Mischievous Animals - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition mischievous-animals

Definition :

Mischievous animals. As to the liability of their owners the law recognizes two classes of animals (q.v.): (1) Animals naturally dangerous to man, such as a lion, tiger, or elephant, as to which the law is that the owner keeps it at his peril; he must prevent it from doing injury, and it is immaterial whether he knows the particular animal in question to be dangerous or not; (2) Animals generally of a harmless description either by nature or cultivation, as dogs, horses or oxen, as to which the rule is that the owner is not liable unless he knows that the particular animal was likely to do mischief, see Filburn v. People's Palace, etc., Co., (1890) 25 QBD 258; Manton v. Brocklebank, (1923) 2 KB 212. As to dangerous dogs, see DOG.