If a dog owner acted with criminal negligence or knew that their dog was dangerous and failed to prevent it from biting someone, he or she could be charged with a crime in Texas, as well as being held civilly liable for damages. Felony charges may apply if the owner fails to secure a dangerous dog and someone is seriously injured or killed away from the owner’s property - providing the victim did not provoke the attack. For instance, if there was a previous, unprovoked attack or the owner had been informed by appropriate authorities that the dog was dangerous, the owner could be accused of criminal negligence in the event of a dog bite incident.