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Accidents involving Animals

The Law relating to Animals is not at all straightforward.

Under the Animals Act 1971 a distinction is made between animals which belong to a dangerous species (i.e. not commonly domesticated in the UK and likely to cause severe harm) and those which do not.

Injury caused by animals that are not of a dangerous species (for example dogs) requires proof either that any damage was likely to be severe or that the damage was of a kind which the animal in question was likely to cause, unless restrained. In addition the keeper of the animal needs to know this information.

In a recent tragic case (McKenny and another v Foster, 2008) one night a cow somehow managed to jump over a livestock gate and long-jump a cattle grid and wander into a road. It was hit and killed by a car. The driver of the car died and the passenger was injured – but a claim against the farmer who owned the cow failed. This was because the evidence was that the animal's dangerous behaviour; it's 'exceptional and exaggerated agitation' in the particular circumstances, could not properly be described as normal and was not known to the farmer.

We have successfully obtained compensation for a man who received severe dog bites from his neighbour's dog, which was known to be aggressive.

If you have been injured as a result of an accident involving an animal do not hesitate to contact our friendly personal injury team.