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Maryland Dog Bite Laws: What Victims Need to Know About Liability and Compensation

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May 21, 2026

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Dog bite injuries spike during warmer months in Maryland and understanding your legal rights is critical if you or a loved one is attacked. A dog bite can result in serious injuries, expensive medical bills, and lasting trauma. Below, the personal injury attorneys at Stein Sperling explain Maryland’s dog bite liability laws, what to do after an attack, and how to pursue compensation for your dog bite injury.

Why Dog Bites Increase in Warm Weather

With warmer weather, more dog owners bring their animals out for walks in parks, recreation areas, and public places where they will inevitably encounter unfamiliar people—adults and children alike. Although most dog-human interactions go well, an increasing number result in everything from a minor bite to a severe attack causing serious injury or worse. Warmer weather has been shown to make both humans and dogs more aggressive. Dogs in particular struggle with heat stress and dehydration, making them shorter tempered. Additionally, many dog owners

do not properly socialize their pets before bringing them into public settings with unfamiliar dogs or people, which can cause extreme anxiety and fear—often leading to aggressive behavior. That, coupled with dog owners failing to comply with Maryland leash laws and proper leashing practices, frequently leads to dog bite attacks.

Maryland Dog Bite Strict Liability: What the Law Says

Maryland law (Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-1901) imposes strict liability on dog owners for injuries caused by their dogs. Under this Maryland dog bite statute, owners are liable if their dog is “at large” (running free in a public area), if the owner knew or should have known the dog had dangerous propensities, or even if the dog was leashed but the owner still failed to maintain proper control. The type of dog, size, weight, or breed is not relevant.

Defenses that dog owners can assert include that the dog bite victim was trespassing, committing a crime at the time of the bite, or provoking the dog to attack as a self-protective measure for both the dog and its owner.

Contributory Negligence in Maryland Dog Bite Cases

Maryland is a contributory negligence jurisdiction, which means that if the victim was themselves negligent, they could be barred from pursuing a liability claim against the dog owner. Importantly, Maryland differentiates between adult actions and children’s actions when determining whether contributory negligence applies. Children who are five years old or younger are considered incapable of negligence as a matter of law. For children older than five, negligence is judged based on the expected behavior of a child of similar age and experience, rather than an adult standard.

How to Prevent Dog Bite Injuries in Maryland

Both adults and children need to exercise caution in places where dogs are present, especially in areas where owners regularly allow their dogs to be unleashed—such as dog parks and expansive recreation areas where dogs are more likely to run free. Children should be heavily supervised in these areas and discouraged from attempting to pet unfamiliar dogs who may or may not be friendly. The same advice applies to adults who assume they can judge a dog’s temperament. In many cases, that assumption proves wrong.

What to Do Immediately After a Dog Bite Attack in Maryland

Ask the dog owner for their identification, including name, address, phone number, and veterinarian information. Most importantly, determine whether the dog has had its rabies vaccines and is current on vaccinations. Check the dog’s collar for a rabies pendant and record its serial number and year. Call animal control to conduct a formal investigation. Identify any witnesses and collect their names and phone numbers. Ask witnesses to remain on scene until animal control arrives or advise them they will be contacted later.

Take photographs of the scene of the attack, the dog itself, your injuries, and whether the dog was leashed or not. Request that the owner and dog remain on scene, but note they cannot be legally forced to do so. If they leave, record their vehicle’s license plate number.

Seeking Medical Attention After a Dog Bite in Maryland

Once the scene is documented, whether animal control has responded or not, it is important to confirm through the owner’s vet records whether the dog is current on its rabies boosters and vaccinations. If you are unable to obtain this information while seeking emergency medical attention, advise medical professionals that up-to-date rabies information has not been confirmed—this may result in a precautionary rabies vaccination series being administered. Victims should also confirm when they last received a tetanus shot. All medical treatment should be documented, and photographs taken of your initial post-attack wounds.

Contact an Experienced Maryland Dog Bite Lawyer

After receiving medical treatment, a dog bite victim should contact an experienced Maryland dog bite attorney for a free consultation. The personal injury lawyers at Stein Sperling have many years of experience successfully pursuing dog owner negligence and pain and suffering claims on behalf of dog bite victims throughout Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Dog bite cases are unique liability insurance claims that require specialized legal experience to handle properly. Contact Stein Sperling today to discuss your dog bite injury case.

Originally published at Bethesdamagazine