Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Texas

Re: Dog Law

Thank you for your interesting question. While it is a rebuttable presumption that an animal owner is responsible for damage or injury caused by his/her animal (i.e. bites), the question whether an animal owner is responsible for indiscriminate fornicating is questionable. There is case law indicating that a farmer who suffers crop damage from his neighbor's stray cattle has a duty to mitigate damages by taking steps to keep cattle out (cattle are attracted to crops). Similarly, it is common knowledge that a bitch in heat will scent-attract dogs from long distances. Just as a cattle owner has only a limited duty to protect his neighbor's crops from his cattle, your neighbors had a only limited duty to protect your bitch's honor from their delinquent Retreiver's affections. Consult an old country lawyer for another opinion.