Oklahoma § 4-42.4 - Owners of dangerous dogs, bite or attacks on public

§ 4-42.4. Owners of dangerous dogs, bite or attacks on public

property - Penalty.

A. It is unlawful for the owner of any dog that previously has:

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 4. Animals

1. When unprovoked inflicted bites on any person or severely

injured any person either on public or private property; or

2. When unprovoked created an imminent threat of injury or

death to any person,

to permit such dog to run at large or aggressively bite or attack

any person while such person is lawfully upon public or private

property. Upon conviction, the violator shall be guilty of a

misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not

more than one (1) year, or by imposition of a fine not to exceed

Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by both such fine and

imprisonment. In addition, the owner shall be liable for damages as

provided in Section 42.1 of this title.

B. The owner of any dangerous dog as defined by Section 44 of

this title, or any dog that is described in subsection A of this

section, that attacks any person causing the death of such person

shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a Class D1 felony offense

punishable by imprisonment as provided for in subsections B through

F of Section 20N of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or by the

imposition of a fine not to exceed Twenty-five Thousand Dollars

($25,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

C. It is unlawful for any person to release any dog upon a law

enforcement officer while the officer is in the performance of

official duties. Upon conviction, the violator shall be guilty of a

Class D1 felony offense punishable by imprisonment as provided for

in subsections B through F of Section 20N of Title 21 of the

Oklahoma Statutes, or by imposition of a fine not exceeding Five

Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

D. It shall be an affirmative defense to a prosecution pursuant

to subsection A or B of this section that the injury or death was

sustained by a person who, at the time, was committing a willful

criminal act upon the premises of the owner of the dog or was

assaulting the owner of the dog.

Added by Laws 2006, c. 262, § 1, emerg. eff. June 7, 2006. Amended

by Laws 2025, c. 486, § 330, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.