QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER LANDLORD LIABLE FOR BITE BY TENANT’S DOG.
The Second Department determined Supreme Court properly denied the landlord’s (appellant’s) motion for summary judgment in this dog bite case. The plaintiff was bitten by a tenant’s dog. The court explained the relevant law:
… [To] “recover against a landlord for injuries caused by a tenant’s dog on a theory of strict liability, the plaintiff must demonstrate that the landlord: (1) had notice that a dog was being harbored on the premises; (2) knew or should have known that the dog had vicious propensities, and (3) had sufficient control of the premises to allow the landlord to remove or confine the dog'” … .
… [T]he appellant established his prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law dismissing the third cause of action insofar as asserted against him … . In support of his motion, he submitted, inter alia, his deposition transcript and the deposition transcripts of the injured plaintiff and [the tenant]. This evidence demonstrated, prima facie, that the appellant was not aware, nor should have been aware, that the dog had any vicious propensities … . In opposition, however, the plaintiffs raised triable issues of fact as to whether the dog did indeed have vicious propensities and whether the appellant knew or should have known of them … . Kim v Hong, 2016 NY Slip Op 06698, 2nd Dept 10-12-16
ANIMAL LAW (QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER LANDLORD LIABLE FOR BITE BY TENANT’S DOG)/LANDLORD-TENANT (DOG BITE, QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER LANDLORD LIABLE FOR BITE BY TENANT’S DOG)/DOG BITE (QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER LANDLORD LIABLE FOR BITE BY TENANT’S DOG)