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This past weekend while walking through a grove of trees an unleashed dog approached me and my two beagles. I thought it might have been lost as I noticed a collar but no owner. Just a few moments later the elderly owner appeared and the dog immediately attacked one of my dogs. I was able to pull him off and he went instantly and attacked my other dog. I was able to wrestle the dog off finally. The owner simply picked up his dog's collar that had come off in the struggle, leashed him and went on his merry way. One of my dogs was bleeding from the face and ear. I called out to him demanding his name and number and he ignored me. I tried following him which he knew, and just went around in circles. Eventually I lost him when I went to use an emergency phone located on the college campus where this happened. The cop was unable to spot him walking. Later that night after talking to neighbors I discovered the guy lives in my neighborhood! AND this is the third incident of this nature. He paid their vet bill so they didn't press charges. I have pressed charges since I now know his name, number and address. The cop said he would just be fined for breaking the leash law. Can I sue for damages or anything else to make this ignorant pay? I know you can if it's a dog biting a person, but can you if it's a dog biting a dog?
The laws depend on your state. I know in some states they treat a dog attacking another animal just the same as if it had attacked a human. In other states it's more lax. Look into your states laws & find out where you stand. The police should have taken photos of your dog's injuries. If not, call them back and be polite but INSIST that you want this man persued for a Vicious and Dangerous Dog charge. If they will not ticket the man for the attact, contact your local ASPCA and explain the situation to them. If still nothing comes of the situation, just keep an eye out for the man and his dog & file a complaint any time you see the dog off leash. Unless your dog requires allot of expencive vet treatment, I wouldn't sue- It will cost you $$$ to get a lawyer & file all the papers. That's a call you will have to make though. Good luck with the whole thing & I hope your pups are ok. I can't stand folks that don't know how to control/properly contain their dogs. We had a dog come into our yard a kill, shred, obliterate my daughters little pet bunny- the brute tore the cage apart. Never found out who owned the dog.
i would pursue it through small claims court...... especially since you know his name and address..... when you win, he will also be liable for all court costs....
do what ever you can to make that owner responsible. that kind of person needs to be hit hard in his pocketbook as the rule of polite society sure don't impress on him. I hope your dogs are ok
I hope your dogs are okay and go to his house and leave a bill posted on his door and if he refuses to pay them then take him to small claims court . he is obviously ignorant and he only understands one thing money and being hit in the pocketbook . You cannot correct stupid. this guy is stupid .
Ignorant, and selfish, I can't even imagine someone doing this, even though I know those people are out there but sometimes you just can't believe it.
I would have to say depends on the state.
Our local vet, neglected our dog that had been run over, took her to a emergency clinic and it was to late, because of the neglect of her other vet, she was to far gone and full of infection, left for 3 days in a cage with just pain meds, and when we found out all of the things that were wrong with her that he neglected, well I was just sick...Esp. knowing this vet for 20yrs.
Anyhow we contacted a couple of different lawyers and they couldn't do any more than try to get what we had paid for her.
Dogs are considered property, like furniture or a house.
We didn't want money, it wouldn't bring her back we just wanted him to not be able to practice anymore, esp. because there were others who had past issues with him.. I didn't want him killing another dog, because he was to busy taking care of his yrd.. He actually told us this...
Sorry about your pups, sorry for the long post, it just kinda brought back some bad issues for myself...
Best of luck, and I hope you nail him!!!
I hope your dogs are okay and go to his house and leave a bill posted on his door and if he refuses to pay them then take him to small claims court . he is obviously ignorant and he only understands one thing money and being hit in the pocketbook . You cannot correct stupid. this guy is stupid .
Don't leave the bill posted on the door. Send a COPY of the bill certified mail with a letter demanding payment within 14 days. That way you have proof that you sent him the bill. If you simply put the bill on his door, you won't be able to prove to the judge that you asked for payment.
im sensitive to the issue of people walking their dogs in public without a leash. i always get angry when i see it. one time, my mother was walking our australian shepherd and maltese when a rottweiler came over for a fight. the australian shepherd quickly found herself in a position of fighting for her life and trying to protect my mother and the maltese while my mom is holding her by the leash. the owner pulled her dog away before any major damage was done, but it was a very scary experience and it shouldnt have happened.
it blows my mind that people will take their dogs out without a leash (outside of designated off leash areas), especially when they know their dogs are aggressive towards other dogs, which this guy obviously does.
i'd definitely pursue the criminal route but you should also try taking him to small claims court. make this as unpleasant as you can for him. maybe it'll teach him a lesson.
Moderator cut: orphaned part of post
Last edited by SouthernBelleInUtah; 10-31-2009 at 03:11 PM..
That happened to me too. My dog has been attacked 5 times in one year by 2 different dogs in out neighborhood. The only time I have ever heard my gentle golden actually growl is when another dog was biting his rear end.
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