Apply for Reimbursement of Damages to Domestic Animal by a Dog or Coyote

If a coyote or unknown dog injured your confined pet, you can get reimbursed by the Dog Law Enforcement Office. 

Overview

The Damage Claim Reimbursements program allows individuals to apply for reimbursement for damage caused to a domestic animal by a dog or coyote. The program aims to compensate individuals for damages caused by dogs or coyotes when the owner of the offending dog is unknown.

How to apply

To get refunded for damages, you must file a written, signed complaint to the State Dog Warden. Do this within five business days of discovering your animal was damaged by a dog or coyote. 

The complaint should include details such as:

  • The time, place, manner of the damage
  • the number and type of domestic animals damaged
  • The amount of damage.

How the process works

Once the complaint is received, a State Dog Warden will investigate and examine the site of occurrence within 48 hours. Within ten business days, the Warden will issue either a dismissal of the complaint or a damage award.

The amount of reimbursement is limited to $10,000 for each domestic animal. Claims caused by a coyote will not exceed $20,000 annually.

Domestic animals that are covered by this law include:

  • Any equine animal
  • Any bovine animal
  • Sheep 
  • Goat
  • Pig
  • Poultry
  • Bird
  • Fowl 
  • Confied hares, rabbits or mink
  • Any wild or semiwild animal kept in captivity

 

Contact the Dog Law Enforcement Office

Call us

You can call us at

(717) 787-4833

Email us

You can email us at

ra-agdoglaw@pa.gov