What animals qualify as exotic animals?

There is currently no clearly defined list of animals that are categorized as exotic pets. But it is generally understood that tigers, monkeys, alligators, hippos, venomous snakes, and other potentially dangerous animals that are not commonly kept as pets fall into this category. The keeping of these animals is an area of the law that is still evolving. But what is sure is that if you own an animal and it hurts someone you will be held liable.

Are all exotic pets considered dangerous?

Not all exotic pets are considered dangerous. Even if you own an otherwise harmless animal that is prone to jumping up when people arrive at your home, you would be expected to contain it if you had a frail visitor. To anticipate that your pet could knock them over and take steps to prevent that kind of accident. Regardless of the kind of animal you are keeping, you are expected to make sure that they do not harm others.

What does strict liability mean when it comes to exotic pets in Canada?

In Canada, if you own a pet, exotic or otherwise you need to accept that it could harm someone and take steps to prevent this from happening. There is no one strike or one bite system that relieves you of liability like there is in other places. This strict liability rule means that the first time your pet or animal harms someone you are held fully responsible in the eyes of the law.

Tag archives: Dog owner liability in Ontario

Owner Liability When Exotic Animals Attack

Jeremy Diamond
Categories: Media
Tags: AskJeremyDiamond, Diamond and Diamond, Dog owner liability in Ontario, exotic animal attacks, Owner Liability When Attack
June 11, 2019

#AskJeremyDiamond It stands to reason that most animal attacks on humans involve dogs. The dog population across Canada exceeds 8 million. Ontario looked at the statistics about the dog breeds most frequently involved in attacks on people and amended its law pertaining to owner liability to prohibit people from owning pit bulls. This resulted in a sharp decline over the years in the pit bull population in the province. As the pit bull population declined in Ontario, the number of people possessing exotic animals, such as tigers, monkeys and alligators, has increased thanks in part to laws that make ownership ... Read more