My dog attacked the neighbours cat

[SappyStaffyMum]

Hi! I'm a bit stuck here and wondering if someone could or advise if this is actually legal!

My dog attacked the neighbours cat, they rushed it to the vet and thankfully it was ok just had an injection, metacam and a few days on house rest..

Obviously I paid the bill as I felt awful! But today the police came as she has reported my dog as dangerous and the police said they had to attend because she said it's an xl bully (he's a staffy lab cross) and she needs the crime reference for the insurance claim?

If I've paid her for the vets bill can she still do an insurance claim?

I'm a bit upset about it as I'm 17 weeks pregnant and obviously I could do with the money rather than her profiting from this horrible situation especially after attempting to get my dog seized and destroyed… and now sending me abusive texts about how he’s had the taste of blood and will attack my baby…

I think you were totally fair paying her vet bills, not sure you were legally responsible given the cat was in your garden but morally I would have done the same. I don’t think she should be looking for anything further. However I do agree entirely you need to think seriously about having this dog with a newborn. He may well be fine with children and only reactive to cats but it’s not a risk I’d be willing to take with my child, he could literally kill your baby if he decided he didn’t like the sound of their cry or they’re toddling and pull his tail etc… you do need to atleast consider rehoming him in an adult only household op.

Would not have that dog around a new born baby!

I find it very doubtful that the dog is now going to be a blood thirsty baby killer just because it attacked a trespassing cat. Many dogs have a high prey drive for small furries. Any hound could do this. I have a beagle. She runs after cats in the garden and pretty sure she'd have a go. She's an absolute sweet heart though. As with all dogs and children, any responsible owner does not leave them unsupervised together regardless of what kind of temperament they have.

In that case, she can make the insurance claim too. And pocket the cash from you. It would have been better to pay the vet bill direct.

The cat was in your garden, and ran. Your dog did a normal dog thing and chased it. It wasn't in a public place, so should not be considered dangerous out of control

A dog chasing a moving animal that it considers to be prey is not the same as a baby. While it is always wise to be cautious with dogs and babies, the tasting blood thing is bollocks.

I would block her at this stage. While I understand she is upset about her cat being hurt, she sounds like a trouble making shit stirrer.

Morally I think you did the right thing paying the bill. However if the cat had been run over do you think the driver would have paid? Doubtful. Probably wouldn't have even stopped. It's the risk you take when you let a cat out. The dog was protecting its territory and acting on instinct. Doesn't mean it's going to attack a baby.

The dog was on your own property and not out of control in public. So I doubt there's a legal case.

My dogs would (they’ve recently passed away) have definitely attacked a cat in their garden given the chance & they did attack a bird but no chance in hell would they have attacked a child or baby. Ridiculous comments by the cat owner and some above 🙄

My dog would do this is if a cat came into our garden. Not sure what you can do about that tbh.
And no, attacking a cat does not mean the dog will attack a child. There's a reason we have the saying 'fighting like cats and dogs'...
You did the right thing paying the vets bill. I don't see what more you could or should do.

In your position, I would have told her to keep her cat out of my garden and refused to pay a penny.

Dogs chase cats.

You keep your dog on a lead when s/ he's outside your property, as is your responsibility. And that's where your responsibility ends.

If her pet strays onto your property, obviously you'll do all you can to prevent an attack. But, seriously, are you expected to supervise your dog, or keep it indoors otherwise, just in case someone else's animal happens to stray onto your land!?

She is an entitled CF, and I can't believe she's now set the polis on you and is double-dipping for the vet costs.

If she's double dipping on vet costs, I'd be inclined to phone the vets and tell them just to be spiteful about her calling the police and lying about the dog breed. I'm sure her insurance company won't take too kindly.

The dog chased and caught a cat. Dogs have chased and caught cats for millennia. They are prey animals. That does not make them dangerous to humans. Anymore than a cat that takes a bird or a mouse would be dangerous to have around.

How does chasing a cat mean the dog is going to automatically attack a baby. I'm sure op would be careful with the dog and the baby, as you would with any dog and baby as they're animals but it's insane how many people are telling you to re-home the dog because of it. Especially because it was in your own garden - I hope you're okay op it sounds like an upsetting situation

Most terriers will chase and attack cats. It did exactly what it was bred for. Your dog was contained on your property and the cat shouldn't have been there. You didn't actually have to pay, cats roam and you take the chance that they may be hit by cars or attacked by other animals. The only way of keeping them safe is to keep them in. There is no action she can take against you.

This

There's no need to worry about your dog around your baby on the basis of this. Plenty of dogs will chase a cat if they aren't socialised with cats, especially if that cat is on their property. It has no relation to their behaviours towards humans.

Paying the vets bill was a kindness. I'd be inclined to let her know that you've informed the vets that you have paid the bill so there is no need for an insurance claim. Whether you actually tell the vets or not is neither here nor there, but should be enough to stop her trying to profit out of it, unless she intends to give you your money back.

Two words
Insurance fraud

I wouldn't worry about your dog. But I don't think any responsible dog owner leaves babies or children alone with their pets, no matter how trusted. My dog is so good, loves kids. Hates cats and killed a rat once. I don't leave him alone with toddler nephew.

Chasing a cat and attacking and shaking it are two entirely different things. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats that happily live together and my dogs occasionally chase one of the cats but neither have ever attacked or shook any of them. I wouldn't trust any dog with a new baby but particularly this dog who attacked a cat. If a baby cries and annoys it how do you know it won't attack and shake your baby. Plenty of babies and small DC gets mailed and killed every year by dogs. I've never heard of a cat attacking and killing a baby. After a child has been attacked dog owners always say I never thought my dog would hurt a child.

My very gentle dog once chased a cat in our garden, she almost got hold of him, thankfully he escaped with a fright. I don’t think she would have shaken him but just grabbing him could have injured a leg etc. She hadn’t chased a cat before, she hasn’t chased one since. Many dogs, especially sight hounds and terriers, really enjoy chasing and can get carried away. I knew a Border terrier and a Fox terrier who had both killed more than one cat in each of their gardens. My friend’s lurcher regularly caught and killed rabbits. None of these dogs ever attacked a person, or even another dog.

If OP has paid the bill and she is claiming on the insurance as well this is fraud.

I see the mn drama group is out.. I have 3 Lurchers. And 2 dcats.. Which they love. If a ndn dcat came in my garden the dcat would be mince.
The same ddogs adore my dc and have for a decade.. Without lifting a lip or showing a tooth.

A dcat trespassing isn't a baby ffs...

Totally different situation. Just because s dog has prey drive it absolutely does not mean it’s going to attack babies.

OP, you've done the right thing in paying the vets bill and that should be the end of it. I'm assuming the Police aren't taking any action, especially as your dog was in your garden. Dogs will chase cats, even my softie who lives with cats. He accepts our own but not 'strangers'. In no way would he attack a person, baby, child. But, no one can say for sure what any dog will do in any given situation.

Bloody cat owners need to take responsibility for their pets. You are not unreasonable!

Ignore all the drama queens going on about having the dog near a baby! The dog chased a cat that was in his territory ( completely normal behaviour).

I really didn’t want this to go down the route it’s going, of course I will never leave him alone with a newborn or child but he’s never shown any aggression towards humans or other animals ever.

i was just genuinely enquiring if she can legally accept payment off me and still claim from her or my insurance too? Do you think a vets would tell me if I actually asked the details of another persons bill?

its been very stressful and I’ve taken advice to block her straight away…

All the hysterical ‘the dog will eat the baby’ brigade are out as usual!

Dogs will chase cats, they’ve done this since the start of time. The cat was in his garden so even more likely! You’ve paid the bill op, I would try & forget about it if you can.