Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Legal matters

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have any legal concerns we suggest you consult a solicitor.

Original poster

I fostered an elderly rescue dog and the rescue have sent me a £3k county court form?

199 replies

LostforWords2021 · 27/09/2021 14:45

On the 8th April 2020 a friend sent me a message asking if I had room to take in an elderly dog who's owner had died. He was poorly, overweight and due to be pts if a foster place couldn't be found.

I hadnt heard of the rescue before, a FB msg group was set up for us all to talk about the process. The rescue knew nothing about the dog, hadn't met him but did send a driver to collect him and drive him to us during the first lock down.

Apart from messenger I had no other contact for the rescue. I spent over £1200 on vet bills, food and comfort toys inc orthopaedic beds and natural remedies. I did sign a foster agreement.

It was agreed I would adopt him but I didn't receive a contact. Unfortunately the poor boy took a turn for the worst and the vet advised pts, which we did in Aug. During April and August they had a vet nurse on the group chat advising against the vets treatment, urging us to complain and sending us treatment cards via msg of what she would be doing at her surgery, it was very stressful.

I received a solicitor letter which I responded to - apparently, I wasn't authorised to get treatment or make decisions even though we agreed I had adopted him 1 month prior to becoming so poorly and kept them all up to date with what was happening.

Today I've received a county court money claim form and I don't know what to do next, I've attached a picture of the claim for a dog the rescue never met, never assessed or paid for anything towards his day to day care for the 5 months I paid for everything because I wanted to.

I do have some screen shots of conversations but the have deleted the main group chat and the vet is refusing an information request due to being to involved - we disagree with some of the comments made as we weren't made aware of what treatment they carried out due to lock down and not being able to be present with our dog.

I fostered an elderly rescue dog and the rescue have sent me a £3k county court form?
OP posts:
Viviennemary · 27/09/2021 19:11

Sounds like a scam to me. Take them on Judge Rinder. He likes dogs. Seriously though perhaps you shouldn't just ignore it. I dont get why you owe them 3K.

Willow19C · 27/09/2021 19:19

I meant ignore the chat, not the court letters. OP has been responding to the courts already. I realise what I typed was really misleading! :(

Willow19C · 27/09/2021 19:20

I've reported my own post, I'm tired. Sorry OP.
Don't pay any money to the rescue.
I'm signing off! x
.

Lunde · 27/09/2021 20:51

Countersue them for the cost of vet bills etc - if they are saying that this is their dog then surely they are liable!

Theunamedcat · 27/09/2021 20:58

Your vet should be giving you a detailed report of illnesses treatment and reasons for euthanasia they should have been giving you details all along

My old vet sent me treatment receipt which included castrated/anaesthetic etc detailed included on the form was "prescribed cuddles" costed at free literally every detail put in

ojojojoja · 27/09/2021 21:02

yes I think you need to get a newspaper money matters column to take this on OP!

ojojojoja · 27/09/2021 21:03

and if worst comes to the worst you could always do a crowdfunder. people love to help out dogs!!

iloverock · 27/09/2021 21:08

Reply with a defence and counterclaim the monies you spent at the vets.

Original poster
LostforWords2021 · 27/09/2021 22:44

Thank you for all the replies.

I wish I had time to do all and any of the above, time has moved on and we all work really hard with not much time left for this which is sad.

I don't have the energy to counterclaim £1300 plus to care for our boy v rescue

They are deluded so I need to respond to that and hopefully draw a line (again) under this.

I don't have much time because my lovely DC and DH decided to hide this recent correspondence from me whilst I finished my exams up so the 14 day window is now looming in only 2 days time.

OP posts:
Original poster
LostforWords2021 · 27/09/2021 22:45

@ojojojoja

yes I think you need to get a newspaper money matters column to take this on OP!
How, I have no idea where to start?
OP posts:
HarrisonStickle · 27/09/2021 23:00

I don't have much time because my lovely DC and DH decided to hide this recent correspondence from me

FFS!!!!!! Shock I hope you are suitably furious!

Original poster
LostforWords2021 · 27/09/2021 23:04

@HarrisonStickle

I don't have much time because my lovely DC and DH decided to hide this recent correspondence from me

FFS!!!!!! Shock I hope you are suitably furious!

Oft a bit - they didn't know

And, we didn't realise the rescue wasn't a rescue after all (maybe?)i don't know.

OP posts:
prh47bridge · 27/09/2021 23:07

Don't bother with newspapers. You don't have time for that. Just file a response on form N9B then go to mediation.

Original poster
LostforWords2021 · 27/09/2021 23:11

@prh47bridge

Don't bother with newspapers. You don't have time for that. Just file a response on form N9B then go to mediation.
Thank you. I have spent this evening preparing my response. I'm working from 7am so I hope to send our reply by tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks again all.

OP posts:
Theunamedcat · 27/09/2021 23:36

Can you ask for more time

prh47bridge · 27/09/2021 23:58

@Theunamedcat

Can you ask for more time
The OP can complete form N9 to request a further 14 days to respond.
Vanessashanessajenkins2 · 28/09/2021 07:16

Hi OP. I work in this field. Once you fill in the acknowledgment of service and file it at the court, you will have a further 14 days to respond.

In cases like this, the burden of proof is on the Claimant to prove ownership and loss. Judges can smell a scam a mile away, they will want copies of a signed agreement and a schedule of loss to prove the Claimant lost money, how much they lost etc. Obviously from the sounds of your post, they don't have this. If their particulars of claim are not clear, you can put in your Defence they did not comply with Civil Procedure Rule 16.2. All this will work in your favour, especially if you can produce your receipts to show all costs were incurred by you so the Claimant suffered no loss.

Original poster
LostforWords2021 · 28/09/2021 14:56

@Vanessashanessajenkins2

Hi OP. I work in this field. Once you fill in the acknowledgment of service and file it at the court, you will have a further 14 days to respond.

In cases like this, the burden of proof is on the Claimant to prove ownership and loss. Judges can smell a scam a mile away, they will want copies of a signed agreement and a schedule of loss to prove the Claimant lost money, how much they lost etc. Obviously from the sounds of your post, they don't have this. If their particulars of claim are not clear, you can put in your Defence they did not comply with Civil Procedure Rule 16.2. All this will work in your favour, especially if you can produce your receipts to show all costs were incurred by you so the Claimant suffered no loss.

Thank you so much.

I have emailed and posted the acknowledgement this afternoon and started my defence.

You have really helped by making me aware of the civil procedure rule, there is lots in their statement I can prove as incorrect or untrue.

OP posts:
Vanessashanessajenkins2 · 28/09/2021 15:24

No problem OP. If you need any help or would like me to take a look, feel free to PM me and I will help as best as I can.

Original poster
LostforWords2021 · 28/09/2021 22:25

@Vanessashanessajenkins2

No problem OP. If you need any help or would like me to take a look, feel free to PM me and I will help as best as I can.
Thank you again Flowers
OP posts:
Lonecatwithkitten · 28/09/2021 23:26

@LostforWords2021 the Vet Nurse was in breech of her code of professional conduct if she was a registered veterinary nurse by
suggesting a treatment plan, this is a veterinary surgeons job, by commenting on a case that she did not have under her care and by the sounds of things making derogatory comments about a colleagues care on social media.
However, bizarrely the title veterinary nurse is not a protect one so anyone can call themselves a vet nurse.
If the dog was registered at the vets in your name and you paid all the bills you are entitled to a copy of the clinical notes. If this was the case the notes should not be provided to the rescue without your permission.

GunsNMoses · 30/09/2021 11:58

I wish I could say this shocked me, but there are some very iffy rescues out there.
Good luck OP. Don't let this shit sully the memories of your lovely boy. Sounds like he was very loved at the end.

StrongTea · 30/09/2021 12:06

If you have name of the vet nurse you can check if she is registered or not.

Original poster
LostforWords2021 · 30/09/2021 22:13

@GunsNMoses

I wish I could say this shocked me, but there are some very iffy rescues out there. Good luck OP. Don't let this shit sully the memories of your lovely boy. Sounds like he was very loved at the end.
Thank you, we really did adore him and we know he loved us and our small window together.
OP posts:
Original poster
LostforWords2021 · 30/09/2021 22:14

@StrongTea

If you have name of the vet nurse you can check if she is registered or not.
How? I have her full name and where she works as in, the name of the group wide vet but not the location as of yet.
OP posts: