Minas Gerais court orders condominium to indemnify resident after fatal pet attack

The 13th Civil Chamber of the Court of Justice of Minas Gerais (TJMG) has upheld a ruling requiring a condominium in Contagem to indemnify a resident after her pet was fatally attacked by a stray dog within the building's common areas.

The incident occurred in a leisure area where the resident was walking with her dog and a child. The stray dog, which reportedly had a history of aggression and was frequently fed by residents and the former property manager, caused injuries so severe that the pet died months later following surgeries and treatments.

The court recognized the condominium's negligence, specifically 'culpa in vigilando' (failure to supervise), noting that the habitual presence of the stray animal indicated a failure in access control and perimeter security. However, the court also identified concurrent fault on the part of the resident, as internal regulations required pets to be carried or kept on short leashes in leisure areas.

As a result, the liability was split: the condominium is responsible for 70% of the material damages (approximately R$ 5.9 thousand) and was ordered to pay R$ 5 thousand in moral damages.