My dog bit a cat 😪

[Bluetoybear]

Please be kind as I am so stressed over this.. name changed for this I have a 7 year old dog which is only walked on a lead 3 times a day in local park and let out in my back garden throughout the day for a wee etc. My back garden has a 6 foot fence around it so my dog can't get out. Yesterday the neighbours cat jumped into my garden and my dog ran after it and bit it on its leg. My neighbour has taken the poor cat to the vets and has had a big vets bill for it and neighbours husband has came round at tea time demanding I pay it all. He was very vocal about it and said if I don't pay it he will 'sue/take me to court/get in touch with authority's saying my dog is dangerous etc. I am so worried as the cat has awful injuries. I have offered to pay half out of goodwill but neighbours telling me I need to pay all of the bill which I can't afford.

@Funguy

Technically, you are responsible if it can be proved your dog was out of control or that you were negligent in not restraining it.

And yes, you could be held liable for the vet's bills in a Civil Court action.
I am very sorry for you though, just quoting some facts.
I just wondered how anyone KNOWS it was our dog attacking this cat.
Was it witnessed? Did you fail to prevent this happening?

You need to read some of yesterday’s posts to realise that this is utter rubbish. How is a dog “out of control” in its own fenced garden, pray tell?

A well behaved dog would not just bite a cat

Of course he will, dogs are territorial.

I don't like dogs but I don't think this is your fault. Your dog was in your own garden, not escaping into the NDN's garden. It was generous of you to offer to pay half.

I hope you and the cat make a swift and full recovery.

wow there really are some deluded (or maybe just plain stupid) people on this thread. Scary thing is most are probably eligible to perform Jury Duty - which just backs up the arguments many have put forward on those threads about how they are generally a bad idea.

Cat owners love to bleat about how it is their cats right to do whatever it wants (and shit where it wants) and how nothing is ever their fault, and take no responsibility for their pet, yet the moment anything happens to poor little defenceless fluffykins they are looking for someone to blame and pay.

OP, are you sure the neighbours cat did not injure your dog during this attack? scratch him or anything? You'd have a damn sight better chance of claiming your vet bills off them than them off you.
CF neighbour is lucky he didn't have the police at his door for his behaviour

Not all cat owners are awful, ya know.

The cat owners have been pretty fair!

www.justanswer.co.uk/law/8ghn5-dog-attacked-cat-garden-garden.html

Answers this

Numerous*

Some cat owners make silly typos.

@Classica

The cat owners have been pretty fair!

The vast majority of cat owners on this thread have backed the op

Yes

@Sillawithans

If your dog bit a cat and it has awful injuries why wouldn't you pay! Personally, I think your dog should be put down. This is why I hate dogs, they bite. Last August a dog killed my sleeping cat and the dog was put down. I hope the neighbours report your dog to the relevant authority.

Gosh. This is why I dislike cats. It’s not their fault but so many of them have completely unreasonable owners. You choose to own a cat. I don’t want your pet in my garden crapping, killing birds and causing a load of hassle if my terrier exhibits completely normal behaviour.

Don’t pay OP and if he harasses you again call the police.

Sorry OP fit the horrible experience 😩
I have a well trained Frenchie.
She hates cats sadly ( ingrained before I had her)
I wouldn't pay a penny.
Your dogs garden
His/her territory
Your private property
I'm sad you are upset and I understand

They can't sue you! They don't have a leg to stand on. Your dog was safely secured in your private property and you're perfectly entitled to have it that way!!

@crowsfeet57

A well behaved dog would not just bite a cat

Of course he will, dogs are territorial.

In their own garden? Are you mad?

agree with others - there is no negligence here and your dog was in its own garden, and also had not done this before.

Maybe Google what territorial means

I have a dog and a cat and absolutely adore both. If my dog was in my garden and bit a cat that came in I would be heartbroken for the cat but would not in any way feel responsible. Even if your dog was known to be aggressive you would be perfectly within your rights to have it free in your garden. It is his job to keep his cat safe, not yours. By letting it roam free he is taking the responsibility to expose the cat to a million different dangers. You are not at fault here, and please listen to the other cat and animal lovers on this thread and do NOT let this man bully you. No matter how upset they are, it is no excuse for his behaviour.

In their own garden Are you mad

Of course in their own garden. Where else could they reasonably be territorial? In the park? In the street? In someone else's garden?

Oh dear. I think you've been pressured to pay when you shouldn't. I guess their cat wasn't insurance. The cat came into your garden, I can't see how it's your fault. Shame about the cat, but it's one of those things.

Not your fault. Don’t pay. They take the risk having their cat roaming around the neighbourhood. Cat should be insured.

It all happened in your garden, so your dog wasn’t out of control or anything in a public place. Hopefully your husband going over will put an end to it. If not, tell them you’ll report them for harassment if they keep knocking on your door and shouting at you

Your neighbour sounds like a total wanker. I hope you're ok and that you've rescinded your offer to pay half, because you don't owe him a penny.
Hope your husband gives him what for.

Your neighbour is a cheeky fucker and a bully to boot. He has no right to come banging on your door in such an intimidating manner, and I bet he wouldn't have done that if your DH was at home.

Your neighbour should get this

protectapet.com/pages/cat-fence

I'm a devoted cat owner and don't really like dogs. If this happend to Mr I'd be judging you to fuck as to why you'd trained your dog so badly talhat it attacked cats. BUT, it is on your property and you seem to take precautions re the dog not being well trained in public. Where you'd reasonably expect it to come across other animals.

So I think the neighbours are being unreasonable. If you let your cat out, which I do, you need to accept the dangers of the outside world and have insurance to cover those dangers

But you might want to look at training your dog better so it doesn't attack other animals.

Cat owner here. Cats have a legal right to roam. However, the dog was on your own property and the cat's owners should have insurance for this kind of thing. My neighbour's cat was injured in his own garden by another (evil) cat whose owner is known, but she didn't try to get them to pay the vet's bill. However, if your dog had been off its lead and attacked the cat in the street then I think that would be a different matter.

@Bluetoybear how is your shoulder? Has your husband been to see the angry idiotic neighbour?