Dog Park Bite (rated, property, company)

[VAFan]

Originally Posted by mcleanexec

If you let your dog "wrestle" with another strange do then there is a good chance someone will get bitten. Let me guess you would go Dirty Harry on the dog owner. So dont let you dog interact with other dogs in the dog park is that is your mentality.

What???? Put the glass down and try again.

[boyd888]

The best thing for you to do is let it go and move on with your life.

Since the other guy did not immediately offer to pay the $200 bill I can guarantee it will not be worth the headaches just to get $150 (after fees) back. I don't even know if you have a case - the other guy could just say your dog was being aggressive and his dog defended itself. Yes you can call witnesses and stuff, but this is small claims court over $200 not Matlock.

[tdiana]

So, thanks to everyone who actually replied with helpful advice without being rude. There are some things I just laughed at because they are ridiculous to me. Some of us pet owners actually think of our companions as family. My two pups are like my kids. A dog bite is not just a dog bite. Dog bites can actually be fatal. And who can control their young children 100% anywhere? Nobody. That is silly to say. If you want to compare dogs to human children, would you just let it go if your child got smacked in the face with a sharp object by another child in, say, a daycare? That parent would be livid I am sure and ready to take on legal action for the damages/medical bills.

For anyone who asked, there were other witnesses (a couple of regulars I see almost every evening) who saw that this man's dog bit mine in the face for no reason. My dog was not walking up to his or growling, playing, etc. This dog also went after another 2 dogs, at least. I understand he finally left when some lady flipped out at him for his dog going after hers.

I don't understand some people. If one of my dogs was at fault and injured another dog to the point they had to go to the vet, of course I would pay the bill!

And an update for anyone who cares, I finally reached the guy again and he claims it is his brother's dog. He asked me to email a copy of the vet bill and says his brother will take care of it. Crossing my fingers!

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by tdiana

I finally reached the guy again and he claims it is his brother's dog. He asked me to email a copy of the vet bill and says his brother will take care of it. Crossing my fingers!

Haha, the old "it's my brother's" dodge. Even if that were the case, who's responsible, the dog's owner or its handler?

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by tdiana

So, thanks to everyone who actually replied with helpful advice without being rude. There are some things I just laughed at because they are ridiculous to me. Some of us pet owners actually think of our companions as family. My two pups are like my kids. A dog bite is not just a dog bite. Dog bites can actually be fatal. And who can control their young children 100% anywhere? Nobody. That is silly to say. If you want to compare dogs to human children, would you just let it go if your child got smacked in the face with a sharp object by another child in, say, a daycare? That parent would be livid I am sure and ready to take on legal action for the damages/medical bills.

For anyone who asked, there were other witnesses (a couple of regulars I see almost every evening) who saw that this man's dog bit mine in the face for no reason. My dog was not walking up to his or growling, playing, etc. This dog also went after another 2 dogs, at least. I understand he finally left when some lady flipped out at him for his dog going after hers.

I don't understand some people. If one of my dogs was at fault and injured another dog to the point they had to go to the vet, of course I would pay the bill!

And an update for anyone who cares, I finally reached the guy again and he claims it is his brother's dog. He asked me to email a copy of the vet bill and says his brother will take care of it. Crossing my fingers!

I'm sorry you thought that people who disagreed with you were being rude. I have owned five dogs and have raised one child into adulthood and almost finished with my last one--so I've run the gamut of dogs, kids, and daycare. In fact, my youngest works at a "dog resort/dog daycare facility" right now. Let me tell, yes, dogs bite more than you think--especially when they are out of their home element and feeling skittish or insecure.

So many people want to anthropomorphize our dogs and many of them are very intelligent or human like. And some dogs love the socialization of dog parks and other dogs feel threatened by it. It does sound like this one particular dog didn't find the place "fun" at all and the owner should have left when he realized that.

That said, in a dog park situation I think you do open yourself up to that risk. Your further post indicated that they dog owner was being somewhat negligent and continue to allow his dog to be brutal, so in that case, you probably do have a leg to stand on if you want to pursue it. Your first post made me think that this was just some passing/random scuffle that led to a bite.

Where my son works, they separate the various dogs by their temperament (as reported by the animals' owners) and even then, with all precautions there are bites, scuffles, scratches and other incidents. It's interesting that there have been some rather severe bites, the affected owners have been pretty understanding about it and seem to know there are risks involved in doggy daycare.

I can give you all sorts of anectdotal stories about how my dogs have been bitten and, yeah, I was pissed and had to pay some vet bills but even though the other dog was the aggressor, I was in situations where my dog was off leash and not secured. I think when you do that, you have to accept the risk of what you might interact with.

[CAVA1990]

My two dogs were sisters and sometimes got into some pretty rough scuffles between themselves where I had to separate them with a broom or other long object to prevent myself from getting bitten. If I hadn't intervened it's possible one could have been seriously bitten. Dogs can be like that for no apparent reason.

[tdiana]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

I'm sorry you thought that people who disagreed with you were being rude.

I didn't think people were being rude just because they disagreed with me. I thanked everyone who gave helpful advice, that includes the people who suggested I not pursue a civil case. Everyone has their opinions about everything, and I respect that. I won't get mad just because someone thinks that the owner shouldn't take responsibility.

Mainly, the one who was rude about it said "Jesus......... Get over it....it's a dog bite. Dogs bite...if youre worried about it keep your dog at home."

I know there is risk to them being out. They were attacked in our neighborhood (they were on leash, the other dog wasn't) about 8 months back. Sometimes things happen, and I understand. I just feel an owner should be responsible for its pet at all times, no matter the place.

This thread has helped me sort out my thoughts. I was angry, so I wasn't rationalizing well. However I've decided if he (or his brother) doesn't pay it, they don't pay it and that is too bad. I get that it isn't worth wasting my time anyway.

[Carlingtonian]

I think point of differing perception in this thread is the meaning of the word "bite." Indeed, warning nips, which entail just a quick pinch of the outer fur, are not uncommon in dog parks. So I agree that bringing your dog to a dog park means there may be petty disagreements among the dogs, resulting in growls, nips, and barks.

But serious bites are another matter. If a dog is the type to seriously bite another dog, without being bitten first, then the dog is aggressive, and the owner should not bring such a dog to a dog park.

I agree with the OP that you've done about all you can do. I think that to prevail in small-claims court, you'd have to have photographic evidence and witness statements. It could be done, but it would be a lot of trouble. Sorry your dog had to endure this.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by tdiana

Some of us pet owners actually think of our companions as family. My two pups are like my kids.

While I agree with you (I have 4 "kids") the law does not. In the eyes of the law, pets are property. And while you should be able to recover the actual vet bill, it will require a lot of time and effort. There will never be any punitive damages considered, so I am not sure the effort is worth it for a couple hundred bucks.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by spencgr

In the eyes of the law, pets are property.

Only dogs but not cats I believe. We're their property.