As used in KRS 258.095 to 258.500, unless the context requires otherwise:
(1) "Department" means the Department of Agriculture;
(2) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Agriculture;
(3) "Board" means the Animal Control Advisory Board created by KRS 258.117;
(4) "Dog" means any domestic canine, six (6) months of age or older;
(5) "Owner," when applied to the proprietorship of a dog, includes:
(a) Every person having a right of property in the dog; and
(b) Every person who:
1. Keeps or harbors the dog;
2. Has the dog in his or her care;
3. Permits the dog to remain on or about premises owned and occupied by him or her; or
4. Permits the dog to remain on or about premises leased and occupied by him or her;
(6) "Attack" means a dog's attempt to bite or successful bite of a human being. This definition shall not apply to a dog's attack of a person who has illegally entered or is trespassing on the dog owner's property in violation of KRS 511.060, 511.070, 511.080, or 511.090;
(7) "Vicious dog" means any individual dog declared by a court to be a vicious dog;
(8) "Animal control officer" means an individual who is employed or appointed by, or has contracted with:
(a) A city, county, urban-county, charter county, or consolidated local government to enforce the provisions of this chapter, the provisions of the Kentucky Revised Statutes relating to cruelty, mistreatment, sexual crimes against, or torture of animals, and local animal control ordinances; or
(b) An entity that has contracted with a city, county, urban-county, charter county, or consolidated local government to enforce the provisions of this chapter, the provisions of the Kentucky Revised Statutes relating to cruelty, mistreatment, sexual crimes against, or torture of animals, and local animal control ordinances;
(9) "Designated license facility" means any person, facility, or business designated by resolution of the governing body of the county to collect license fees under KRS 258.135;
(10) "Cat" means any domestic feline three (3) months of age or older;
(11) "Ferret" means any domestic musteline three (3) months of age or older;
(12) "Euthanasia" means the act of putting an animal to death in a humane manner by methods specified as acceptable for that species by the most recent report of the American Veterinary Medical Association Panel on Euthanasia, subject to the requirements provided by KRS 258.505;
(13) "Animal shelter" means any facility used to house or contain animals, operated or maintained by a governmental body, incorporated humane society, animal welfare society, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or other nonprofit organization;
(14) "Quarantine" means the confinement of an animal for observation of clinical signs of illness indicating rabies infection, and the prevention of escape or contact with any person or other animal;
(15) "Livestock" means poultry; ratites; and cervine, bovine, ovine, porcine, caprine, or equine animals that are privately owned and raised in a confined area for breeding stock, food, fiber, or other products; and
(16) "Poultry" means chickens, ducks, turkeys, or other domestic fowl. Effective: June 27, 2019 History: Amended 2019 Ky. Acts ch. 184, sec. 3, effective June 27, 2019. -- Amended 2017 Ky. Acts ch. 30, sec. 1, effective June 29, 2017. -- Amended 2004 Ky. Acts ch. 189, sec. 11, effective July 13, 2004. -- Amended 2000 Ky. Acts ch. 179, sec. 1, effective July 14, 2000. -- Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 440, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1998. -- Created 1954 Ky. Acts ch. 119, sec. 12, effective June 17, 1954.
Notes of Decisions
Jordan v. Lusby, 81 S.W.3d 523 (Ky. Ct. App. 2002).
· cites it 2× “The circuit court granted summary judgment in favor of Lusby because of the statutory definition of the word “owner” as found in KRS 258.095, discussed infra, and because Jordan assumed the risk of being bitten by virtue of her profession as a dog groomer.”
Bess v. Bracken Cnty. Fiscal Court, 210 S.W.3d 177 (Ky. Ct. App. 2006).
· cites it 2× “The trial court denied the motion and dismissed the complaint, holding that under its “police powers” the fiscal court was authorized to regulate or ban pit bull terriers, and to take them without compensation. This appeal followed.”
Anthony Sigler v. Jasmine Curtis (Ky. Ct. App. 2020).
· cites it 14× “First, the court found that Tony was a trespasser on Betsy’s property at the time of the dog attack, rendering KRS 258.095 inapplicable to his claim. The trial court determined that because of Betsy’s attempts to keep others from using the path to enter her property and the…”
Blevins v. Commonwealth, 435 S.W.3d 637 (Ky. Ct. App. 2014).
“The Rowan County Dog Pound is an animal shelter as defined by KRS 258.095(13). As a practical matter, and given the number of dogs involved, Deputy Hall apparently required the assistance of Warden Brown, along with Hamilton and Dacci, in order to assess the site and determine…”
Kimberly Deramos v. Anderson Communities, Inc. (Ky. 2025).
· cites it 7× “Despite Deramos never citing nor relying upon Kentucky’s dog bite liability statutes, KRS 258.095 and 4 258.235, both the circuit court and Court of Appeals rested their holdings on principles and case law surrounding strict liability for injuries caused by dogs.”
Tyrone Glenn v. Agnes Marie Mucker (Ky. Ct. App. 2021).
· cites it 6× “Then, on December 13, 2018, Mucker filed a motion seeking a declaration by the circuit court regarding which version of KRS 258.095 was applicable to the facts of this case.”
Rhonda Nall v. Jbg Homes Ltd. Liab. Co. (Ky. Ct. App. 2024).
· cites it 4× “2012), the Supreme Court of Kentucky addressed an earlier version of KRS 258.095 that imposed liability based upon an even broader definition of “owner.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.095(13) — 1 case
Blevins v. Commonwealth, 435 S.W.3d 637 (Ky. Ct. App. 2014).
“The Rowan County Dog Pound is an animal shelter as defined by KRS 258.095(13). As a practical matter, and given the number of dogs involved, Deputy Hall apparently required the assistance of Warden Brown, along with Hamilton and Dacci, in order to assess the site and determine…”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.095(2) — 1 case
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.095(5) — 14 cases
Jordan v. Lusby, 81 S.W.3d 523 (Ky. Ct. App. 2002).
“The circuit court granted summary judgment in favor of Lusby because of the statutory definition of the word “owner” as found in KRS 258.095, discussed infra, and because Jordan assumed the risk of being bitten by virtue of her profession as a dog groomer.”
Anthony Sigler v. Jasmine Curtis (Ky. Ct. App. 2020).
“First, the court found that Tony was a trespasser on Betsy’s property at the time of the dog attack, rendering KRS 258.095 inapplicable to his claim. The trial court determined that because of Betsy’s attempts to keep others from using the path to enter her property and the…”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.095(5)(a) — 2 cases
Rhonda Nall v. Jbg Homes Ltd. Liab. Co. (Ky. Ct. App. 2024).
“2012), the Supreme Court of Kentucky addressed an earlier version of KRS 258.095 that imposed liability based upon an even broader definition of “owner.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.095(5)(b) — 3 cases
Kimberly Deramos v. Anderson Communities, Inc. (Ky. 2025).
“Despite Deramos never citing nor relying upon Kentucky’s dog bite liability statutes, KRS 258.095 and 4 258.235, both the circuit court and Court of Appeals rested their holdings on principles and case law surrounding strict liability for injuries caused by dogs.”
Rhonda Nall v. Jbg Homes Ltd. Liab. Co. (Ky. Ct. App. 2024).
“2012), the Supreme Court of Kentucky addressed an earlier version of KRS 258.095 that imposed liability based upon an even broader definition of “owner.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.095(5)(b)(2) — 1 case
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.095(6) — 1 case
Anthony Sigler v. Jasmine Curtis (Ky. Ct. App. 2020).
“First, the court found that Tony was a trespasser on Betsy’s property at the time of the dog attack, rendering KRS 258.095 inapplicable to his claim. The trial court determined that because of Betsy’s attempts to keep others from using the path to enter her property and the…”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.095(7) — 1 case
Bess v. Bracken Cnty. Fiscal Court, 210 S.W.3d 177 (Ky. Ct. App. 2006).
“The trial court denied the motion and dismissed the complaint, holding that under its “police powers” the fiscal court was authorized to regulate or ban pit bull terriers, and to take them without compensation. This appeal followed.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.095(8)(a) — 1 case
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