MA · Strict liability
Massachusetts dog bite law
Massachusetts has long been a strict-liability state for dog injuries, owners and keepers alike.
- Liability
- Strict liability
- Statute
- Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 155
- Deadline to file
- 3 years · M.G.L. c. 260, § 2A
- Bites only?
- Injuries more broadly
Three years. Keepers — dog walkers, sitters, the roommate who actually had the animal — can be defendants with the owner.
Exceptions insurers will mention
Trespass or other tort; provocation. Applies to owners and keepers.
Compare the national split in strict liability vs one-bite, and confirm your clock on statute of limitations.
Similar liability rules
This page is general information, not legal advice, and is not a substitute for a lawyer licensed in your state. Statutes change. Confirm the current rule and your deadline with counsel before you rely on a date.