Liability for Dog Bites
Arizona applies a type of strict liability to owners of dogs which bite a person.
The owner of a dog which bites a person is liable for damages suffered by the person bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of its viciousness.
The owner is liable when the person is bitten in or on a public place or lawfully in or on a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog.
Defenses
Proof of provocation of the attack by the person injured is a defense to the action for damages. The issue of provocation is determined by whether a reasonable person would expect that the conduct or circumstances would be likely to provoke a dog.
See:
A.R.S. 11-1025 Liability for dog bites
A.R.S. 11-1026 Lawful presence on private property defined
A.R.S. 11-1027 Reasonable provocation as defense