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Liability Apart From Trespass. For purpose of liability for harm other than trespass, the law distinguishes between animals domestic and wild. In the case of animals that are customarily domesticated and kept in that region (e.g., in the U.S., dogs, cats, cattle, sheep, horses, etc.) the keeper is strictly liable for the harm they cause only if he had actual knowledge (or had knowledge of facts which ought to have given him notice) that the animal had the particular trait or propensity which caused the harm. The trait must be a potentially harmful one, such as viciousness or destructive tendencies (as opposed to, e.g., excessive playfulness), and the harm must correspond to the knowledge; notice that a dog will attack other dogs is not, of itself, notice that he will attack humans. Thus, it is often said that “every dog is entitle to one bite,” but this is not necessarily true since the keeper may be on notice by reason of other known facts. In some jurisdictions, statutes impose absolute liability for certain types of damage (e.g. dog bites) without requiring scienter.
除侵扰之外的责任。对于除侵扰之外的损害赔偿责任,法律是将驯养和野生动物区别对待的。对于通常已经被驯化并养在一个地方的动物(在美国,这样的动物包括狗、猫、牛、羊和马等),仅在蓄养者确实知道(或通过了解到一些事实而应当知道)该动物具有能够造成损害的特点或倾向时,该蓄养者才对动物造成的损害承担严格责任。这里所说的特点必须是具有潜在危害性的,比如凶残和具有破坏性(不同于过分好动等),并且造成的损害要与所知道的情况一致;注意:一只狗会攻击其他狗本身并不能说明它也会攻击人。因此,常言所说的“狗可以咬人一次”并不总是正确的,因为蓄养者可以通过其他已知的事实知道他的狗会咬人。在一些法域,法律对某些类型的损害规定了绝对责任(例如狗咬人),而并不要求明知。
Keepers of species which are normally considered “wild” in that region (e.g., in the U.S., bears, lions, elephants, monkeys, etc.) are strictly liable for the harm they cause if they escape, whether or not the animals in question is known to be dangerous. And because such animals are known to revert to their natural tendencies, they are considered to be wild no matter how well trained or domesticated. However, where the injury occurs on the owner’s premises while the animal is confined or restrained, the cases tend to deny strict liability, commonly on a theory of assumed risk.
在某一地区通常被看做“野生”动物的蓄养者(在美国,这样的动物包括熊、狮子、大象和猴子等)在这些动物逃脱时,要对它们造成的损害承担严格责任,无论是否知道这些动物具有危险性。而且因为这些动物本性难改,所以无论对它们训练或驯化得多好,它们都被看成是野生动物。然而,如果伤害发生在主人的地产内,并且当时动物是被关着或拴着的,按照自但风险的原则,主人可能无需承担严格责任。