The Ultimate Michigan Dog Bite & Animal Attack Handbook

By Lawrence J. Buckfire, President, CEO, and Lead Trial Attorney • Last reviewed October 2026 under our editorial and review process

Editor’s note: Read this guide before you hire a lawyer or discuss a potential claim with an insurance company.

Michigan law strongly protects dog bite victims. Under Michigan’s dog bite statute, an owner is usually responsible when their dog bites someone without provocation, even if the dog has never bitten anyone before. But the rules have exceptions, and the owner’s insurer will look for them.

Lawrence J. Buckfire wrote The Ultimate Michigan Dog Bite & Animal Attack Handbook to explain those rules in plain English. He has represented injured Michigan residents since 1989, including victims of dog attacks. The 19-page guide explains who is responsible, what your claim is worth, and the mistakes that hurt cases.

Get the Book

• Free PDF: Complete the form on this page to receive the free digital guide.
• Paperback: Buy on Amazon

Book Details

What the book covers

• How common dog bites are (page 7): how often attacks happen and why children are especially at risk.
• Michigan dog bite and animal attack law (pages 8–10): when the owner is automatically responsible, and when you must prove negligence.
• Proving damages (pages 12–13): the losses you can be compensated for and how to document them.
• Mistakes that hurt your case (pages 14–16): what to do, and not do, in the days after an attack.
• Choosing a dog bite lawyer (pages 17–19): the qualities to look for and the questions to ask before you sign.

Michigan rules the book explains

• Strict liability for bites (MCL 287.351): If a dog bites you without provocation while you are lawfully on public property, or lawfully on private property (including the owner’s), the owner is liable. It doesn’t matter whether the dog was ever aggressive before.
• Provocation: The owner’s main defense. Michigan courts have held that even unintentional provocation, like stepping on a dog’s tail, can bar a strict liability claim.
• Injuries without a bite: The statute covers bites only. If a dog knocks you down or chases you into traffic, you generally need a negligence claim, or proof the owner knew the dog was dangerous. See premises liability.
• Who pays: Most claims are paid by the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, not the owner personally.
• Deadline: Generally three years from the attack (MCL 600.5805). For an injured child, the deadline is usually extended until at least one year after their 18th birthday (MCL 600.5851).

These are general rules. The facts of each attack decide how they apply.

Why a lawyer wrote a free book

After a dog attack, the owner’s insurer often calls within days, usually before you know what your injuries will cost. We’d rather you understand your rights first, so you can judge any offer and any lawyer, including us. See our dog bite settlements and what former clients say. We handle these cases under our no-fee promise.

If your child was hurt, our free child injury book, Little Kids, Big Accidents, covers the rules that apply to minors.

About the Author

Lawrence J. Buckfire is President, CEO and Lead Trial Attorney of Buckfire Law (Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C.), the Michigan injury firm his father, David Buckfire, founded in Detroit in 1969.

• B.A. in Economics, University of Michigan (1986); J.D., Wayne State University Law School (1989)
• Licensed in Michigan (since 1989) and Ohio; U.S. District Courts, Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan
• Best Lawyers 2027 Lawyers of the Year, Medical Malpractice Litigation
• Best Lawyers 2023 Lawyer of the Year, Product Liability Litigation
• Michigan Super Lawyers, 2013-2026
• AV Preeminent peer rating, Martindale-Hubbell, 2004-2026
• Contributing author, Forbes Legal Council and The National Law Review
• Author of more than ten Michigan personal injury guides. See all books.
• ORCID iD: 0009-0004-5471-7143
• ISNI: 0000 0005 3181 3589

The firm was named Michigan Lawyers Weekly Best Family-Led Law Firm in 2024, 2025, and 2026. See awards and recognition.