Q: In Mississippi, does a dog have to bite someone before the Mississippi owner is responsible for the injuries caused by the dog?

A: No.  In Mississippi, a dog does not have to bite someone before the owner is responsible for teh injuries caused by the dog.  The Mississippi Supreme Court has explained that the rule is "[T]here [must] be some proof that the animal has exhibited some dangerous propensity or disposition prior to the attack complained of, and, moreover, it must be shown that the owner knew or reasonably should have known of this propensity or disposition and reasonably should have foreseen that the animal was likely to attack someone."  Mongeon v. A & V Enterprises, 733 So. 2d 170 (Miss. 1997) (quoting Poy v. Grayson, 273 So. 2d 491, 494 (Miss.1973)).

In other words, there is no "one-bite rule."  As a result, if the dog has shown some sort of dangerous character prior to biting someone, then the owner is resposible for the injuries caused by the dog.