State laws › OH
Dog bite law in Ohio: what you have to prove, and who pays
- Framework Strict liability
- Covers Any injury
- Damages Full damages available
Broad strict liability covering any injury, with an unusual provision protecting people who came to the door.
The rule
- It is not limited to bites.
Section 955.28 makes the owner, keeper or harborer liable for any injury, death, or loss to person or property caused by the dog.
- Door-to-door callers are expressly covered.
The statute specifically includes a person who was on the owner's property solely to engage in door-to-door sales or other solicitation — and it covers them whether or not they had a required permit or license. Delivery drivers, canvassers and salespeople are not treated as trespassers under this provision.
- The exceptions are about criminal conduct and provocation.
The statute does not protect someone who was committing criminal trespass, another criminal offense above a minor misdemeanor on the owner's property, or a criminal offense against any person, or who was teasing, tormenting or abusing the dog on the owner's property.
Who the claim is actually against
In most Ohio bite claims the money comes from the dog owner's homeowners or renters liability coverage rather than from the owner personally. Liability limits commonly run from $100,000 to $500,000, and the coverage usually follows the dog off the property. Policies routinely exclude specific breeds or dogs with a documented bite history, which is the single most common reason an otherwise good claim goes nowhere.
How homeowners coverage works in a bite claim →
The deadline
There is a filing deadline in Ohio and it is shorter than most people expect. It can be shortened further if a city, county or state entity is involved, and it can be extended if the injured person is a minor. The general personal injury period is commonly cited as 2 years (Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10), but do not rely on that figure — including from this page — without confirming the date that applies to your facts with a lawyer licensed in Ohio.
What to do next
If the injury was treated and is healing, there is no lasting scarring, and nobody is disputing what happened, this is the kind of claim most law firms will not take — and the kind you can often handle yourself. The Claim Kit covers it end to end.
If a child was bitten, there is scarring anywhere visible, you needed surgery or a specialist, there is nerve damage, you are still in treatment, or the insurer is denying coverage, talk to a lawyer before you sign anything.
Last reviewed August 2026 · Corrections welcome