The ruling from a civil tribunal in British Columbia, Canada has brought international attention to the so-called “one bite rule”.

Ying Shen brought the case against her neighbours, Elan and Jeffrey Polo, after she was bitten on the hand by their mini Australian shepherd, Juliet.

Although the injury was minor, Miss Shen said she experienced “intense and growing pain” and visited a hospital to make sure it wasn’t infected.

She sought $4,862.62 CAD (around €3,100 or £2,610) in damages for lost wages, medical and legal expenses, and pain and suffering.

The incident took place on Christmas Eve 2022 and she missed holiday festivities with her loved ones as a result of the incident.

However, tribunal member Peter Nyhuus said Miss Ying had failed to prove that Juliet had a “propensity to bite”.

He said that “every dog is entitled to one bite” and the incident “was essentially an accident that no one is to blame for”.

As a result, her loss and damages “are not compensable”, he ruled.