In my humble opinion, dogs wrongly acting violently against humans are a product of owner error, but I’m not a vet. Legally, I sure hope we can all agree that once a dog is adopted the responsibility to control the dog is now the dog’s owner and not the Humane Society, a wonderful organization that should not have had to spend precious limited resources defending itself in Court (and during an appeal) from someone unwilling to take responsibility for their own failure as a dog owner.
On the boundary of frivolousness, in this case, Miles, a minor, et al., v. Rich v. Humane Society of Missouri et al., No. 95112 (Mo. App. E.D., April 26, 2011), the dog adopter alleged that the Humane Society was neglect in screening the dog and failing to advise the dog adopter of the risks involved in owning a dog. The trial court ruled in favor of the Humane Society, and an appeals Court affirmed that ruling. Under Missouri law, only the owner, possessor, or harborer of a domestic animal may be held liable in negligence for harm caused by the animal. Once the dog adoption process is complete, the new owner is responsible and liable for the dog.