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Original poster

My dog was just attacked by another dog - how do I get the other dog's owner to pay

96 replies

yogz1976 · 04/12/2022 14:34

My brother-in-law was walking my dog in the park earlier (on a lead) when a labrador (off lead) ran towards them, picked up my dog (a chihuahua) in it's jaws and was mauling him like he was a rabbit. Also caused injury to my BIL from getting bitten himself. He is at the vet now. Suspect punctured lung. My BIL got this guy's telephone number, but now he's telling us he has no money, and that his dog had never bit anyone before.
Need some practical advice please. What can I do? We are looking at a vet's bill of £2000 potentially. How can I make this owner pay?
Sorry if my post is a bit confused. I'm still in shock, but I want to act quickly.

OP posts:
TellMeWhere · 04/12/2022 15:25

Why on earth don't you have insurance? Dogs and cats are expensive when they go wrong.

Honeyroar · 04/12/2022 15:28

I would definitely report to the dog warden- with a bit of luck they’ll at least visit them and give them a telling off that might scare them into keeping their dog on a lead. And I’d definitely take it to the small claims. Even if they’ve no money (which they might be lying about) they could have to pay it back gradually.

I don’t insure my animals for vets bills, I’ve always paid it myself and it’s worked out cheaper overall, but I always have third party insurance- if one of my dogs or horses caused a traffic accident I could be liable for millions…

GiltEdges · 04/12/2022 15:29

This is why you need insurance as a dog owner. It should really be mandatory for this very reason, just like car insurance, then in an ideal world you’d be able to recoup your costs from the other person’s insurance when their dog was at fault.

As it is, your only hope if they say they can’t pay is small claims. But if they really have no money then even taking them to court there’s not much you can do about it.

PorridgewithQuark · 04/12/2022 15:29

As your brother in law was also bitten he (or both of you) should report this to the police. A human being bitten changes the situation.

GetThatHelmetOn · 04/12/2022 15:29

BuffaloCauliflower · 04/12/2022 15:24

Why isn’t your dog insured? This is a basic part of responsible dog ownership.

And so starts the victim blaming…

OP, report to the dog warden, it may not be the first time the dog bites a person. The police may not act on dog to dog attacks but I would give the small claims court a go as well, at the end of the day, the dog damaged your property and the repairs are expensive, the fact the other guy has no money is not your problem either, he may not pay at the end but it will make him put his dog on a leash!

yogz1976 · 04/12/2022 15:31

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig · 04/12/2022 15:32

TellMeWhere · 04/12/2022 15:25

Why on earth don't you have insurance? Dogs and cats are expensive when they go wrong.

Perhaps like us the Op has had to cancel it because it simply isn’t affordable anymore. When you’re on the bones of your arse with the cost of living going up, £85 for us a month is a big saving.

Hoppinggreen · 04/12/2022 15:33

Criticising OP for not having insurance isn’t victim blaming.
Her poor dog didn’t deserve to be attacked, people are simply saying that if her dog was insured she would not be facing a big bill and in fact the insurer may well pursue the other dog owner on her behalf.
I am surprised it was a Lab but I suppose every breed has some poorly socialised examples.

Floralnomad · 04/12/2022 15:33

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 04/12/2022 15:22

The dog bit the BiL so this dog has already moved on to biting humans…

Show quote history

The dog bit the BIL presumably in the midst of a fight , it’s a totally different situation to just walking up to a human and biting . I’m not defending the dog or owner , or buying the ‘he’s never done it before ‘ , it’s irrelevant he’s done it now so he needs to foot the bill .

BT11 · 04/12/2022 15:35

As your dog is uninsured I would ask him if he has pet insurance. If he does then he should speak with his insurer - this would be the fastest way to attempt to get the fee paid (depending on his cover). If the answer is no then this would most likely become a civil matter between you both. I would speak with citizens advice as essentially his dog (his property) damaged your dog (your property) to see if any law has been broken or if there are any options the police can support with etc. If no luck you would need to seek independent legal advice, unfortunately. The dog warden should be alerted but this alone will not get you your money back. My ex and his dog were horribly attacked by a dog (off the lead) and he was able to get his money back for vet fees and loss of earnings due to not being able to work (had to have plastic surgery etc) through a small claims court. It was not a quick process. The dog that was off the lead was put down due to several prior attacks that the dog warden had been called out to.

Original poster
yogz1976 · 04/12/2022 15:36

GiltEdges · 04/12/2022 15:29

This is why you need insurance as a dog owner. It should really be mandatory for this very reason, just like car insurance, then in an ideal world you’d be able to recoup your costs from the other person’s insurance when their dog was at fault.

As it is, your only hope if they say they can’t pay is small claims. But if they really have no money then even taking them to court there’s not much you can do about it.

or how about ignorant fucks walk their dog on a lead in public places???
Especially when there is a fenced enclosure nearby where dogs can run around as much as they want !
I have the means to pay for my dog's vet bill. That is not the point. I shouldn't have to.

OP posts:
Honeyroar · 04/12/2022 15:40

I meant to say I hope your little dog is ok.

Everyone should have third party insurance. I have mine by joining the dog’s trust and it’s a few quid a month to cover two dogs. Vets fees cover is what bumps insurance up.

Pugdogmom · 04/12/2022 15:41

Jeez, an off lead dog attacks the OPs dog, and it's the OPs fault 🤦‍♀️. Only on MN. She's right, she shouldn't have to pay the bill.
OP, definitely report it to the Police and dog warden. The other dogs owner may not have cash to pay for your dog, but he should have pet/house insurance that has public liability insurance on it.

Original poster
yogz1976 · 04/12/2022 15:43

Hoppinggreen · 04/12/2022 15:33

Criticising OP for not having insurance isn’t victim blaming.
Her poor dog didn’t deserve to be attacked, people are simply saying that if her dog was insured she would not be facing a big bill and in fact the insurer may well pursue the other dog owner on her behalf.
I am surprised it was a Lab but I suppose every breed has some poorly socialised examples.

Exactly ! Insuring my dog would not have prevented him from being attacked !

Oh, it's not the first time I have heard of a labrador attacking! I have heard of several incidents involving these "lovely, playful dogs".

Update: My BIL has been to A&E and was given antibiotics. He has also reported the attack to the police who are going to talk to him. I will reach out to the dog warden tomorrow.

OP posts:
Bananarama21 · 04/12/2022 15:45

It's irresponsible to not have insurance for events like this. I paid 20 pounds a month with the coop covers over 10k.

NoSquirrels · 04/12/2022 15:45

I hope your dog is OK, OP.

I have the means to pay for my dog's vet bill. That is not the point. I shouldn't have to.

That’s good that you can pay.

First things first, report to dog warden and community policing.

Next, get the costs of treatment from your vet.

Then approach the other dog owner and try to come to an arrangement. If he’s genuinely got no money to pay then he can’t help that, but if you go to small claims they’ll a) want to see evidence you tried to come to an agreement e.g. a payment plan and b) they’ll only order him to pay on a payment plan what he can afford so it is worth putting the time in at this stage.

I’d wait until I was a bit calmer to approach him.

Original poster
yogz1976 · 04/12/2022 15:46

BT11 · 04/12/2022 15:35

As your dog is uninsured I would ask him if he has pet insurance. If he does then he should speak with his insurer - this would be the fastest way to attempt to get the fee paid (depending on his cover). If the answer is no then this would most likely become a civil matter between you both. I would speak with citizens advice as essentially his dog (his property) damaged your dog (your property) to see if any law has been broken or if there are any options the police can support with etc. If no luck you would need to seek independent legal advice, unfortunately. The dog warden should be alerted but this alone will not get you your money back. My ex and his dog were horribly attacked by a dog (off the lead) and he was able to get his money back for vet fees and loss of earnings due to not being able to work (had to have plastic surgery etc) through a small claims court. It was not a quick process. The dog that was off the lead was put down due to several prior attacks that the dog warden had been called out to.

ok, thank you. I will reach out to CAB as well :)

OP posts:
Original poster
yogz1976 · 04/12/2022 15:48

yogz1976 · 04/12/2022 15:46

ok, thank you. I will reach out to CAB as well :)

Show quote history

Oh and I'm so sorry for what happened to your partner and dog. That is shocking.
I need to start a campaign in my area to ban people from letting their dogs off lead. Where I walk my dog there is a big fenced off area where dogs can run freely, without causing a nuisance to other people who want to use the park.

OP posts:
BT11 · 04/12/2022 15:54

yogz1976 · 04/12/2022 15:48

Oh and I'm so sorry for what happened to your partner and dog. That is shocking.
I need to start a campaign in my area to ban people from letting their dogs off lead. Where I walk my dog there is a big fenced off area where dogs can run freely, without causing a nuisance to other people who want to use the park.

Show quote history

You're welcome! Please don't listen to the people trying to make snarky comments on your thread - some people are naturally miserable and like to drag everyone else down with them.

I hope that your BIL and dog are okay.

In all honesty I think you should definitely get something going in your community to stop dogs being off the lead in certain areas.

If you have no luck with getting the money for the vet bills have a think about starting a go fund me 🤷🏻‍♀️ lots of options to try. I hope you get it sorted soon!

KendrickLamaze · 04/12/2022 15:56

I briefly saw your post on the local dog owners group. That park has cameras around it. You have to press them if you need help but it might mean you can trace the dog owner if required. I'm not sure if the other owner has given their details?!

Those saying dog on dog attacks aren't a crime are forgetting that a dog has to be under control in public. This dog obviously wasn't and his owner should pay the price. I had two black labs pile up on my Akita in Abi park and it was impossible to get them both off him (he was on a lead and their owner was the other end trying to chase them) and after that I realised sometimes force is needed to get them off and if required, I'll do it.

dolor · 04/12/2022 16:16

You need to have dog insurance. Not having it, is very irresponsible.

The offending dog's owner is totally at fault, they should also have insurance and should be walking their dog on a lead knowing how it behaves. I have a dog that is half akita, and whilst he's lovely, he remains on lead at all times outside, because smaller dogs are confusing to him, and he doesn't like them. That's a recipe for disaster.

Be aware that if you report the dog's owner to the warden or to the police, that their dog might be seized and kenneled until a court case opens, which could take years. Given that it bit your BIL, it's possible it could be euthanised.

The dog's owner is ultimately responsible and sadly, most of the time dogs in this situation are euthanised, because of shoddy ownership.

That being said, small claims court is your best bet.

Original poster
yogz1976 · 04/12/2022 16:18

KendrickLamaze · 04/12/2022 15:56

I briefly saw your post on the local dog owners group. That park has cameras around it. You have to press them if you need help but it might mean you can trace the dog owner if required. I'm not sure if the other owner has given their details?!

Those saying dog on dog attacks aren't a crime are forgetting that a dog has to be under control in public. This dog obviously wasn't and his owner should pay the price. I had two black labs pile up on my Akita in Abi park and it was impossible to get them both off him (he was on a lead and their owner was the other end trying to chase them) and after that I realised sometimes force is needed to get them off and if required, I'll do it.

You are in Northants too! Hello
This is happening too, too often. If it had been kids getting attacked, there would be some law enacted to stop this happening and punish irresponsible owners.
Hmmm, labradors again! They are vicious little buggers...How is your poor dog now? I'm really worried how this is going to affect my dog psychologically. He was an anxious dog when I got him. It's taken 3 years of patience to get him to the point where I can walk him reasonably calmly on a lead in an area with other dogs. And now this !
He was attacked a month ago by a jack russel, again in the same place. I posted about that incident too. Did you see it? Dog was running all over the park like he owned the place. Owner was about 100 yards away, kicking a ball about with his two young sons. Couldn't care less what his dog was getting up to.

OP posts:
dolor · 04/12/2022 16:19

Did your BIL take photos of his injury btw? It's always helpful to have those, especially taking one every day to showcase the healing time etc. That way you can figure out the proportionate claim for injury, if you seek legal advice.

MoreSleepPleasee · 04/12/2022 16:23

Hope your dog is OK. My neighbours dog attacked my cat years ago and had my cat clamped in it's jaw she said she would help pay the vet bill but never did.

Original poster
yogz1976 · 04/12/2022 16:24

KendrickLamaze · 04/12/2022 15:56

I briefly saw your post on the local dog owners group. That park has cameras around it. You have to press them if you need help but it might mean you can trace the dog owner if required. I'm not sure if the other owner has given their details?!

Those saying dog on dog attacks aren't a crime are forgetting that a dog has to be under control in public. This dog obviously wasn't and his owner should pay the price. I had two black labs pile up on my Akita in Abi park and it was impossible to get them both off him (he was on a lead and their owner was the other end trying to chase them) and after that I realised sometimes force is needed to get them off and if required, I'll do it.

Hopefully, the police will take this seriously and track down the owner. We don't know his address, only his mob number, which we have spoken to him on.

OP posts:
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