Hawaii Dog Law
Liability Statute
In Hawaii, the owner or keeper of an animal that causes personal injury to any person is liable for damages to the victim, regardless of whether he or she knew of the dog’s potential to be dangerous. The owner or keeper of an animal that is known to be dangerous by nature or its species is strictly liable for damages caused. The owner or keeper is not liable if the animal caused injury as the result of being teased, tormented, or otherwise abused without negligence by the owner or keeper of the dog, or if the victim was trespassing.
Common Law Liability
In order to recover for injuries caused by a dog, the plaintiff must prove that the dog’s owner or keeper at the time of the injury was negligent. Hawaii law charges owners and keepers of dogs with a duty to take notice of their dog’s propensities and to use reasonable care to guard against the general propensities of the class of animal the dog belongs to, as well as particular propensities peculiar to that animal.
Dangerous Dog Statute
Hawaii does not have a Dangerous Dog Statute.
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