HRS §663-9
Who pays when an animal hurts someone or damages property
If your animal hurts someone or damages their property, you are responsible for the harm, even if you did not know the animal was dangerous. For animals known to be dangerous by nature, you are always responsible for any harm they cause.
The statute, as written — Liability of animal owners
(a) The owner or harborer of an animal, if the animal proximately causes either personal or property damage to any person, shall be liable in damages to the person injured regardless of the animal owner's or harborer's lack of scienter of the vicious or dangerous propensities of the animal. (b) The owner or harborer of an animal which is known by its species or nature to be dangerous, wild, or vicious, if the animal proximately causes either personal or property damage to any person, shall be absolutely liable for such damage.
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.