Strict Liability: Domestic Animals

Liability attaches when owner knows of dangerous propensities.

Representative cases

• Gehrts v. Batteen 2001 SD 10 · South Dakota Supreme Court
• Davies v. Gphc, LLC 980 N.W.2d 251 · South Dakota Supreme Court
• Burgi v. East Winds Court, Inc. 2022 S.D. 6 · South Dakota Supreme Court

Related Strict Liability rules

• Strict Liability: Wild AnimalsOwners strictly liable for harms caused by wild animals.
• Strict Liability for Abnormally Dangerous ActivitiesStrict liability applies to high-risk activities not common to the community.

Part of Torts on Core Legal Rules — foundational MBE-tested principles with primary-source citations.