What common law doctrine would apply to the liability of a zoo if an animal bit a visitor?

• A. Contributory negligence
• B. Assumption of risk
• C. Vicarious liability
• D. Strict liability

Answer: (D)

Strict liability applies because keeping wild or inherently dangerous animals creates liability for injuries caused by those animals, even if the zoo took reasonable care. The risk comes from the animal’s nature, not from the zoo’s fault, so the visitor doesn’t have to prove negligence to recover. Contributory negligence would require the visitor to be at fault, which isn’t necessary here. Assumption of risk would mean the visitor knowingly accepted the danger, which isn’t typically the case in a standard zoo visit. Vicarious liability concerns the zoo’s liability for its employees’ actions, which can matter, but the key idea here is that the bite from a wild animal falls under strict liability.