New Jersey Injury Lawyers Blog
Even Pet-Sitters Can Be Entitled to Damages from Dog Bites
A New Jersey Appellate Court recently overturned a lower court ruling allowing a woman from Bergen County woman who was bitten by a dog while pet-sitting to proceed with a suit against the dog’s owners. (1)
According to reports, the victim was being paid to watch her neighbors’ dog while they were on vacation. During this time, the dog allegedly bit her as she reached down to retrieve a napkin that had fallen to the floor. A Superior Court identified the victim as an independent contractor because the woman had previously been paid through a pet-sitting agency; the Court ruled that she was not eligible for damages unless she could prove the dog’s owners were aware the dog was likely to attack. (1)
Although New Jersey ranks only 48th in the country in terms of pet ownership, (2) it has some of the strictest dog bite laws. These laws hold dog owners liable if their dog bites anyone in a public place or on private property (assuming the victim was on that property legally), regardless of the dog’s prior behavior. (3)
