Compensation for Damage Caused by Animals at Night

Authored by: Fatwas of the Saudi Fatwa Committee

The responsibility for protecting animals and crops is divided as follows:

1. At Night:
   
   • Animal owners are responsible for ensuring their animals are secured at night.
   • If animals damage property or crops during the night, their owners must compensate for the loss.
2. During the Day:
   
   • The responsibility for protecting fields and vegetables rests with the owners of these properties.
   • If animals cause damage during the day, the animal owner is not liableunless:
     • They intentionally release the animals into the property.
     • They damage a fence or barrier to let the animals in. In such cases, the owner of the animals is liable.

This ruling emphasizes the shared responsibility of property and animal owners based on time and circumstances.

[Reference: Hasan bin Abdul Wahhab, Masail Najdiyyah, Vol. 1, Page 458]