The Impact of Yard Signs on Dog Bite Legal Claims in Atlanta

Not usually. In general, posting a yard sign may offer limited protection under certain circumstances, but it does not absolve dog owners of their duties under Georgia’s “Responsible Dog Ownership Law” or local county/city ordinances. In any Georgia dog bite case, the victim must prove that the dog owner was aware that the dog was vicious or dangerous and was careless in handling the dog, allowing it to be around other people, or allowing it to roam free. O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7. The victim must also show that they did not provoke the dog.  

Putting up a sign warning that a dog may be dangerous does not shift the dog owner’s responsibility to other people. The owner still has a legal duty to properly restrain or secure a dangerous dog to protect the public. Further, posting a sign that describes the dog as dangerous can help the victim prove that the dog owner had prior knowledge that the animal was a bite risk. 

Of course, many dog attacks happen away from the owner’s property in areas where a dog and a stranger may interact, such as a city park or a neighborhood street. If the attack does not take place on the owner’s property, any posted warning signs are not relevant to the issue of negligence.  

In some cases, a yard sign may help protect the dog owner from liability because placing a warning sign on your property does put people on notice that your dog might attack if antagonized or provoked. If, for example, someone stuck their hand through a fence to pet a dog despite a posted warning sign, the court may find them negligent for their dog bite injuries because they disregarded the warning. 

Likewise, if someone trespasses on property despite a warning sign, the dog may bite the intruder to protect the owner and/or its territory. In that situation, the court will likely find that the intruder committed a crime and provoked the dog, which means they cannot recover compensation for their injuries under Georgia law. 

Keep in mind that the sign must be visible to the public to be used as a defense. If the sign is hard to read, too small, off in the distance, or unable to spot at night, the victim may argue they did not see it and could not have known about the presence of a dangerous dog. Additionally, if the sign simply says “No Trespassing” or uses some other neutral language that does not indicate a dangerous dog, the victim may argue they were not aware of the risks in interacting with the dog.