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Connecticut does not have statewide leash laws for dogs. However, anti-roaming municipal laws or ordinances prohibit owners from letting their pets run free on another person’s land or public property. Violating these anti-roaming ordinances can lead to punishment for an infraction, which can include a fine. Local “leash laws” in Connecticut may require dog owners to leash their pets.
However, if a dog is a dangerous dog, the owner lets it roam free, and it bites someone, the owner could face criminal prosecution and prison time. If someone else’s dog injures you or a loved one, you may be entitled to pursue a dog bite injury lawsuit against that person.
What Are Connecticut’s Leash Laws?
No statewide laws in Connecticut require dog owners to keep their dogs on leashes. Instead, the state has an anti-roaming law. Under this law, no dog owner can let their pet roam at large on either public property or another person’s private property. An exception to the rule applies only if owners use them for in-season hunting. Owners can use a leash to keep their dogs from roaming, but they can also have control over a dog without a leash.
The rules apply to “keepers” as well as owners, which includes groomers, instructors, and dog sitters. The unauthorized presence of a dog on a piece of land can be evidence that its owner violated the anti-roaming law.
How Can a City’s Leash Law Be Different from the State Ordinance?
Even though Connecticut does not have statewide dog leash laws, individual municipalities may have ordinances requiring dogs to be on a leash. For instance, Hartford has a city ordinance that requires owners to keep their dogs leashed when not on their property.
Local leash laws have the same force as state laws. Violations can result in sanctions and penalties. Violating Hartford’s leash law, for example, carries a $50 fine.
Cities and counties in Connecticut have the authority to enforce specific rules about controlling animals and pets. They may also have specific rules for containing and securing dogs that are a nuisance or public danger. Enforcement could include fines, pet quarantine, and submitting the dog to local animal control.
What Is the Penalty for Violating the State’s Roaming Law?
Violations of the state’s anti-roaming laws are an infraction and punishable by a maximum fine of $90, in addition to any applicable fees and surcharges. Infractions in Connecticut are not crimes. So, the offender does not have to appear in court. Offenders generally have a limited time to pay an infraction fine. The fine will increase if you fail to pay it on time.
How Does Connecticut Classify a Dangerous or Vicious Dog?
Connecticut does not have a statewide law on how to classify dangerous or vicious dogs, but it does have rules for handling dogs that display aggression or hurt someone. If a dog bites or harms a person, the victim can notify local animal control, which will detain and quarantine the dog for at least 14 days. After the initial 14 days, the animal control officer must decide whether to return the animal or continue the quarantine. Owners who refuse to submit their dog to quarantine are guilty of a misdemeanor, which can carry up to 30 days in prison and a maximum $250 fine.
Cities and towns may also have specific ordinances relating to dangerous dogs. Hartford defines a dangerous dog as one that has hurt a human being before or has a tendency to attack or menace people. Owners of dangerous dogs in Hartford must keep them on a four-foot leash and muzzle when outside. They may also have to carry a $100,000 liability insurance policy to pay for injuries if the dog attacks someone.
Connecticut also has laws regarding dogs that are a “nuisance,” whether due to violent tendencies or bothersome behavior, such as excessive barking. If an owner refuses to restrain the dog or stop its nuisance behavior, they are guilty of an infraction. Repeated violations of nuisance laws are a misdemeanor.
Recently, one Appellate Court case suggested that pit bulls are inherently dangerous dog breed, so owners of those dogs need to be aware of the potential liability they have if one of their pit bulls bites someone.
What Happens If My Dog Bites Someone While Off-Leash?
In Connecticut, dog owners are strictly liable when their pets cause injuries. Strict liability means that dog owners are automatically liable when their dogs bite someone, regardless of whether they were careless in handling their animals. So, if your dog bites someone, it won’t matter if the dog was leashed. You could still be liable for paying for the cost of the victim’s medical bills, lost wages, and other losses. The only exception to this rule would apply if the person was trespassing at the time of the attack or provoked the dog by injuring it.
Failing to keep your dog on a leash could subject you to additional penalties. It will depend on whether you violated the state’s anti-roaming law. If it marks your second intentional violation within a year, and your dog bites someone, you could be subject to a $1,000 fine and face up to six months in prison.
Contact a Connecticut Dog Bite Injury Attorney
Dogs are our best friends and companions, but they are still animals. Even the best-behaved pet may act in ways you may not expect. An aggressive or untrained dog can pose a serious risk. If you were hurt in a dog attack in Connecticut, contact the attorneys at Jainchill & Beckert, LLC. We have over five decades of experience helping injury victims seek compensation for their losses and provide support.
Contact us today to speak to a dog bite attorney in Connecticut. We are available 24/7. You can reach out at any time that is convenient for you and receive a free consultation about your case.
