You and Your Rights

An owner of a domesticated animal can be sued for damage caused by the animal acting 'contrary to the nature of its kind', in other words, while not acting as a well- behaved animal of its species should have done. For liability to arise, the animal must have acted 'from inward excitement or vice', meaning that its behaviour must not have been caused by some external factor, such as fright, annoyance or provo-cation by the injured party or by a third person. Also, the injured party (or animal) must have been lawfully at the place where the harm was caused and the blame for the injury must not lie with the person or animal, even in part. The action may be brought even though there was no negligence on the part of the owner of the animal. (See animals; animals on the road.)