killing of a dog is legally justified to do so.

It must be noted that Alaska’s laws provide for the legal justification of killing a dog under specific circumstances. In such circumstances the person who kills the dog is not financially liable to the dog’s owner. For example, if a person kills a dog because it is threatening to injure a person or livestock, the action is justified by law.

There are two circumstances provided for in Alaska’s dog laws where killing a dog is justifiable, these circumstances are:

1. Where a dog is attacking people or livestock - it must be noted that it is perfectly legal to do anything necessary in order to stop a dog caught in the act of attacking a person or livestock. However, it must be noted that the dog’s owner is not legally entitled to any money from someone who injured or killed the dog while protecting a person or some animal that was under attack. Further, it must be noted that the person is not guilty of any criminal offence such as animal cruelty. In fact, many animal cruelty laws specifically exempt the act of injuring or killing a dog under these circumstances.

-It is important to note that the term livestock usually means only commercially valuable animals and this does not include pets or wild animals. According to Alaska Statute AS 03.55.030, Killing Dogs Annoying Or Evincing Tendency To Bite Animals Or Fowls, states that “whenever any dog habitually annoys any wild deer, reindeer, sheep, cattle, horse or other animal or bird either domestic or wild or evinces a disposition which makes it likely that it will without provocation bite an animal or fowl, any person may lawfully kill the dog”.  Therefore, the Alaska Statute points out that a dog may be killed if it attacks a domestic or wild animal.

-It must be noted that a farmer or rancher does not have to wait until a dog has sunk its teeth into a calf or lamb, as most laws allow killing a dog that is chasing or preparing to attack livestock or fleeing after an attack. However, it is necessary that the dog be caught in the act.

2. Dogs running at large - it must be noted that a person is allowed to kill a vicious or mad dog that is running loose or at large, this is in accordance with Alaska Statute AS 03. 55.010.

Basically under these two circumstances, a dog can legally be killed. And the person who kills it is not financially liable to the dog’s owner. If you have suffered an injury as a result of a dog bite and are looking for best personal injury law firms https://www.crowsonlaw.com/alaska-personal-injury-lawyers/ in Alaska, seek out a law firm of renowned professionals that handles dog bite injuries.

The Crowson Law Group is a law firm of renowned professionals who specialize in personal injury matters, and one of their areas of practice is dog bite injuries. For a free case evaluation contact Crowsonlaw today.

Address: Crowson Law Group
637 A St.
Anchorage, AK 99501
Email: james@crowsonlaw.com
Phone: (907) 677-9393
Fax: (907) 677-9310
website: https://www.crowsonlaw.com/

This release was published on openPR.