Short Answer
The dog owner is strictly liable for your injuries regardless of whether they actively failed to control their animal. Their mandatory canine liability insurance must cover your full medical expenses and pay out a statutory compensation for pain and suffering.
What Most Expats Don't Realize
You were bitten by an unleashed dog while walking through a public city park. You accepted a brief verbal apology from the owner and walked home without logging their personal insurance parameters because you didn't want to create a scene. Your localized puncture wounds became severely infected, forcing you to undergo emergency medical treatment and miss an entire week of uncompensated freelance labor. You lost €1,400 in lost revenue and specialized medical copayments because you failed to secure the owner's legal registration details at the scene.
What To Do
- Ask the dog owner directly for their full name, home address, and canine liability insurance policy number.
- Call the local police precinct to document the incident details if the owner refuses to produce identification.
- "Ich muss diesen Beißvorfall beim Ordnungsamt melden." (I must report this biting incident to the Public Order Office.) — state this to the owner while recording the interaction to force compliance with municipal safety codes.
The Truth
Germany maintains a high cultural tolerance for domestic pets, but the judicial framework prioritizes public safety above all else. An owner who cannot control their dog is viewed as an immediate liability, and the municipal state will not hesitate to enforce strict muzzle mandates on the animal.