Dog bite litigation, breed biases and Pennsylvania laws

Common in modern American society is the belief that one certain breed, or collection of breeds, are responsible for more incidences of canine aggression than other breeds. Which breed or groups of breeds are blamed changes over time, (Credit: Даша Швецова/Adobe Stock)

Dogs are ubiquitous to life in the United States, with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) stating that over 48 million American households have one or more dogs. Although graced with the label “Man’s Best Friend,” dogs can become a nuisance when they interact with the human population or other pets in an aggressive manner.

Pennsylvania law addresses these negative interactions various ways through both civil and criminal statutes, as well as particular regulation of the insurance industry when it comes to specific restrictions.