Insurance claims - be warned.

[Vallhala]

What do you tell other DC when they visit you and your dog? Or even, what do you tell your own DC?

Not to disturb the dog when he's sleeping?

Only stroke a dog with the owner's permission?

Only stroke him when he comes to you for attention (ie, don't chase him around as he may not want the attention)?

All good, sensible, responsible advice, am I right?

Wrong.

Not according to the insurance company used by one lady I know.

This lady's dog scratched a visiting child (as far as she can be sure, accidentally). The dog is a family one, a real wuss, and has never before given any cause for concern and the lady a very experienced and responsible pet owner and mother. Nonetheless, it happened, and the child, being young and therefore delicate, needed stitches. Naturally the owner is mortified.

The child's parents have claimed on the owner's insurance (another story in itself, but there you go, its a litigious society we live in). A sum has been mooted and accepted and it's for a court to decide as the child is under 16 and that's the law.

The owner then received a letter from her insurance company. It told her this (I paraphrase):

Because she told the child not to make a fuss of any animal (species immaterial) unless the animal came to them for attention, and that the child shouldn't disturb them otherwise, and also that the child should seek the owner's permission before stroking an animal, the owner therefore knows the animal is dangerous in any situation.

In this owner's case it's only money we are talking of (and please don't think I'm making light of the child's experience and injury, I'm not). Just imagine though if this view is carried into the criminal courts, with the owner's freedom and the dog's life in the balance.

I used to love allowing nice, well behaved young children to stroke my friendly GSD, with parent/guardian's permission, having asked me first. And I'd always reiterate the need to ask, praise them for doing so, and give them the sort of advice mentioned in my first sentences. Next time I'll be far more wary of doing so, which is such a pity, as imho praising and reinforcing good behaviour on the part of children is to be encouraged and a good thing.

I do agree to be careful Valhala but it must have been quite a "scratch" to need stitches - maybe there is more to this case and we have not been given the full information?

I'm not sure I understand what you mean, if you have to warn children to be careful around dogs then they shouldn't be near each other at all. If dogs aren't used to children and children not used to dogs then they must be kept apart for this reason. Are you warning others to avoid getting sued you should not ask children to be careful?!

And agree that if it needed stitches then it was more than a scratch.

I have come across this sort of thing before in the horse world.

For example, you can buy reflective tabbards to where whilst hacking out on the roads which read "Caution, young horse" or "please pass wide and slow" on the back. However, I have heard of insurance companies refusing to pay out as they claim the owner, by putting the message on the back of their tabbards, is acknowledging they know there could be a problem.

Likewise, it used to be standard behavious out hunting or at shows to put a red ribbon on your horses tail if he is know to kick out if crowded by another horse (a green ribbon could be applied if he was young or 'untested'). Again, many people are no longer prepared to do this as insurance companies won't cover you if you have stated publicly you know your horse might misbehave.

It is absolutely ridiculous and actually increases the likelyhood of accidents. With regards to the situation you described, it can happen that a very minor reaction from a dog can lead to a nasty injury if the scratch is a delicate area. What a stupid world we live in

I, of course, meant wear. Sorry, not getting much sleep ATM with a baby who thinks sleep is for the weak.

Thank you Southwestwhippet. Glad someone understood what I meant, clearly I didn't word my post as well as I could!

minimu, no, no more to the case with respect to the injury AFAIK (although I wasn't there and am not the owner so can't swear to this of coure).

WellMeantHellBent, you said " if you have to warn children to be careful around dogs then they shouldn't be near each other at all".

Really?

If you seriously mean that children shouldn't be told not to approach a sleeping/eating dog, shouldn't be told not to pull them around, or not be prevented/warned against doing so as presumanbly, they
sould either instinctively know this and that a dog should either tolerate such behaviour or not be a family pet, I can only say thank you for the further insight into reasons why I end up having to find rescue places for perfectly lovely dogs whose families abandon them.

Sorry ladies, that was all a bit disjointed wasn't it? Damn laptop keyboard problems!

You're right, I think many people think that all dogs should be 'bomb-proof' meaning that kids should be able to poke, prod, annoy and irritate a dog as much as they like without getting a reaction from the dog. I remember a thread from a while back where a poster said that her dog had had a stick shoved up its anus and the dog didn't react at all!

I have taken in 2 rescue dogs before I had the DC's and my friend runs the SSPCA in Ayr. I honestly think if children do not have enough respect for dogs and they have to poke and pull at them then they should not be near dogs. They are not toys. And if dogs are not used to children and not able to take a bit of petting by someone they are not used to and scratch then they shouldn't be near children.

We have had to put 'Dog on Premises' on the letterbox as stupid people were putting their entire hand through the letterbox to deliver leaflets (postman doesn't) and surprised when our dog ran to pull post out. We thought it was only a matter of time before hand met dog, even though it is our house, wouldn't want anyone injured.

The world has gone mad
I have a dog lover lives here sign on my house will I be arrested for beastiality if any one sees me stroking my dog?!

WellMeant I wholeheartedly agree with you that children shouldn't be allowed near dogs if they don't respect them (mum, dog rescuer and rescue dog owner here too). But my point is, how do they learn unless they are taught this? And how are they taught? We (well, many of us) start off when children are young, by saying basic, common sense things like "Don't disturb a sleeping/eating dog", "Don't pull a dog around".

However it seems now that if you tell a child this, in the opinion of certain insurance companies you are somehow tacitly saying that the dog in question is a danger.

The world has indeed gone mad.

Its all madness isn't it ?

Like southwest I've come across similar in the horse world, a mistreated pony who was prone to nipping at children if their backs were turned, we were warned about putting a sign saying 'this pony may bite' on her stall as we were drawing attention to the problem !!

In order to prevent Postman Prat from leaving my gate open on a daily basis I've just ordered a sign. I can't have "Beware of the Dog" and "Please shut the gate" is far too difficult for Postman Pat, so I've ordered instead a sign with a photo of a GSD very similar to my own upon it.

It reads:

"I can get to the gate in three seconds.

Can you?"