Who is responsible for dog bites?

Usually the owner but not always.

Thousands of dog bites occur every year in the United States. Legal liability is determined by state law. In the State of Indiana, every dog used to be entitled to one free bite. In other words, the owner would have to know the dog had a propensity to bite such as having witnessed the dog bite someone in the past. Recently, the Indiana Supreme Court abolished this rule in favor of a general negligence standard. Currently, all of the facts surrounding the attack have to be considered. For instance, where a dog growls at or chases someone, eventually attacking him or her and the owner has failed to restrain the dog prior to the attack, liability on the owner will usually be imposed. Further, certain breeds such as Rottweilers and Pit Bulls are held to a higher standard as a result of their aggressive tendencies. After an attack, an investigation needs to be undertaken as soon as possible. Neighbors and witnesses to the attack should be interviewed to determine whether they have knowledge of any prior attacks. In addition, medical providers are required to file an official report of an attack with the local animal control agency. Consequently, research needs to be undertaken to determine if any official reports exist for prior attacks.