§ 15-20-1-4 — Dog bite liability; criminal offense

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the
owner of a dog commits a Class C misdemeanor if:
(1) the owner recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally fails to take
reasonable steps to restrain the dog;
(2) the dog enters property other than the property of the dog's
owner; and
(3) as the result of the owner's failure to restrain the dog, the dog
bites or attacks another person without provocation, resulting in
bodily injury to the other person.
(b) The offense under subsection (a) is:
(1) a Class B misdemeanor if the person has been convicted of
one (1) previous unrelated violation of this section;
(2) a Class A misdemeanor if:
(A) the person has been convicted of more than one (1)
previous unrelated violation of this section; or
(B) the violation results in serious bodily injury to a person;
(3) a Level 6 felony if the owner recklessly violates this section
and the violation results in the death of a person; and
(4) a Level 5 felony if the owner intentionally or knowingly
violates this section and the violation results in the death of a
person.
(c) This subsection does not apply to a nonaggressive dog that goes
beyond the owner's premises onto agricultural or forested land. An
owner of a dog commits a Class D infraction if the owner of the dog
allows the dog to stray beyond the owner's premises, unless the dog is
under the reasonable control of an individual or the dog is engaged in
lawful hunting and accompanied by the owner or a custodian of the
dog. However, the offense is a Class C infraction if the owner has a
prior unrelated judgment for a violation of this subsection.
[Pre-2008 Recodification Citation: 15-5-12-3.]

Legislative History

As added by P.L.2-2008, SEC.11. Amended by P.L.158-2013, SEC.226.