The state-level rules every owner and walker in Arizona should know. Local leash lengths, licensing and off-leash rules are set by each city — find those on the city pages below.
Arizona is a pure strict-liability state where breed can't be considered — and its at-large statute names dog-walkers, with the shortest bite-claim clock in the US (1 year).
Arizona (A.R.S. § 11-1025) is one of the strictest strict-liability states: an owner is liable for a bite in public or a lawful private place, regardless of the dog's history or the owner's knowledge, and the only defense is provocation (Murdock v. Balle) — assumption of risk and contributory negligence are superseded. Breed may not be considered by any court in deciding viciousness or liability (§ 11-1025(C)).
Arizona has a statewide leash / at-large law (§ 11-1012) plus licensing (§ 11-1008), and a leash violation is negligence per se. Critically, the at-large statute (§ 11-1020) makes the owner or the person responsible for the dog — expressly including a dog-walker or pet-sitter — liable for injury (bite or non-bite, like a knockdown) caused by a dog that is not leashed or confined. So while the pure bite statute targets the owner, the at-large statute puts the walker squarely on the hook for a loose dog.
Mandatory bite reporting (§ 11-1014(E)) triggers a 10-day quarantine. Arizona has an unusual split on time limits: the strict-liability claim has a 1-year statute of limitations (§ 12-541) — the shortest in the country — while negligence claims get two years (§ 12-542). Comparative negligence can reduce but not defeat strict liability.
This is general information about Arizona law, not legal advice. Confirm current rules with the official state and municipal sources.