§ 1Colorado's dog bite statute in one paragraph
Under C.R.S. 13-21-124, a person who is bitten by a dog while lawfully on public or private property, and who suffers serious bodily injury or dies from the bite, may bring a civil action against the dog's owner for economic damages. The owner is liable regardless of the dog's viciousness or dangerous propensities, and regardless of whether the owner knew about them. That is strict liability: the injured person does not have to prove the owner was careless.
StatuteC.R.S. 13-21-124 It expressly preserves other causes of action, including negligence.
Three limits shape every case under the statute. It applies only to bites, only to serious bodily injury or death, and only to economic damages. A knockdown by a large dog that breaks a hip, a minor bite that heals cleanly, or a claim for pain and suffering all fall outside it, and that is where the second track comes in.
§ 2What has to be shown under the statute
| Question | Statute (13-21-124) | Negligence or knowledge |
|---|---|---|
| Injury level | Serious bodily injury or death | Any injury |
| Owner's knowledge | Irrelevant | Often central |
| Type of contact | A bite | Bites, knockdowns, chases into traffic |
| Damages | Economic only | Economic and noneconomic |
"Serious bodily injury" comes from the criminal code at C.R.S. 18-1-901(3)(p). It covers injuries with a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of a body part or organ, fractures, and second or third degree burns. Medical records describing the wound in those terms carry a lot of weight. Economic damages typically include medical and surgical bills, future treatment such as scar revision, and lost earnings.
"Lawfully on public or private property" includes someone performing a legal duty such as a mail carrier, someone on the property by the owner's express or implied invitation, and someone on their own property.
§ 3The six exceptions
The statute lists situations where the owner is not liable under it. In summary form:
- The person was unlawfully on the property.
- The person was on the owner's property and it was clearly and conspicuously posted with "no trespassing" or "beware of dog" signs.
- The dog was being used by a peace officer or military personnel in the performance of their duties.
- The person knowingly provoked the dog.
- The person was a veterinary health care worker, groomer, humane agency staff member, professional handler, trainer or dog show judge acting in the performance of their duties.
- The dog was working as a hunting, herding, farm or ranch, or predator control dog on the owner's property or under the owner's control.
The signage exception applies only on the owner's property, and the signs must be clear and conspicuous. A small sticker on a back gate may not qualify. Photographs of the property taken soon after the bite, from the path the injured person actually took, can settle this question.
§ 4Which track applies?
Statute or negligence?
C.R.S. 13-21-124A starting point only. Many cases plead both tracks at once.
§ 5The other track: negligence and the owner's knowledge
Subsection (7) of the statute says it does not limit other causes of action, including negligence, intentional torts and outrageous conduct. Two common-law approaches carry most of these claims.
Negligence
An owner who let a dog run loose in violation of a local leash ordinance, left a gate open, or ignored a dog's escalating aggression may have failed to use reasonable care. Negligence claims are not limited to bites or to serious injuries, and they can include noneconomic damages, subject to the statutory caps described in the Colorado damage caps guide. Comparative fault applies, so provocation short of the statute's "knowingly provoked" standard can still reduce a recovery.
Knowledge of dangerous propensities
Colorado also recognizes liability where the owner knew or had reason to know the dog had a dangerous tendency, such as earlier bites, lunging at passersby, or prior complaints to animal control. Evidence for this often comes from neighbors, mail carriers, veterinary records and local animal control files. Under the statute, proof of the owner's knowledge can also support a court order that the dog be euthanized at the owner's expense, if the victim asks for it.
The knockdown
A large dog bounds across a park and hits a runner at full speed. No bite, but a broken wrist. The statute does not apply because there was no bite. The claim, if there is one, rests on negligence: was the dog off leash where a leash was required, and did the owner have reason to expect this? The answer often depends on the specific park's rules and on what the owner said at the scene.
§ 6Practical steps after a bite
- Get medical care and ask the provider to document the wound's depth, location and any risk of scarring or loss of function.
- Report the bite to local animal control. The report creates a record and starts any required rabies observation of the dog.
- Write down the owner's name and address, the dog's description, and the names of witnesses.
- Photograph the injury over time, and photograph the location, including any signs.
- Ask whether the owner has homeowner's or renter's insurance; many dog bite claims are paid through those policies.
Dog bite claims generally carry a two-year filing period. See the Colorado filing deadline overview for exceptions, and the claim process guide for what happens after a claim is opened.
The bottom line
Serious bite, lawful presence, no exception: the statute covers economic losses without proving fault. Anything else, and anything beyond economic losses, runs through negligence or the owner's knowledge of the dog's behavior.
Colorado dog bite questions
Is Colorado a strict liability state for dog bites?
Partly. C.R.S. 13-21-124 makes a dog owner strictly liable for economic damages when the dog bites someone who is lawfully on public or private property and the bite causes serious bodily injury or death. For less serious bites, or for noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering, the injured person generally has to rely on negligence or on proof that the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
What counts as serious bodily injury?
The statute borrows the definition from Colorado's criminal code, C.R.S. 18-1-901(3)(p): bodily injury that involves a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of a body part or organ, broken bones, or second or third degree burns. Deep facial lacerations that leave permanent scars are a common example of disfigurement.
Can I recover for pain and suffering after a dog bite?
Not under the strict liability statute, which is limited to economic damages. Pain, suffering and emotional distress can be pursued through other theories the statute preserves, such as negligence or the owner's knowledge of the dog's dangerous propensities.
What if I was bitten while working with the dog?
The statute excludes veterinary health care workers, dog groomers, humane agency staff, professional handlers, trainers and dog show judges acting in the performance of their duties. Those workers may still have other remedies, including workers' compensation if they were employees.
How long do I have to bring a dog bite claim in Colorado?
Dog bite claims are tort actions, so the general two-year limitation period in C.R.S. 13-80-102(1)(a) usually applies. If the dog belonged to a public entity or a police department, the 182-day notice requirement of the Governmental Immunity Act may apply as well.
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Last reviewed November 2026. Colorado statutes are amended often. Check the current Colorado Revised Statutes, or ask a licensed Colorado attorney, before relying on any figure or deadline here.