A new law in Arizona now requires dog owners to provide their contact information to victims after a dog bite occurs.
This change came through an amendment to the existing statute via Senate Bill 1241, sponsored by Sen. John Kavanagh. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Katie Hobbs in May and took effect Sept. 26.
Nicknamed the “Bite and Run Law,” this legislation was aimed to better support dog bite victims, according to Maricopa County Animal Care & Control.
The updated statute stated: “A person who owns a dog or is responsible for the care of a dog that bites a person when the person is in or on a public place or lawfully in or on a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, shall provide the owner’s contact information to the person who suffered the bite.”
Failure to comply with the new law is now classified as a Class 2 misdemeanor.
Previously, dog owners were only required to report bites to Maricopa County Animal Care & Control, with no obligation to share contact information with victims — leading to many unreported incidents, according to the agency.
“This law directly reflects our mission to foster a safe community for the people and pets of Maricopa County,” said Debbie McKnight, director of Maricopa County Animal Care & Control. “We are grateful for Senator Kavanagh’s support for this bill that will provide dog bite victims with the information they need in a timely manner, hold dog owners accountable, and open up communication between both parties after a dog bite occurs.”
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New AZ law requires owners to share contact information after dog bite
