The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-12-23
SHEEP AND DOGS.
Laws In Different States Regulating the
Liability OF Dog.O wners.

Liability Of Dog-O wners.
Not only is the ownor of dog liable
for its acts. but any one who harbors it
or allows it upon his premises, is also
liable. But q person Is not responsible
for the acts Of . dog which he tries to
drive away from his premises, or for
those Of dog allowed to remain tenn.
porarily there. as in the case of one
who keeps boarders and permits them
to keep dog on the premises; but in
that case the own ,r OF the dog is liable.
The laws with regard to liability for
injury done BY dogs to sheep vary con.
siderable in the different States. In
Vermont New York. Pennsylvsnia,
delaware. Ohio. California, Tennessee.
Alabama, Minnesota. Oregon. Illinois.
New Jersey and Mississippi the stat ties
expressly provide that any per ,0n may
kill dog found worrying or injur ng
sheep. In Michigan any person may,
without render ng himself liable
TO civil or criminal action. kill
. dog he may see chas ng. wor.
rying. wouuding or killing sheep.
swine. cattle or any other dunes
tic animal In Maryland ths owner OF
. dog 10 exempted from liability for
sheep kill,d. il he K lis the dog imne.
diately on recciving notice of the in.
jury; but II he fails to do 50. the owner
Of the sheep may kill the dog and re-
cover double damages. In New Hamp-
shire and Massachusetts, the owner Of
~n,v An,v> aotf, =, nA In,
the owner OF any sheep or lambs. may
recover from the town tor any injury
inflicted by q dog. II he chooses the
owner Of the injured animal may sus
the owner Of tbs dog instead of claim
ing damage from the town; but II ho
prefers to prove his loss to the super
visors. and accept an order ON the
town treasurer for the amount, the
claim is transferred to the town. which
may recover against the owaer OF the
dog; but ths owner Of the sheep can
not thereafter recover aga nst him. In
Rhode Island. the frat tim dog wor.
ries q sheep the owner eau recover
damages from the person who harbors
or owns the dog. II after tho first mo-
tice the dog Is still allowed to live and
Injuries sheep again. h 8 owner 10 liza
Ible for doubla damages. and the
court may order the animal killad.
In Alab una, California. Verm 3nt
and Wisconsin double damages can
also be recovered. In Connecti.
cut whoever has lost BY dogs worry.
ing or killing bis sheep must give
notice to the town sslsctm1n and
these may sue the owner or harborer
Of the offending dog. and unlass the
shoap owner II reim ,ursei by the suit.
the town becomes liable for the dam.
ages. TO proyid, fund to meet this
liability, dogs ere lic,n ed. and the
ucenss fees arc held to meet such claims.
When several dogs belonging q
dill rent owners unite tn committing
mischiaf. at 90 nmon law each owner
Is liable 0uly for the acts OF his own
animal There would naturally b.
considerable di Ffcllty Ia ascertxininl
the extent Of the injury done By eao6
dog. but the jury can . l0pt any reason
able rule for ascertaiaiug the damages.
II the IN mails are Of unequal size and
have different caDacities fU~ mischief
the Jury may taks into confederation
the damage done by each In approxi
mating tbs lab lities Of the owners
BY ststute. however. Ia Connecticut,
Vermont and Ohio. tho several owner
Of dogs that unite In mischiss are Jointly
llable there(or; while In Pennsylvanii
each owner u liable Tor tte whole In
jury II The dilg Of which bis dog Val
taaa1lp sngsgs4-Rws Asp tseHs