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

[yogz1976]

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.

This is so awful , your poor dog going through this for a second time and your bill was very brave to save him.
I really hope it doesn't ruin your walks , my dogs are reactive since being attacked when they were puppies ( 2 brothers ) and I wouldn't dream of allowing them off the lead .. i pay and hire a enclosed field once a week .. there are so many people with off lead dogs that have absolutely no recall o trip of theirs!
Walking your dog is meant to be a nice experience for you both
I hope they both recover fast

He's been in for xrays. The vet said he sustained something called pneumothorax which is where the space outside the lung fills with air and puts pressure on the lung, affecting breathing. I googled it and wish I hadn't. They drained the air, and put him on antibiotics and pain killers, as well as extra oxygen. But the air could come back and they would have to drain it again. They are monitoring him.
I don't know what we will do if he doesn't pull through. We love him so much.
My mum is beside herself. She is in her 80s and has Parkinsons and other health conditions. She was in hysterics. It's heartbreaking!😭

My poor baby

Ive nursed humans with that and never had one that didn’t survive so fingers crossed . Hope he gets well soon and is back home with you all 💐

My insurance is with ManyPets, and whilst it's not cheap and I am by no means rich, what I get for the money I pay, is extremely valuable. One of the big perks is that I can access FirstVet which is an online vet consultation included in the monthly cost. Whilst that's not great for things that need immediate medical intervention such as this awful situation, I can ask about dietary stuff, get advice about supplements and possible needs for medication for joints and bones etc, the sort of things you could do a telehealth appointment for yourself if you needed advice that didn't need to be in person.

Dogs Trust membership (£25 pa) also includes access to a 24/7 veterinary help line.

I hope your little dog feels better soon

@yogz1976 awww he is beautiful x crossing everything for his recovery x

This is why all dogs should be registered annually through a paid for (to cover the cost of administration) dog licence which requires evidence of third party insurance. It is a workable scheme because it exists in other countries - it does discourage people from buying dogs on a whim and makes it easier to trace owners who allow their dogs to run around out of control, meaning far less problems with other people's dogs.

Bless him, and sincerely hope he recovers soon, both physically and emotionally.
Sadly far too many incompetent, useless dog owners about, with zero training or socialisation.

Labradors are often implicated on dog on dog attacks- They are big, heavy dogs, and tend to “ Bully” smaller breeds/ types.

@yogz1976
I have a small and gentle, well mannered dog, and googled “
Armour for dogs”

Kevlar coats with optional removable “Spikes”

Not cheap, but what price safety when a bullying dog is intent on harming smaller well socialised dogs?

No - there are two of us on here that have already said we don’t insure for vets bills but we do for third party…

Poor little boy. I hope he picks up soon. They’re tough creatures and get through more than we think. And hugs to your family. I bet your BIL was scared when it was someone else’s dog (yours) hurt. I’ve had labs for years. They’re big, powerful dogs. Both my last two got grumpy with other dogs when they got old. They were never off the lead in public from the first moment I noticed that. Everyone has to be responsible for their dog. I have an outdoor coffee trailer for walkers that is very dog friendly. It never fails to amaze me how thoughtless people are about not controlling their dogs.

The pp who said "Dog on dog attacks are not a crime" is correct, but not relevant here. Seeking damages in the form of the vet bill are a civil matter, not a criminal one. Small claims court is the way to go, and is pretty simple.

I'm so so sorry this has happened to your beautiful boy. I hope he recovers soon, and you get some justice x

I’ve never insured our dogs, instead we put money away in a bank account to cover vet bills

I thought this was a good plan… until the dog required £6k of treatment in 2 years and still went on to live a long life with multiple age related expensive ailments…

Under insured dogs are a worry
I pay a lot in insurance in case of a freak accident
A friend’s dog was hit by car ( freak ) and she was only covered for 5k
Bill at £12k already.
Go fund me’s only work if you are well connected on social media - Insurance for accidents is crucial
Dog on park was being dog sat by owners relatives
Dog got through a tiny ( unseen) gap chasing a fox

£10,000 and counting.

Again, woefully underinsured.

Insurance seems to include extraneous stuff like behaviourists that one can’t opt out of.
Accident cover is so important.- and third party liability, no matter how well trained a dog is.

Insurers will say they cover the cost of a behaviourist but if it’s for any sort of aggression they will then turn around and say they cannot renew the policy as they don’t cover dogs with a history of aggression.

That's interesting that you say insurers won't cover aggressive or ''Reactive'' dogs- those are the very sort that need a behaviourist!

Not always the dog's own fault either- I actually saw a mastiff X Doberman break free from it's male owner on a public road and absolutely flatten a sweet Collie Lurcher puppy who was on his lead, minding his own business while being walked by the owner's son and mother.

The Lurcher hasn't been the same since- incredibly frightened of all other dogs.
His owner was told that the fear was partly genetic , but also made much worse by a very frightening attack.