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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to really expect the owner of the dog that attacked mine to pay the vet bill?

38 replies

quazi · 27/03/2013 17:12

Just that really, my dog submitted, other dog jumped on top and bit him so he required vet treatment. Anyone any experiences / ideas what to do?

OP posts:

ArseAche · 27/03/2013 17:15

I was in this position once. My lovely friendly lab decided to have a nip at my mates dog as they both ran for the stick I threw when we were both out walking. We went straight to the vet, I paid, no problem. So, yes the other owner should certainly pay up.

GetOnYourDancingShoes · 27/03/2013 17:19

Our dog was attacked by another and the owner paid the vet's bill. He was a neighbour and had to rugby tackle the beast to get it to let go so he couldn't deny any responsibility, really.

DH had to go round and remind him though.

Original poster

quazi · 27/03/2013 17:20

That would be the ideal situation, unfortunately this is a bit different as they weren't playing, the other dog just shot across the road and jumped on ours as he was being walked on the lead.

OP posts:

Original poster

quazi · 27/03/2013 17:21

x post with Dancing, yep that's more the situation!

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ArseAche · 27/03/2013 17:22

Do you know who the owner is? Did they speak to you afterwards? Playing or deliberate the attackers owner should pay up.

gemma4d · 27/03/2013 17:22

were either dogs on a lead?

Being devils advocate - remember I don't know you....

I once had a male dog who didn't get on with other male dogs. He was always on a lead and under control, although he often tried to wind up other dogs he saw (growling etc). He got attacked by another male dog who was off the lead and under no control whatsoever. Fortunately no injuries, but the feckin' owner was a right cow and had a massive go at me for years (YES, YEARS!) whenever I saw her. Even after my dog was dead!!!

If my dog had bit hers, like hell would I have paid.

So I reserve judgement without more info!

(probably a cross post by now...)

TakingTheStairs · 27/03/2013 17:23

YANBU.
The other owner should be paying. Besides, their dog's pet insurance will cover incidents like this

gemma4d · 27/03/2013 17:23

OK, yes - your dog on the lead, other dog not, owner should pay. And/or you report them to the police!

TakingTheStairs · 27/03/2013 17:24

gemma the OP said her dog was on the lead and the other dog wasn't

SquinkieBunnies · 27/03/2013 17:24

From the info added I'd say yes they owner of the other dog needs to step up and pay, he should have had his odg on a lead under control. I'm not a dog lover at all, and I really hope your dog is OK, did you get any information on the other owner?

TakingTheStairs · 27/03/2013 17:24

opps crossed posts

CoolaSchmoola · 27/03/2013 17:25

YANBU my pet insurance has cover for my dog injuring others, but even if it didn't I would always pay.

ArseAche · 27/03/2013 17:31

Gemma - in your situation I would be exactly the same. If I for whatever reason decide to put my dog on a lead when i see another dog loose, it really pisses me off when another owner continues to let theirs come bounding over. Likewise if mine are loose and I see another owner put theirs on a lead, it is a clear warning that they don't want the dogs to meet, so I will immediately put mine on a lead.

It is all very well when owners say 'he she is very friendly blah blah' but that doesn't necesarily mean the one on the lead is! I had a dog with a heart condition who was on very light exercise, and needed not to get over excited with other dogs, but no people still let theirs come careering over and mine would be bouncing around all over the place, he could have dropped dead.

gemma4d · 27/03/2013 17:34

arseache - love the name!

somewhereaclockisticking · 27/03/2013 17:38

do you know the other owner? I have been in this situation many times before and due to wanting to get my digs away from the snarling jaws of another dog have led them away injured - it's impossible to get details when the dog is trying to attack yours. It also leaves you very shaken. If you know who the other owner is and where they live then yes go and ask them to pay or threaten to report them. Twice we've been attacked by dogs on leads that the owners have not been able to control so let go of the leads. One of my dogs at the time was off lead and able to run away the other wasn't so lucky and suffered a nasty bite. Now I often leave my dogs off lead because I am terrified they won't be able to escape if attacked by another dog. My husband says this puts me in the wrong but we have 3 placid dogs that would never attack - and yes there are breeds of dogs out there that aren't at all aggressive and would just roll over and die if attacked at all.

Original poster

quazi · 27/03/2013 18:07

Somewhere, my dog sounds like yours, he is very placid and I think he did roll over and expect to die tbh, he didn't make a squeak despite the other dog attacking him. We know the owner in that he lives on our street and we have to pass his house whenever we go anywhere, so involving the police, despite the fact I would be within my rights to, is something I really don't want to do. I just hope he will be as reasonable as all the anecdotes on this thread, but as I'm a glass half empty just a trickle in the bottom kind of person I sort of expect it won't be that easy.

OP posts:

TidyDancer · 27/03/2013 18:11

I say this every time a thread like this comes up, but do not involve the police as this is not a matter for them, it is for your local dog warden. Police don't deal with dog on dog attacks, they deal with dog on human attacks.

Contact your dog warden and tell him what happened. Get them to log it and give you a reference number. It will help you if you need to raise the issue again later (hopefully nothing else will ever happen but if it does, you have an official record of the history).

And no, YANBU to want the owner to pay.

BlueberryHill · 27/03/2013 18:16

Did the other owner say anything at the time? He may just have been concentrating on hauling his dog off or did he just 'ignore' it?

Hope your dog is OK?

Report it to the dog warden, if the other dog keeps doing this, something should be done. (Not sure what though)

Original poster

quazi · 27/03/2013 18:18

Thanks Tidy, that's good to know, I had wondered about this myself as it seems a far less heavy handed approach, but does mean that it is flagged up in case it happens again or to anyone else.

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Original poster

quazi · 27/03/2013 18:19

He muttered sorry, but then wouldn't open door when my husband went round to explain that our dog had been bitten.

OP posts:

TidyDancer · 27/03/2013 18:21

Yeah, if your local dog warden is good, they will keep a log of any attacks reported and be able to match up reports.

I don't know their exact procedures, but it may be worth a fact finding phonecall just to see what they could do.

Hope your dog is doing okay. :)

WestieMamma · 27/03/2013 18:24

Yes they absolutely should pay. I'm still furious that I had to pay £260 to get my little westie fixed in similar circumstances a few weeks ago. Unfortunately we didn't get the owner's details.

HotPanda · 27/03/2013 18:29

What tidydancer said.

Ours was bitten in similar circumstances. The dog warden came to our house to complete a report and the other dog was known to them. It now has a control order and must be muzzled on and a lead at all times in public. They also paid for the vet bills and for a new collar (his was damaged in the attack)

Original poster

quazi · 27/03/2013 19:02

Just to update, dh has now spoken to the owner and asked him to ensure the dog is under proper control. He also told him that our dog has been to the vet and explained the treatments he's had. Rather than demand payment, he said he'd 'leave it with him', which we hope may mean he offers to pay. The other owner just said that he thought it was strange as his dog doesn't do this to any other dogs. Dh doesn't get the impression the man intends to pay, he certainly didn't offer to.

OP posts:

SquinkieBunnies · 27/03/2013 19:10

If he doesn't want to pay, maybe you could write him a note and attach a copy of the vet bill asking that he pay. See where that leads to, maybe then contact the dog warden.

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