Is it legal for me to shoot a dog who bites me?

In Texas, it is not legal for you to shoot a dog who bites you. Dog bite law in Texas follows the "one-bite rule" meaning that the owner of a dog who bites someone can be held liable only when they know that the animal has a propensity to bite. This does not entitle the victim to shoot the dog, however. In Texas, a person may be allowed to use deadly force against an animal if they are defending themselves or another person against an obvious and imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death. The threat must be immediate and it must be reasonable to conclude that deadly force is necessary to protect against the danger. In other words, a person must be in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death in order to use deadly force against an animal. In short, it is not legal for you to shoot a dog who bites you in Texas. You may use deadly force against a dog if it is reasonable to conclude that the dog poses an immediate and imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death. In other instances, owners of a dog who bites someone may be held liable under the one-bite rule.

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Is it legal for me to shoot a dog who bites me?

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