FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, RI CKM A N and M A RKLE, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

Febr uar y 8, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A1 90 1 . SAULSBURY et al . v . W ILSON.

M A R K LE
, J ud g e.

Th i s i n t erl o cu to ry ap p eal ari ses fro m a d o g fi g h t bet ween Al p h a, a d o g o wn ed

b y L i li t a Ren ee W i l s o n , an d Bab y , a d o g o wn ed b y M ari b el Sau l s bu ry

. Bo t h W i l so n

an d Sau l sb u ry al l eg e t h ey were i n j u red d u ri n g t he d og fi g h t an d s eek co m p en s at i o n

fo r t h ei r i n

ju ri es

. 1 Th e S au l s b u ry s m o v ed fo r s um m ary j u d gm en t o n W i l s o n ’ s

co u nt ercl ai m s , in p art

, o n t h e g r o u n d t h at W i l s o n as s u m ed t h e ri s k of h arm by

i n t erv en i n g t o break up t h e d o g fi g h t wi t h h er b are h an d s

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed t h e

m o ti o n , fi n d i n g th at m at eri al is s u es o f fact ex i s t

, bu t i ss u ed a cert i fi cat e o f i m m ed i at e

1 Sau l sb u ry ’ s d au g h t e r , S t e p h an i e Sau l s b u ry , i s al s o a part y t o th i s ap p eal

, t h o u g h i t i s u n cl ear fro m t h e reco rd o n ap p eal wh at cl ai m s he as s ert s o r t h e n at u re o r

ex t en t o f an y i n

ju ri es s he s u s t ai ned

. Co n seq u en t l y , an y ref e r e n c e t o “ Sau l s b u ry ”
refers t o M ari b el Sau l s b u ry , an d “ Sau ls b u ry s ” r e f e r s t o St ep h an i e an d M ari b el

co l l ect i v el y

.rev i ew o f t h i s o rd er. T h i s Co u rt g ran ted t he Sau l s b ury s ’ ap p l icat i o n fo r i n t erl o cu t o ry

rev i ew an d t h e Sau l s bu ry s t i m el y ap p eal ed

. U p o n rev i ew of th e reco rd

, w e fi n d t h at

W i ls o n as s u m ed t h e ri s k o f h arm as a m at t er o f l aw, an d we rev ers e t he t ri al co urt ’ s

d en ial o f t h e m o ti o n fo r s u m m ary ju d gm en t o n W il s on ’ s cl ai m

.

“ In rev i ewi n g t h e g ran t o r d en i al o f a m o t i o n fo r s um m ary ju d g m en t

, we ap p l y

a d e n o v o s t an d ard o f rev i ew an d co n s i d er t h e ev id en ce wi t h al l reas o n ab l e i n feren ces

t h erefro m i n fav or o f t h e p art y o p p os i ng s u m m ary ju dg m en t

. ” (Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed

. ) La

Co s ech a , In c. v. Ha l l

, 2 46 Ga. Ap p . 4 4 1 , 4 4 2 (5 4 0 SE2 d 6 5 9 ) (2 0 0 0).

So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at Sau ls b u ry was wal ki n g h er En g l i s h Bu l l d o g,

Bab y , p as t W i l s o n’ s h o u s e o n M ay 1 3

, 2 01 6

. W i ls o n ’ s Pi t Bu l l d o g , Al p h a, was

s ecu red i n a crat e in s i de W i l so n ’ s o p en g arag e, b ut t h e do g s o m eh ow es cap ed

. A fi g ht

en s u ed b e t w e e n t h e do g s , t h ou g h t h e p art i es d i s ag ree ab o u t th e p art icu l ars o f t h e

fi gh t

. W i l s on i nt erv en ed t o try t o b reak u p t h e fi g h t. At on e p o i n t s he was ab le t o p u l l

Al p ha o u t o f t h e fi g h t

, b u t sh e s l i p p ed an d lo s t co n tro l o f t h e d o g

. W i l s o n en g ag ed

wi t h t h e do g s ag ai n i n an at t em p t t o p u ll Al p h a away

. W i l s on was n o t afrai d o f h er

o wn d o g d u ri n g t h is fi g h t

, an d s h e was n o t co n cern ed ab ou t b ei n g b i t t en b y Bab y

b ecau s e s h e b el i ev ed Bab y was s o l el y fo cu s ed o n Al p h a. Ho wev er, W i l so n was aware

2p ri o r t o th i s fi g h t th at Bab y p rev i o u s l y bi t a d i fferen t n ei g h b o r. 2 W i l s o n n o n et h el es s

d i d n o t t h i n k an y b i t e wo u l d b e s ev ere b ecau s e, i n h er ex p eri en ce, t he b i t es s u s t ai n ed

d u ri n g do g fi g ht s were s u p e r f i c i a l

. Al s o , s h e h ad b ro k en u p o t h er d o gfi g h t s b efo re

u s i n g a s t i ck

.

W h i l e at t em

p t i n g t o b reak u p t h is fi gh t

, W i l s o n was b i tt en , al leg ed l y b y Bab y

.

W i ls o n l eft t he d o g s fi g ht in g o u t s i d e t o t en d t o her bi t e. W i l s o n ret u rn ed o u t s i d e an d

ev en tu al l y t h e d og s s t o p p ed fi g h t i n g , th o u gh t he part ies d i s ag ree ab o u t wh at cau s ed

t h e fi g ht to en d

. W i l s on s u ffered a b ro k en arm as a res ul t o f t h e do g b i t e, an d s h e was

req u i red t o u n derg o rab i es s h o t s wh en Bab y ’ s v acci n at io n h is to ry was no t t i m el y

av ai l ab l e.

Th e Sau l sb u r ys s u ed W i l s o n i n m ag i s t rat e co u rt to reco v er h o s p i t al an d

v et eri n ary ex pen s es

. W i l s on an s wered

, co u n t ercl ai m ed

, an d s u cces s fu l l y tran s ferred

t h e cas e t o su p eri or co u rt b ecau s e h er cl ai m s ex ceed $ 1 5 ,0 0 0

. T he Sau l sb u ry s m o v ed

fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t o n W i l s o n ’ s cl ai m s , an d t he t ri al co urt den ied t h e m o t io n

. Th i s

ap p eal fo l l o w ed

.

2 Th ere i s ev i den ce i n th e reco rd t h at Bab y al s o b i t a v et eri n ary tech n i ci an , b ut

t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce W i l s o n was aware o f t hi s i n ci d en t

.

31

. T h e Sau l s bu ry s arg u e t h ey were en t it l ed t o s u m m ary ju d g m en t b ecau s e

W i ls o n as s u m ed t h e ri s k o f h arm as a m at t er o f l aw wh en sh e in t erv e n e d i n a d o g

fi gh t wi t h h er b are h an d s . W e ag ree.

W i l s o n bri n g s h er cau s e o f act i o n pu rs u an t t o OCGA § 5 1 -2 -7 3 wh i ch p ro v i d es ,

i n rel ev an t p art

,

[a] p ers o n wh o o wn s or k eep s a v ici o us o r dan g ero us an i m al o f an y k i n d

an d wh o , b y carel es s m an ag em en t o r b y al l o wi n g t h e an i m al t o g o at

l i bert y , cau s es i n

ju ry t o an o t her p ers o n wh o d o es n o t p ro v o k e th e i n ju ry

b y h i s o wn act m ay be li ab l e i n d am ag es t o th e p ers o n s o i n ju red

. In

p ro v i n g v i ci o u s p ro p en s i t y , i t s h al l b e s u ffi ci en t t o s ho w th at t h e an i m al

was req u i red t o b e at h eel o r on a l eas h b y an o rd i n an ce o f a ci t y , co un t y ,

o r co n s o l id at ed g ov ern m en t

, an d t h e s ai d an i m al was at t h e t im e of th e

o ccu rren ce n ot at h eel o r o n a l eas h

.

Reg ard l es s o f w h et h er Sau l s b u ry ’ s d og , Bab y , wo u l d b e co n s i dered a “ v i ci ou s

o r d an g ero us an i m al ” p u rs u an t t o t h i s s t at u t e, W i ls o n can n o t reco ver i f s h e as s u m ed

t h e ri sk o f h arm

b y u si n g h er b are h an d s t o b reak u p a d o g fi g h t

.

3 W il s o n ’ s cau s e o f act io n can no t b e b as ed o n Geo rg i a’ s p rem i s es l i ab i l i t y

s t at u te, O CGA § 5 1 -3 -1 , b ecau s e, al t h o u g h t h e p art ies d i sp u t e wh ere t h e fi g h t t o o k

p l ace, t here i s n o al leg at i on t h at i t t o o k p lace o n p ro p ert y own ed o r o ccu pi ed b y t h e Sau ls b u ry s

. To t h e ex t en t W i l s o n i n v i t e s t h i s C o u rt t o creat e a n ew t h eo ry o f

n eg li g en ce s p eci fi c t o d og o wn ers , we d ecl i n e t o d o s o

.

4As s u m p ti o n of ri sk i n i t s s i m

p l es t an d p ri m ary sen s e m ean s t h at th e

p l ai n t i ff h as g iv en [h er] ex p res s co n s en t t o rel i ev e th e defen d an t o f an

o b l i gat i o n o f co n du ct t o ward [h er] an d t o t ak e [h er] ch an c e o f i n ju ry

fro m a kn own ri s k. Th e res u l t i s t hat t h e d efen d an t i s s i m p l y un d e r n o

l eg al d u ty t o p ro t ect t h e p l ai n ti ff.

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Lu nd y v. S t uh r , 1 8 5 G a. Ap p

. 7 2

, 7 5 (3 6 3 SE2 d

3 4 3 ) (1 9 8 7 ).

Th e d efen s e o f as s u m

p t i o n o f t h e ri s k o f d an g er ap p l i es wh en t h e p l ai n t i ff, wi th

a fu l l ap p reci at i o n o f t h e d an ger i nv o l v ed an d wi t h o ut res t ri ct i o n o f h er

freed o m o f ch o ice ei t h er b y

t h e ci rcu m s t an ces o r b y

co erci o n , d el i b erat el y

ch o o s es an o bv i o u s l y

p eri l o u s co u rs e o f co n d u ct

. A d efen d an t as s ert i n g an

as s u m p t i o n o f t h e ri s k d efen s e m u s t es t ab li s h t h at t h e p l ai n t iff (1 ) h ad

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e d an g er; (2 ) u nd ers t oo d an d ap p reci at ed t he ri s k s as s o ci at ed

wi t h s uch d an g er; an d (3 ) v o l un t ari ly ex p o s ed h ers el f t o t h o s e ri s k s . Th e

k n o wl ed g e req u i rem en t d o es n o t refer t o a co m p reh en s i o n o f g en eral

,

n o n -s p eci fi c ri sk s

. Rat h er, t h e k n o wl ed g e t hat a p l ai n t i ff wh o as s u m es t h e ri s k

m u s t s u b ject iv el y p o s s es s i s t h at o f t h e s p eci fi c, p art i cu l ar ri s k o f h arm

as s o ci at ed wi t h t h e act i v i t y o r co nd i t io n t h at p ro x i m at el y cau s es i n ju ry

.

(Ci t at i o n o m i t ted .) Gi l r ea t h v

. S mi t h

, 3 4 0 Ga. Ap p. 26 5

, 2 6 8 (1 ) (7 9 7 SE2 d 1 7 7 )

(2 0 1 7). “ A s s u m

p t i o n o f ri s k is a co m

p l et e d efen s e t o n eg l ig en ce.” (Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .)

Ch r i st i a n v. Ea g l es La n d i n g Ch r i s t i a n Aca d emy, In c. , 30 3 G a. Ap p. 1 1 3

, 1 1 5 -1 1 6 (2 )

(6 9 2 SE2 d 7 4 5 ) (2 0 1 0 ).

5Al t h ou g h i s s u es o f n eg l ig en ce, l ack o f care i n av o i d i n g t h e n eg l i g en ce

o f o t h ers , l ack o f care fo r o n e’ s o wn s afet y , an d as s um p ti o n o f t h e ri s k

are o rd i n ari l y no t s u s cep t i b l e t o s u m m ary ad j u d icat i o n, ei t h e r fo r o r

ag ai ns t t h e co m

p l ai n an t, wh ere t h e ev id en ce sh o w s cl earl y an d p al p ab l y

t h at t h e j u r y co ul d reas o n ab l y d raw b u t o n e co ncl u s io n t h e i s su e o f

as s u m p t i o n o f ri s k m ay

b e d et erm i n ed o n s um m ary ju dg m en t

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p u nct u at i o n om i t t ed .) Fa g a n v. At n a l t a , In c. , 1 8 9 Ga. Ap p . 4 6 0 (3 7 6

SE2 d 2 0 4 ) (1 9 8 8); see al s o Du r h a m v. Ma s o n , 2 5 6 Ga. Ap p. 46 7

, 4 6 8 (2 ) (5 6 8 SE2 d

5 3 0 ) (2 00 2 ) (as s u m

p t i o n o f t h e ri s k d efen s e b ars reco v ery wh en t h e ev i d en ce s h o ws

t h at t h e p l ai n t i ff, w i t ho u t co erci o n o f ci rcu m s tan ces , ch o o s es a co u rs e o f act i o n wi th

fu l l k no wl ed g e o f it s d an g er an d wh i le ex erci s i n g a free ch oi ce as t o wh et h er to

en g ag e i n t h e act o r n o t .”) (p u n ct u at i o n o m i tt ed ).

T h i s Co u rt h as reco g n i zed t h e ri sk t h at an i m al s , ev en do m es t icat ed an i m al s ,

can p os e t o hu m an s

. See Lu n d y , 1 8 5 Ga. A p p

. a t 7 3 -7 4 (“ It i s i n t h e co m m o n

k n o wl ed g e o f th e m em

b ers o f so ci et y t h at ev en d o m es t i c an i m al s , w h en s t art l ed

, are

p ro n e t o d efen d t h e m s e l v es b y b i t i n g

. It i s an u n wi s e p ers o n w h o ap p ro ach es an

u n k n o wn d o g an d m ak es ges t u res t o ward t hat do g wi t h o u t fi rs t as cert ai n i n g t h e

p ro p en s it i es o f t h e d og .”); s ee al s o Gr i ff i th s v. Sch a

fer

, 22 3 Ga. Ap p

. 5 60

, 56 3 (4 7 8

S E2 d 6 2 5) (1 9 9 6 ) (“ p ract i cal l y an y d o g wi ll bi t e i n cert ai n ci rcu m s t an ces an d t h a t

6p art i cu l arl y v i o l en t an d ag g res s i v e b reed s are m o re l i k el y t o b it e an d ev en t o i n fl i ct

s ev ere w o u n d s .”). Al t h o u gh we h av e n o t ap p l i ed as s u m p t i o n o f t he ri s k t o d o g fi g ht

i n ju ri es , i n o th er co nt ex t s we h av e h el d t h at “ an ad u l t o f o rd i nary i nt el l i g en ce wi l l b e

h el d t o be aware o f m an i fes t ri s k o r d an g er o f p os s i b le i n ju ry w h en [s h e] d el i b erat el y

an d v o l u n t ari l y jo i ns i n an affray

, as a m at t er o f l a w. ” (Ci t at i o n s an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed .) Co r n el i u s v

. Mo r r i s Br o wn Co l l eg e , 2 9 9 Ga. A p p

. 8 3

, 8 6 (3 ) (6 8 1 SE2 d

7 3 0 ) (2 0 0 9 ). Th i s Co u rt h a s p r e v i o u s l y h el d t h at “ it is w el l set t led th at an ad u l t o f

o rd i n ary i n t el l ig en ce as s u m es th e ri s k o f p o s s i b l e in j u ry wh en [s h e] del i berat el y an d

v o l u n t ari l y jo i n s i n a f

i g h t

, o r en t ers in t o a fi g h t fo r t he p u rp o s e o f b reak i n g i t u p.”

Ca r t er v. S co t t , 3 2 0 Ga. Ap p. 4 0 4 , 4 0 8 (2 ) (7 5 0 SE2 d 6 7 9 ) (2 0 1 3); see al s o Fa g a n ,

1 8 9 G a. Ap p

. at 4 6 1

. W h i l e al l o f t h es e cas es i n v ol v ed fi g h t s wi t h h u m an p art i ci p an t s ,

we s ee no reas o n fo r a d i fferen t ru le wh en a p ers o n in t erv en es i n a fi g h t b et ween d og s

wi t h t h e p u rp o s e o f b reak in g i t u p

.

Here, W i l s o n as su m ed t he ri s k of i n j u ry b y i n t erv en i n g in t h e d o g fi g h t wi t h h er

b are h an d s , an d t h erefo re s u m m ary ju d g m en t i n fav or o f t h e Sau l s b u ry s i s ap p ro p ri at e

o n t h is i s s ue. W i l s o n h ad k n o wl e d g e t h at Bab y h ad p rev i ou s l y b i t t en o n e o r m o re

p ers o n s

. Sh e h ad y ears o f ex p eri en ce wi th d o g s an d h ad b ro k en u p o t h er d o g f i g h t s

b efo re u s i n g a st i ck

, s h owi n g s h e had an ap p reci at i o n o f t h e ri s k s i n i n t erv en i n g i n a

7d o g fi g h t. W i ls o n en g ag ed i n o b v i o u s l y dan g ero us co nd u ct b y i n t erv en i n g i n a d o g

fi gh t wi t h h er b are h an ds

, an d t h u s ev en h er al l eg at i o n t hat s h e d i d n o t ap p reci at e t h e

d an ger o f t h e s i t uat i o n wi l l n ot s av e h er cl ai m . See, e.g

., Lu n dy , 1 8 5 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 4

(“ Th e pl ai n t i ff wen t i n to t h e s it u at io n wi t h [h er] ey es wi d e o pen

. [Sh e] s aw t h e wh o l e

p i ct u re; [s ] h e h ad t h e o p po rt u n i t y t o m e a s u r e t h e ri s k s , i f an y , an d w as u n d er n o

co m p u l s i o n [t o i n t erv en e]

. . . . At so m e p o i n t t h e dan g er an d li k el i h o od o f i n ju ry

b eco m es s o o b v io us th at act u al k n o wl ed g e b y t h e p l ai n t i ff i s u n n e c e s s ary .”).

A cco rd i n g l y , s u m

m ary ju d g m en t i s ap p ro p ri at e i n fav o r o f t h e Sau l s b u ry s o n t h e i s s u e

o f as s u m p t i o n o f t h e ri s k.

W i l s o n ’ s arg u m en t t h at Sau l s b u ry m ay h av e b een i n v i ol at i o n o f v ari ou s

DeKal b Co u n t y o rd i n an c e s i n h e r h an d l i n g o f Bab y al s o i s o f n o av ai l

. W i l s o n ’ s

as s u m pt i o n o f t h e ri s k precl u d es h er cl ai m ev en i f Sau l s b u ry were n eg l i g en t

.

Ch r i st i a n , 3 0 3 Ga. Ap p . at 1 1 5 -1 1 6 (2 ).

M o reo v er, to t h e ex t en t W i l s o n arg u es t h at DeKal b Co u nt y an i m al o rd i n an ces

req u i red h er t o pl ace h ers el f i n d an g er b y i n terv en i ng i n a d og fi gh t wi t h h e r b are

h an ds , we d i s ag ree.

8As t h e Su p rem e Co u rt of Geo rg i a h as h el d

, th e p ri n ci p les t h at g ui d e o u r

co n s i d erat i o n o f t h e m ean i n g o f s t at u tes are s et t l ed o n es , an d we ap p l y

t h o s e s am e p ri n ci p les wh en we co ns i d er t he m ean i n g o f a n o r d i n a n ce.

Th u s , we l o o k fi rs t t o t h e t ex t o f t h e o rd i n an ce, an d i f t h e t ex t i s cl ear

an d u n am b i g uo u s , we l o o k no fu rt h er, at t ri b u ti n g t o t he ord i n an ce i t s

p l ai n m ean i n g

. In d oi n g s o , we a tt ri b u t e t o t h o s e wo rd s t h ei r o rd i n ary , l o g i cal

, an d co m

m o n m ean i n g s , u n l es s a cl ear i n di cat i on o f s o m e o t h er

m ean i n g a p p e a rs

. Ad d i t i o n al l y , we read t he o rd i n an ce as a wh ol e

acco rd i n g t o t h e n a t u r al an d m o s t o b v i o u s i m p o rt o f t h e l an g u ag e,

wi t h ou t res o rt i n g t o s u b tl e an d fo rced co n st ru ct io n s , fo r th e p u rp o se o f

ei t h er l i m i t i ng o r ex t en d i n g i ts o p erat i o n

. An d i m p o rt an t l y , a s we

co n s i d er th e m ean i n g o f an o rd in an ce, we rem em b er t h at i t i s n o t t o be

co n s t ru ed i n a vacu u m , b u t i n rel at i o n t o o th er o rd in an ces o f w h i ch i t i s

a p art

, an d al l o rd i n an ces rel at i n g to t h e sam e s u b j e c t m at t er are t o be

co n s t ru ed t o g et h er, an d h arm o n i zed wh erev er p o s si b l e.

(Ci t at i o n s , p u n c t u a t i o n , an d fo o t n o t es o m i t t ed .) Mo n u med ia II, LLC v. Dep t

. of

Tr a ns p

. , 3 4 3 Ga. Ap p. 4 9, 5 6 (3 ) (8 0 6 SE2 d 2 1 5 ) (2 0 1 7 ).

W i l s o n p oi nt s t o s ev eral DeKal b Co u n t y o rd i n an ces t o s u p p o rt h er p o s i t i o n

.

DeKal b Co u n t y

Co d e o f Ord in an ces § 5 -2 - Gen eral res p o n si b i l i t i es o f o wn ers -

p ro v id es , i n rel ev an t p art

,

(a) It s h al l b e t he d u t y o f ev ery o wn er o f an an i m al to tak e al l n eces s ary

s t ep s an d p recau t i o n s t o p ro t ect o t h e r p eo p le, p ro p ert y , an d o t h er

an i m al s fro m i nju ry or d a m ag e res u l t i n g fro m su ch an im al ’ s b eh av i o r,

9i n cl u d i n g , b u t n o t l i m i t ed t o , ch as i n g , b i t i n g , or o t h erwi s e jeo pard i zi n g

t h e s afet y o r wel fare o f t h e pu b l i c, reg ard les s o f wh et h er s u ch b eh av i o r

i s m o t i v at ed b y

m is ch i ev o u sn es s , p l ay fu l n es s, o r fero ci ty

.

Co d e § 5 -3
- Keep i ng an i m al u n d er res t rai n t wh il e o n o w n er’ s p ro p ert y

-

p ro v id es , i n rel ev an t p art :

(a) It s h al l b e t h e d u t y o f ev e r y o w n er o f an an i m al t o en s u re t hat th e

an i m al i s k ep t un d er res t rai n t

, an d t h at p recau t i o n s are t ak en t o p rev en t

t h e an i m al fro m leav i n g , wh i l e u nat t en d ed

, t h e real p ro p ert y li m i t s o f i t s

o wn er.

( b ) I t s h a l l b e t h e d u t y o f ev ery o wn er o f an an im al t o en s u re t h at t h e

an i m al i s s ecu rel y an d h u m an el y en cl o sed wi t h i n a pro p er en cl o s u re as

a m ean s o f pri m ary res t rai n t

. Su ch en cl o s u re m u s t be s ecu rel y l o ck ed at

an y t i m e t h e an i m al i s l eft u n at ten d ed

. W h en o u ts i d e t h e p ro p er

en cl os ure b u t o n t h e own er’ s p ro p ert y , i t s hal l b e t h e d u ty o f ev ery

o wn er o f an an i m al t o en s u re t h at t h e an i m al i s h u m an el y s ecu red b y

a

l eas h o r l ead an d u n d er t h e co n t ro l o f a res p o n s i b l e an d co m p et en t

p ers on ; o r off l eas h b u t u n d er t h e d i rect co n t ro l o f a r e s p o n s i b l e an d

co m p et en t p ers o n wh o i s p h y s i cal l y p res en t w i t h t h e an i m al

, p ro v i d ed

t h at s u ch an i m al i s o b ed i en t t o t h at p ers o n ’ s co m m an d

.

Fi n al l y , Co de § 5 -4
- D ut y t o res t rai n wh i l e o ff o w n er’ s pro p ert y - p ro v i d es : “ It

s h al l b e t h e du t y o f an y p er s o n t o k eep an an i m al u n d er res t rai n t an d co n t ro l at al l

10t i m e s wh i l e t h e an im al is o ff t h e real p ro p ert y l im i t s o f t h e o wn er. Su ch areas s h a l l

n o t i n cl u d e co u n t y

p ark s t h at are s p eci fi cal ly d es ig n at ed as o ff l eas h areas .”

Read i n g t h e p l ai n l an g u ag e o f t h es e o rd i n an ces d em o n s t rat es t h at th ey creat ed

n o ob l i gat i o n on t h e p art o f W i l s o n t o dan g ero us l y i n s ert h ers el f i n t o a d o g fi g h t

.

Ev en as s u m i n g th ey creat ed an o b l i g at i o n fo r W i l s o n t o t ak e st ep s an d p recau t i on s

t o p rev en t a d o g fi g h t fro m o ccu rri n g b y

p ro p erl y res t rai n i n g an d h an d li n g h er o wn

d o g , t h e o rd in an ces can n o t b e reas o nab ly i n terp ret ed t o o b li gat e d o g o wn ers to

jeo p ard i ze l i fe an d l i m

b i f a d o g fi gh t h ap pen s

.

Th erefo re, w e co n cl u d e t h at W i l s o n as s u m ed t h e ri sk o f harm as a m at t er o f l aw

b y i n t erv en i n g i n a d o g fi g h t an d

, t hu s , t h e t ri al co urt erred i n d en y i n g t he Sau l s b u ry s ’

m o ti o n fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t o n h er cl ai m s

. 4

2

. In l i g h t o f o u r h o l d in g i n Di v is i o n 1

, we n eed n ot reach t h e Sau l s b u ry s ’

rem ai n i n g en um erat i o n of erro r.

Ju d g men t r ever

s ed a n d ca s e r ema n d

ed

. McFa d

d en

, P.J., a n d Ri ckma n

, J

.,

co n cu r

.

4 Th e Sau ls b ury s’ cl ai m s ag ai n s t W i l s o n rem ai n p en d in g

.

11