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Original poster

Can I take legal action? Dog related trigger warning

161 replies

Ellythe · 18/08/2024 01:20

My dog is my baby. I got her 3 years before my child died and she helped me through it all and she knew him.

I am currently in the USA, waiting for a plane home 8 days earlier than planned because I got a call from the woman looking after my dog saying that her Mastiff has mauled my dog and she has lost a leg and an eye in the fight. I've seen the cctv footage and my dog walked near her dog and he lunged at her and then attacked her.

Shockingly the boarder doesn't notice the interaction between the dogs until her neighbour comes running into her house shouting because she can hear my dog yelping and screaming. At the time of the fight the person I paid to look after my dog was grooming another dog and in a completely separate area of the unit. The other person insured to look after the dogs was out at the shop and so there were 5 day care dogs and 4 home boarding dogs + her own 3 dogs.

What is my legal recourse?

I want her to pay for my dog's treatment, the flights etc.

I would never have let her look after my dog if I realised she wasn't in the same area as the dogs. I didn't realise that dogs were being left completely unattended for up to 6 hours whilst she's grooming.

For the avoidance of doubt my dog didn't do anything to cause her dog to attack her, she merely walked passed him and he just went for her.

She is 6 years old and I cannot lose her. She is the last connection I have to my child. I'm beside myself right now. This is hideous.

I need to know what to do next. Do I report to the council? The rspca? The police? I want to take any and all action I can.

OP posts:
beautifultrama · 18/08/2024 01:51

Anotherparkingthread · 18/08/2024 01:49

I'm fucking angry on your behalf. Who mixes dogs of that size unattended? Let alone ones that don't normally live together! The women is incompetent, negligent and lacks common fucking sense.

Push for the dog that did this to be destroyed. It's dangerous. When you get your compensation release the footage and make sure nobody leaves a dog in her care ever again. Sicking.

All of this

I'm so, so sorry OP.

Original poster
Ellythe · 18/08/2024 01:50

Fiddlerdragon · 18/08/2024 01:38

Where is home? In the uk? Obviously laws override contracts that conflict with them, but we’d need to see what contract you signed with them to advise you. While this does come across as negligent, it’s not illegal for boarders to socialise dogs with each other, though I agree that definitely should only be done with strict supervision. We don’t know what you’ve agreed to though

Yes home is the uk; I had no issue with Rosie socialising with other dogs in her care, and the dog that attacked her was the borders dog, so they'd be used to each other, the issue was she'd left all the dogs alone to 'play' and her dog attacked mine: he also bit another dog but mine got the brunt of the attack.

OP posts:
Anotherparkingthread · 18/08/2024 01:49

I'm fucking angry on your behalf. Who mixes dogs of that size unattended? Let alone ones that don't normally live together! The women is incompetent, negligent and lacks common fucking sense.

Push for the dog that did this to be destroyed. It's dangerous. When you get your compensation release the footage and make sure nobody leaves a dog in her care ever again. Sicking.

Original poster
Ellythe · 18/08/2024 01:47

Sweetnessandbite · 18/08/2024 01:31

I am so sorry this has happened to your poor dog. I also am worrying about the mastiff, as it isn't the dogs fault either but I understand you may be feeling differently in the circumstances.

I am sorry for the loss of your child. I hope your poor puppy makes a good recovery. How awful for you.

I agree with you. I think mastiffs are fairly placid as dogs go. I just want my dog to be ok and I don't want them to be able to board dogs whilst they are clearly not looking after them!

I naively thought that despite constant posting of dogs she's groomed that someone was looking after the dogs whilst she groomed but that wasn't the case.

My floor is at 2.30 am British time so I've told them I'll be there tomorrow (18/8) and I'm going direct to the vet hospital where my dog is and then I'll deal with the borders, once I've seen with my own eyes she's ok.

They suggested that I just 'enjoy my holiday' after being told their dogs had mauled Rosie. Not a chance

OP posts:
DiscoBeat · 18/08/2024 01:43

I'm so sorry, this is horrific. I hope your dog is getting the best possible treatment while you make your way home. I don't have any legal knowledge I'm afraid but make sure you document everything, especially your conversations with the boarder.

Fiddlerdragon · 18/08/2024 01:38

Where is home? In the uk? Obviously laws override contracts that conflict with them, but we’d need to see what contract you signed with them to advise you. While this does come across as negligent, it’s not illegal for boarders to socialise dogs with each other, though I agree that definitely should only be done with strict supervision. We don’t know what you’ve agreed to though

Sweetnessandbite · 18/08/2024 01:31

I am so sorry this has happened to your poor dog. I also am worrying about the mastiff, as it isn't the dogs fault either but I understand you may be feeling differently in the circumstances.

I am sorry for the loss of your child. I hope your poor puppy makes a good recovery. How awful for you.

MarjorieStuartBaxter · 18/08/2024 01:31

This is shocking so sorry and sorry for the loss of your child, I'd be devastated if this was one of my dogs and angry.....sue her all the way flights, vets, emotional trauma she shouldn't be running a business with a dog like that I can assure you it won't have been the first time her dog has been vicious towards another dog she needs closing down

ToBeOrNotToBee · 18/08/2024 01:27

The border should have insurance to cover all costs.
Some dogs don't get along with other dogs, and that's perfectly acceptable in dogs. But humans need to manage it. The mastiff is obviously a risk to other dogs, and I'd be querying if this behaviour came out of the blue or if there had been prior incidents. If there had been priors, then this is completely on her.

Seriestwo · 18/08/2024 01:26

Get home, see your dog.

Take photos.

Make contemporaneous notes of who says what to you.

download the CCTV and back your computer up.

ask the vet for advice about police and lawyers.

I hope your dog is ok, but these questions you have are all tomorrow issues - right now focus on your flight and try to get some sleep.

Puzzicle · 18/08/2024 01:24

I don't know about the legal stuff but I'm so sorry this has happened to your dog