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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Has anyone had a dog injured while with a dogwalker?

31 replies

FiveHoursSleep · 26/01/2015 17:03

If so, who paid for the injury?
Our dog was hit by a car while with a dog walker last week and required intensive care to save her life and is having orthopedic surgery tomorrow.
Our insurance will pay for some, but not all of her treatment but people have suggested we ask the dog walker if her insurance will cover it.
Or AIBU even asking?

OP posts:
bobs123 · 26/01/2015 17:06

Is it a professional company because if so I would definitely ask if they have insurance. If it is an individual not so sure...

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 26/01/2015 17:10

If you are using a professional dog walker I would expect their insurance to cover the entire amount.

VivaLeBeaver · 26/01/2015 17:11

I would say it depends on the circumstances of the accident.

For instance my dog walker gave me the option of giving permission for the dogs to be off lead. I'm declined as I don't trust their recall with someone they don't know as well.

So if my dog walker hadn't clipped the lead on properly or dropped the lead yes Id ask them about their insurance.

On the other hand if Id given permission for them to be off lead and they'd ignored recall attempts and run off Id kind of blame myself for saying the dogs were trustworthy off lead.

VivaLeBeaver · 26/01/2015 17:11

Hope your dog makes a full recovery btw. How much are you out of pocket by, is it just the excess?

Original poster
FiveHoursSleep · 26/01/2015 17:58

Our dog was off the lead and chased a fox onto the road. It wasn't anyone's fault but the bill will be around £6.5K and we only have £4k insurance.
Obviously that's not the dogwalkers fault but I wondered what usually happens in this situation.
A lesson for everyone with a dog really!

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 26/01/2015 18:07

The dog-walkers insurance should have non-negligent cover. Your dog was injured whilst in the care of the dog walker. They may not have been negligent, but they were responsible for your dog at the time and their insurance should cover this.

VivaLeBeaver · 26/01/2015 18:42

For 1.5k Id ask her if her insurance will cover.

Wow at the vets bill. Think my dog is covered for 4k a year and now rapidly thinking about upgrading.

Floralnomad · 26/01/2015 18:49

Hope your dog makes a good recovery ,was there damage to the car that will need to be paid for as well ? I ( as a layperson who doesn't use a dog walker) would have thought that the walker would have insurance for this type of event and I'm surprised that they have not already mentioned it .

Original poster
FiveHoursSleep · 26/01/2015 19:13

I've rung the dog walker and asked but she only has insurance if a dog in her care bites someone or causes another injury somehow. She's offered me free walks...
Yes, Viva, I don't think 4K is enough. Our other dog is insured for £6K and I think I will raise that too.

OP posts:
Original poster
FiveHoursSleep · 26/01/2015 19:14

No damage to the vehicle- it was a transit van, hence the damage to dog!

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 26/01/2015 20:33

Sounds like she is under insured then - I hope her other clients know the limitations . I wouldn't be letting her walk my dog .

WeAllHaveWings · 26/01/2015 21:43

Whenever we have registered with a dog sitter or walker we have always signed various forms detailing what their insurance did and did not cover, and what was to be done in the event of an accident if we were not contactable. Did you sign a contract with her?

Original poster
FiveHoursSleep · 26/01/2015 21:45

No. I've had three dog walkers now and none of them have had contracts! Yours sound very professional :)

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 26/01/2015 21:52

My dog walker is fully insured. When she first came she brought all her insurance certificates, registration certificates, crb thingy, contract. I can't remember full insurance details but she was definitely insured for if a dog became injured in such a similar situation.

mrslaughan · 26/01/2015 22:24

Our dog walker is fully insured too.....I think it is not uncommon for them not to be, but they really should.....what would hAve happened if there was damage to the car as well as the dog.....who would have paid for that?!

Floralnomad · 26/01/2015 23:04

I think the problem is its a growth industry with little ,if any ,regulation.

VivaLeBeaver · 27/01/2015 13:17

If the car was damaged and no one had insurance the driver would have to suck it up. Same as if you hit a pedestrian.

WeAllHaveWings · 27/01/2015 21:40

Viva, I always thought the dog owner was liable for damages to any motor vehicle and another reason for 3rd party pet insurance. If there is no insurance its the pet owner who needs to payout. All car accidents involving dogs should be reported to the police as dogs must not be out of control on a roadway.

In ths case it was the dog walker that let the dog out of control on a roadway so they would be would be liable.

WeAllHaveWings · 27/01/2015 21:41

The Road Traffic Act 1988
It is an offence to have a dog on a designated road without it being held on a lead. Local authorities may have similar bye-laws covering public areas. Dogs travelling in vehicles should not be a nuisance or in any way distract the driver during a journey.
If a dog is injured in a car accident, the driver must stop and give their details to the person in charge of the dog. If there is no person in charge of the dog, the incident must be reported to the police within 24 hours.
Animals Act 1971
You could be liable for damage caused by your dog under this Act or under some degree of negligence. It is highly advisable to have third party liability insurance to cover this, something that is included in most pet and some household insurance policies.

VivaLeBeaver · 27/01/2015 22:59

I agree but what I'm saying is I think if there is no pet Insdurance then the motorists car insurance will pay out.

I'd be pissed off with my car Insurance if they refused to pay out if I hit an uninsured dog. But if I hit a person, a deer, a cow they'd pay!

I guess there's a small risk the insurance company may chase the dog owner for payment, Sue them for the cost, etc.

Original poster
FiveHoursSleep · 28/01/2015 18:35

We have her home :) Only £1500 above her excess, so that's a blessing in disguise.
Now we have to keep her quiet for 6 weeks.

OP posts:
Broberts · 03/12/2022 17:35

My dog came home bleeding, he has bite marks around his face and ear, my dog walker said "my dog went for another dog, had its teeth around the other dogs neck and shook the other dog" my dog is big and very placid, the dog walker didn't want to give me the other dog owners phone number, i stood there until she handed it over.
I phoned the other dog owner, she said my dog walker walkes her dogs on her 3 fields, she has far to many dogs to control and has had to have a word with the dog walker as its a public right of way, legally she's only allowed to walk 6 dogs and her dogs are out of control.

Back to the dog my dog attacked, there's not a mark on her, how can my dog attack, lock on, shake it without leaving any sign of attack but my dog has puncture wounds to his face and ear.
All this to me sounds so far fetched. My guess, it was her own dog that attacked mine as he's untrained and can be nasty. This is the second time my dog has come home injured on her walk.
Any advice would be welcomed. as this is the second incident, i would like to report her, but who to.
I won't be using her again.

ElephantInTheKitchen · 03/12/2022 18:43

Broberts · 03/12/2022 17:35

My dog came home bleeding, he has bite marks around his face and ear, my dog walker said "my dog went for another dog, had its teeth around the other dogs neck and shook the other dog" my dog is big and very placid, the dog walker didn't want to give me the other dog owners phone number, i stood there until she handed it over.
I phoned the other dog owner, she said my dog walker walkes her dogs on her 3 fields, she has far to many dogs to control and has had to have a word with the dog walker as its a public right of way, legally she's only allowed to walk 6 dogs and her dogs are out of control.

Back to the dog my dog attacked, there's not a mark on her, how can my dog attack, lock on, shake it without leaving any sign of attack but my dog has puncture wounds to his face and ear.
All this to me sounds so far fetched. My guess, it was her own dog that attacked mine as he's untrained and can be nasty. This is the second time my dog has come home injured on her walk.
Any advice would be welcomed. as this is the second incident, i would like to report her, but who to.
I won't be using her again.

You've bumped a 7 year old thread, and would be better off marking your own thread.

In theory your dog could have started a scrap and come off worse. Mine has been in several scraps with no blood drawn on either side - all just a lot of noise but there was no shaking etc - for that to be possible I'd expect there was a grip and therefore some marks!

The police won't be interested in any dog-v-dog incidents, only dog-v-human, and it'd be your word against hers about how it happened anyway. There's not much open to you except a shirty online review.

Broberts · 03/12/2022 19:09

Hi, sorry i didn't realise, its my first time on here and can't find how to delete

Luckyducker · 04/12/2022 14:51

I think dog walkers will soon be too expensive for daily use as more and more people are expecting them to cover vet bills that arise in the dog walker's care. Insurance for dog walkers will rise accordingly to cover the possibility of having to pay for many accidents and a lunchtime walk will be £30 to make it worth the dog walker's while.