ABSECON — An appellate court has reversed a ruling that made a man responsible for his landlord’s dog biting an individual after concluding the trial court misinterpreted the state’s dog bite statute, according to court documents.

David Holman began renting a bedroom in Joseph A. Kelly Jr.’s home in January 2023, and Kelly told Holman his dog “was very aggressive to strangers unless he’s introduced to them,” according to the nine-page opinion issued Tuesday.

Kelly claimed he advised Holman not to let strangers into the home without first securing the dog, documents show.

Holman denied receiving that warning.

Kelly testified during a trial Dec. 4, 2023, that while recovering from surgery upstairs, his friend’s mother entered the home and was bitten by the dog, resulting in nearly $2,000

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