Rhode Island dog liability for owners of strong dogs
The statute turns on location: outside the owner's enclosure, liability attaches without proof of prior bad behavior.
The statute
The dogbitelaw.com summary of Rhode Island dog bite law quotes General Laws 4-13-16, under which the owner or keeper is liable for all damage when a dog injures a person traveling the highway or out of the enclosure of the owner or keeper. It also says a repeat incident means double damages and a court order to kill the dog, and that the owner's knowledge of prior behavior need not be proved.
Inside the enclosure
The same page says the statute does not apply to injuries inside the owner's enclosed area, where the common law one-bite rule applies and the victim must show the owner knew of the dog's vicious propensities. The dogbitelaw.com note on the DuBois v. Quilitzsch decision describes a decision in which the Rhode Island Supreme Court refused to hold the owner of a chained dog liable under the statute or premises liability.
Who counts as responsible
dogbitelaw.com says the statute reaches anyone who is a keeper of the dog, not only the owner, and that any injury counts, not only bites. A handler or housemate can be a keeper.
Insurance and housing
Tell your insurer what dog is coming and read your lease or association rules first. State law does not override either.
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