Retractable Leashes: Unsafe and Often Illegal
Retractable leashes have two major flaws:
- They fail to comply with most leash laws.
- They pose serious risks to both people and dogs.
Why Retractable Leashes Are Dangerous
Retractable leashes are made of a thin cord wound around a spring-loaded mechanism inside a plastic handle. This design creates several hazards:
- Loss of control – A dog on a 20-foot retractable leash can move too far, too fast, turning a controlled walk into a dangerous situation.
- Cord breakage – The thin cord can snap, leaving the owner with no way to restrain their dog.
- Severe injuries – The cord can tangle around a person, causing cuts, burns, or even amputations.
- Whiplash effect – When the cord fully unwinds and stops suddenly, it can jerk the walker’s body, leading to falls or muscle injuries.
- Mechanical failure – Over time, the spring-loaded mechanism tends to malfunction, refusing to retract or extending uncontrollably.
Because of these risks, most U.S. leash laws require a standard leash no longer than six feet.
Real-Life Tragedy: A Woman Lost Her Eye
In August 2023, a retractable leash cost a dog owner her right eye. When Daniella Abreu’s dog bolted after a rabbit, the leash extended fully and then snapped. The broken leash (or its handle) slammed into her eye, causing:
- A ruptured eyeball
- Detached retina
- A fractured orbital bone
This devastating injury left her unable to work, drive, or resume her normal life. (Source: “Florida woman loses eye after freak accident with retractable dog leash,” Nicholas McEntyre, New York Post, 10/4/2024.)
Common Does Not Mean Safe
Just because something is widely used does not mean it is safe. History is full of commonly accepted dangers that were later proven harmful:
- Arsenic – Used in green dye
- Heroin – Sold as cough medicine by Bayer
- Asbestos – Used as artificial Christmas snow
- Lead – Added to gasoline for decades
Retractable leashes are everywhere, but their risks outweigh their convenience. A traditional, non-retractable leash is safer, legal, and more reliable.
Significance of a Retractable Leash in a Dog Bite Case
Using a retractable leash can make the person walking the dog legally responsible for injuries such as dog bites or knockdowns that cause someone to fall. Liability depends on three key factors:
- The local leash law – Most jurisdictions require a leash no longer than six feet.
- The legal doctrine of negligence per se – If a retractable leash violates the leash law, the handler can be automatically liable under this doctrine.
- The state’s dog bite statute– Most dog bite statutes only make the dog owner liable. Violating a leash law can extend liability to the handler or even whoever put the retractable leash on the dog.
- What caused the injury – If the cause of the harm was not a bite, many dog bite statutes do not apply. So the violation of a leash law might be crucial to prove liability.
Even in places that do not recognize negligence per se, violating the leash law still serves as evidence of negligence, making it easier for a victim to prove fault.
Why This Matters in a “One Bite” State
In states that follow the “one bite rule,” a dog bite victim must prove one of two things:
- The dog’s owner or handler knew (or should have known) that the dog previously bit or knocked someone down.
- The owner or handler was negligent.
Proving the first point—what the defendant knew or should have known—is often difficult. As a result, many victims in one bite states lose their cases.
However, if the dog walker used a retractable leash in violation of a leash law, the victim can base their claim on that violation—and win.
This is why retractable leashes not only pose physical dangers but also create serious legal risks for the people using them.
For Further Reading
- Be sure to read Negligence Per Se.
- For more information about the general law of negligence, see Legal Rights of Dog Bite Victims in the USA.
- For an extended analysis based on the law of California, see Liability Based on Negligence and Negligence Per Se in California.