Alabama Mom Sues Starbucks For Allowing Dogs On Their Premises After Her 5-Year-Old Daughter Was Attacked

The mother of a 5-year-old girl that was bitten by a dog at one of Starbucks’s coffeehouses in Jefferson County has filed a lawsuit against the company.

Kourtney Tillman from Alabama, and her daughter were sitting on the patio of a Starbucks near Irondale May 2019 when the girl tried to pet another customer’s dog, according to the lawsuit.

Tillman alleges that her daughter suffered severe injuries, including cuts to her face and eyes, permanent nerve damage and permanent scars because of the dog bite.

The suit claims Starbucks is to blame because it chose to allow dogs on the premises, failed to require leashes and neglected to post any notice that dogs would be present at the store. It argues Starbucks knew of the “dangerous propensity” of allowing dogs in and around their stores.

A motion was filed by Starbucks to dismiss the lawsuit, alleging that it holds no responsibility for the injuries.

“Starbucks Corporation does not have a legal duty to defend its patrons from unexpected dog attacks,” Starbucks’ motion to dismiss the case says.

Additionally, Starbucks claims that Tillman and her daughter were acquainted with the dog owner, but they failed to name the owner in the suit.

“While Alabama law does not contemplate a scenario where a business owner can be held liable for the actions of a dog with which it is unfamiliar, the law does impose liability on the owners of dogs when they attack someone,” the Starbucks motion states.

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