Rhode Island Pet owners are responsible for their pets and have legal duties to the public to ensure the pet doesn’t impede on the public safety. There are laws in Rhode Island pertaining to personal injury caused by dogs and other animals, including dog bites, dog fright, and other personal injuries outside of actual bites. Furthermore, when you are bitten by a dog in Rhode Island outside of it’s “enclosure” the owner is liable. If bitten inside its enclosure, the owner still might be liable for negligence.