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Original poster

Being told to pay vet bill

169 replies

majesticallycurvy · 10/06/2024 20:36

Long story short, we accidentally hit a cat through no fault of ours and the cat unfortunately passed away. We offered our condolences to the owners and are sorry for their loss, but they are hounding us to pay their vet bill.

It's a no from us but we're being slandered over it...

Wwyd?

OP posts:
SprigatitoYouAndIKnow · 10/06/2024 22:09

I suppose you could put your side of the story on the same facebook group. It does sound unfortunately and like you did the right thing. You only need to see the amount of roadkill whe driving first thing to know it isn't just cats that leap out.

durundundun · 10/06/2024 21:53

TheCheeseThief · 10/06/2024 20:47

I would pay half, you must of been going at quite a speed not to be able to see the cat/slow down?

Not at all. Cats are fast.

Original poster
majesticallycurvy · 10/06/2024 21:52

Cancello · 10/06/2024 21:50

Oh my god, where did they get an image of you from? Did they just come up and take a photo? I understand how upsetting it is when a pet dies but they sound massively unreasonable.

Show quote history

Doorbell camera footage. My words exactly 'unreasonable'!

OP posts:
Cancello · 10/06/2024 21:50

majesticallycurvy · 10/06/2024 21:08

Thank you for your responses they're very reassuring. The thing is, I would have been willing to contribute something affordable as I am of course very sorry for their loss (although I agree that it's the pet owners responsibility - I certainly wouldn't expect someone to pay for my pet). However, they put my image along with a defamatory post on the local community Facebook page (prior to asking for the money!) and sent rude direct messages so I blocked them. But it makes going out and about locally rather uncomfortable.

Oh my god, where did they get an image of you from? Did they just come up and take a photo? I understand how upsetting it is when a pet dies but they sound massively unreasonable.

Bushmillsbabe · 10/06/2024 21:36

majesticallycurvy · 10/06/2024 21:08

Thank you for your responses they're very reassuring. The thing is, I would have been willing to contribute something affordable as I am of course very sorry for their loss (although I agree that it's the pet owners responsibility - I certainly wouldn't expect someone to pay for my pet). However, they put my image along with a defamatory post on the local community Facebook page (prior to asking for the money!) and sent rude direct messages so I blocked them. But it makes going out and about locally rather uncomfortable.

Gosh thats terrible. I take that back, I wouldn't pay a penny.
If they are struggling to pay the vet bill, I presume there are charities who can help, but slandering you is not on

NotTooOldPaul · 10/06/2024 21:35

Instruct you car insurance company to deal with it. I am sure they will tell the cat owner they have no basis for any claim.

Jc2001 · 10/06/2024 21:30

Willmafrockfit · 10/06/2024 21:00

I am sorry, I cannot afford it should do

Why lie? Just tell them that it's their responsibility to insure against this sort of thing and therefore you won't be paying.

Also, I wouldn't care what shit they're posting on Facebook, although I would be recording it as evidence. I suspect that sort of thing will severely backfire on them though.

GrumpyPanda · 10/06/2024 21:26

TheCheeseThief · 10/06/2024 20:47

I would pay half, you must of been going at quite a speed not to be able to see the cat/slow down?

So what do you suggest OP should have done? Swerving is highly discouraged even with large wildlife like deer, and could have resulted in a serious accident. You think the cat's owners would have offered to pay in that case?

Spirallingdownwards · 10/06/2024 21:24

TheCheeseThief · 10/06/2024 20:47

I would pay half, you must of been going at quite a speed not to be able to see the cat/slow down?

don't be ridiculous

Original poster
majesticallycurvy · 10/06/2024 21:24

Shade17 · 10/06/2024 21:16

I’d screenshot all that evidence and take legal action against them.

Show quote history

I've got screenshots of everything and logged it all with the police. I guess it was making me doubt myself.

OP posts:
Original poster
majesticallycurvy · 10/06/2024 21:22

TheCheeseThief · 10/06/2024 20:47

I would pay half, you must of been going at quite a speed not to be able to see the cat/slow down?

No, I wasn't

OP posts:
MyDogsPaws · 10/06/2024 21:20

Yanbu I wouldn’t pay it if it were me, I can barely afford to feed my kids most of the time, why should I be forced to pay someone else’s vet bill!

Shade17 · 10/06/2024 21:16

majesticallycurvy · 10/06/2024 21:08

Thank you for your responses they're very reassuring. The thing is, I would have been willing to contribute something affordable as I am of course very sorry for their loss (although I agree that it's the pet owners responsibility - I certainly wouldn't expect someone to pay for my pet). However, they put my image along with a defamatory post on the local community Facebook page (prior to asking for the money!) and sent rude direct messages so I blocked them. But it makes going out and about locally rather uncomfortable.

I’d screenshot all that evidence and take legal action against them.

Original poster
majesticallycurvy · 10/06/2024 21:08

Thank you for your responses they're very reassuring. The thing is, I would have been willing to contribute something affordable as I am of course very sorry for their loss (although I agree that it's the pet owners responsibility - I certainly wouldn't expect someone to pay for my pet). However, they put my image along with a defamatory post on the local community Facebook page (prior to asking for the money!) and sent rude direct messages so I blocked them. But it makes going out and about locally rather uncomfortable.

OP posts:
AlfrescoPotato · 10/06/2024 21:07

Yep - a definite ‘no’.

I had a free roaming cat but it was 100% my risk if they were to have got injured. Absolutely not your problem and don’t allow yourself to be bullied into backing down.

Starlightstarbright3 · 10/06/2024 21:05

I absolutely wouldn’t entertain it .

i would have no further contact with them .

Do you know them ? How are they contacting you ?

I would block

BananaHammock23 · 10/06/2024 21:04

I hit and killed a cat (the day before DS was born no less!) and felt terrible so put notes through the doors of the houses on the street to find and apologise to the owner. I offered to pay their insurance excess. I feel this was more than generous and was mainly to appease my own hormonal guilt!

Willmafrockfit · 10/06/2024 21:00

I am sorry, I cannot afford it should do

msbevvy · 10/06/2024 20:58

I was very upset when one of my cats was run over and killed on a very quiet residential street but it wouldn't have occurred to me to blame the poor woman driving the car. It was very upsetting for her as well.

If anything the cat owners should be apologising to you for the incident not trying to pay their vet bill.

Loubelle70 · 10/06/2024 20:58

Im a cat lover, i wouldn't expect anyone else to pay. My cat couldn't be insured due to ongoing health issues but i wouldn't expect anyone to pay vet bills bar me, an accident is an accident...but be kind to owners OP...just say it with respect xxx

Misthios · 10/06/2024 20:57

And as for "pay their insurance excess" - hard no. You are not liable here in any situation, however cat lovers want to twist the facts.

Allthehorsesintheworld · 10/06/2024 20:55

Not your responsibility to pay.
I’m a cat lover, it’s very sad but the risk the owner takes with a free roaming cat

Misthios · 10/06/2024 20:54

Nope, car insurance is there to reduce costs associated with hitting another car/driver, not an animal whose owner has chosen to allow it out and about.

Block them and ignore. Not your pet, not your bill to pay.

Butterleigh · 10/06/2024 20:54

Badassnameforadojo · 10/06/2024 20:38

Allowing cats to roam means the owner takes on responsibility. I’m a cat owner. I’ve had a cat hit by a car. Don’t pay it. It isn’t your bill.

This

msbevvy · 10/06/2024 20:53

TheCheeseThief · 10/06/2024 20:47

I would pay half, you must of been going at quite a speed not to be able to see the cat/slow down?

Why make this assumption? I had a cat dash out under my car when I was only going about 10 mph.