Oregon Statutes 609.140 – Right of action by owner of damaged livestock
(1) The owner of any livestock which has been damaged by being injured, chased, wounded or killed by any dog shall have a cause of action against the owner of such dog for the damages resulting therefrom, including double the value of any livestock killed and double the amount of any damage to the livestock.
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 609.140
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
(2) If one or more of several dogs owned by different persons participate in damaging any livestock, the owners of the respective dogs shall be jointly and severally liable under this section. The owners of dogs jointly or severally liable under this section have a right of contribution among themselves. The right exists only in favor of an owner who has paid more than the pro rata share of the owner, determined by dividing the total damage by the number of dogs involved, of the common liability, and the total recovery of the owner is limited to the amount paid by the owner in excess of the pro rata share of the owner.
(3) An action brought under this section may be tried as an action at law in any court of competent jurisdiction.
(4) As used in this section:
(a) ‘Owner’ means the head of the family of the home where the dog is cared for at the time of the damage.
(b) ‘Head of the family’ means any person who has charge or manages the affairs of a collective body of persons residing together, the relations between whom are of a permanent and domestic character. [Amended by 1973 c.655 § 7; 1975 c.749 § 1]