[MeverikcNils]

So um, any sort of information will be of value here. Whether it's direct advice or just somewhere online that I could find further information or case law.

My dog, a german shepherd, attacked my neighbors dog, a terrier. The story we're being told is as follows.

Both of my dogs, the german shepherd and a bassett hound were in our neighbors yard playing with their dog. The woman who lives there said she saw it happen...but apparently my german shepherd was protecting my bassett hound(for what reason we don't know), and bit their dog somewhere around the head/neck region. The owner's took their dog to the vet where the vet provided medications for the dog that should had made the dog fine. They went on vacation within the same day or next and took the dog with them. While on vacation the dog wouldn't take the medicine and while out of town, they had to take the dog to another vet because infection was setting in and for some reason the dog required surgery.

This happened two weeks ago (about november 10th i believe she said) and she just called us tonight to inform us she had spoken with an attorney and sheriff etc.

Our dog has never attacked a human and has never viciously attacked another animal. She has bitten other dogs but it's never been an issue that required a vet or anything of that matter. She's peaceful to people and children and to most animals she encounters.

The deal is, the woman said the vet bills were going to cost ~$800 and i think she expects us to pay them. At best, i believe we'd be responsible for the medications and the visit to the vet the dog needed originally after the accident. the surgery that was a direct relation to the dog not being given the medicine would be outside of what we should be expected to cover right?

Opinions, advice, etc. Also, if you know of a website with information on this sort of subject or case laws within the US regarding Dog Vs. Dog. What i've looked into were a lot of dogs vs human but couldn't find much on D. V. D. So whatever you guys can come up with...if nothing else just what you think our responsibility should be. Thanks

[TZtrDuso]

You my friend should talk to a lawyer

[Essefsbyday]

You my friend should talk to a lawyer

Or a hitman

[DebtDetox]

tell her dog to stop being a wuss

but yeah a lawyer would probably be best

[exiceJetLip]

if she allowed your dogs in her yard, i dont see how she can sue you... but ya prolly talk to a lawyer.
________
Chrysler Valiant Charger

[videolkif]

Do they have any proof other than their word that your dog attacked theirs?

[Caunnysup]

IMO she was wrong to allow your dogs into her yard unsupervised by you or a member of your family.

She basically brought this on herself and as such, you should not be held accountable for something that your dog did whilst you were not in its presence, to supervise it.

If you had been present, or the attack had happened on your property with or without your knowledge, then she'd have a case against you to seek compensation.

But she invited this upon herself, dogs might be domesticated, but they are still wild animals and this still live by their instincts, those instincts include protecting kin, which in the case of the basset hound, the alsation would regard him/her as kin and thus act accordingly if they were threatened by another dog, child, adult etc.

[Dreaming]

One question I have is how your dogs got into your neighbors yard? Did you neighbors let them in? Did you let them in? Where are you dogs normally kept while your away?

[beatrisio]

This seems dumb to me... it's not like your dog wandered over to their property and then attacked the dog.

The dog was invited over to play, and ended up hurting the other dog, it happens... seriously. Dogs bite each other in play....

I mean, if I was at your house, and we were messing around, and I punched you in the face on accident, would you expect me to pay your medical bills? NO... so talk to a lawyer if you have to.. but i think there is no case.

[MeverikcNils]

im not really worried about it at all. it seems to me we'd at best be liable for some medications...and thats if we wanted to cooperate and be nice...but it seems like anything past the meds are their fault for not making the dog take the medications. i mean if you were in a car wreck and hit someone...and they had to have surgery on their head to stop bleeding...but they didn't...and then ended up paralyzed because they didn't have the surgery...you wouldn't be held accountable for the after issues. given that is a really out there analogy but its parallel to what happened. does anyone else see it as she wanting us to pay for something that would had been taken care of a lot easier if she had fallowed the original doctors orders?

most all of the time they're cabled in the back yard, but recently the bassett gave birth so we have let them both loose. i live in a major rural area where the dogs run around the neighborhood as they may. her dogs have been in our yard, other dogs run around, blahblah...its nothing new and we dont normally care. people walk down our road all the time and she will run out there to them and probably be bothersome to them but never attacked anything where there was a problem. i wish there were some sort of case law of a similar situation where i could just show it to them and be like this is how its going to end up. opinions seem just and everything but they could still want to take it to court and i just dont feel like messing with it. we have lawyers in the family that would be fine to talk to...it just seems like this woman doesn't really have a leg to stand on. continue with opinions and advice...and any written out websites concerning animal laws would be excellent.

[Yarmark]

If I did pay for anything at all, it would only be for the first vet visit. Of course a dog isn't going to be willing to take the medicine. That is why you basically have to shove it down their throats or mix in with the food.
The second visit was 100% unnecessary, 100% preventable, and 100% not your fault. Though paying some of it should keep a good neighbor to neighbor relationship, because if that disappears, you will never know what is going to happen next.

[VowJoyday]

Tell her you'll counter sue as your dog now likes the flavour of terrier and won't eat anything else, this has caused you and the dog undue stress as you've now got to chop up small dogs for it.

Otherwise I'm with nacho, if she didn't want the dog in there she might have a case but if she let the dog in there it's just as much her fault as the dogs.

[wowwieholmes]

This happened two weeks ago (about november 10th i believe she said) and she just called us tonight to inform us she had spoken with an attorney and sheriff etc.

If she contacted the police without speaking to you about it first then tell her to go suck your plums! Least, thats what I would do [yes]

[lopesmili]

Has your dog attacked/bitten other dogs before? If so id say you where partly responsible regardless wether you think its alright around people and children.

[Tzqowwyt]

I´m a Lawyer,.. yeah right
And my advise would be to kill your dog and bury your dog somewhere secretly,..
Then there´s nobody to blaim,..

What, a dog ?
I don´t have no dog !
But you know what sir, i saw my neighbor fulfilling sodomic sexaul practics with her dog.
Man i can tell you pretty sick **** !! Somebody needs to take that dog away !!

[yes]

[MeverikcNils]

as for the US "Dangerous Dog" label, my dog has never had any incident where law would even be considered necessary...except for when she was registered as a puppy. Like I said, dogs have played rough and she has even bit our bassett hound but its never been like a violent attack. at best she might feel threatened or territorial...but even when dogs come up in our yard and stuff she doesn't attack them but definitely plays with them.

[Chooriwrocafn]

You are responsible for keeping your animal under control at all times. I don't think you will find any State in the U.S. where this is not true. If you dog attacks another animal off your property you are very likely liable for it. You also could face some charges from the police. Here in Pennsylvania you would be in deep ****.


http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovusdogleashlaws.htm

[VowJoyday]

You are responsible for keeping your animal under control at all times. I don't think you will find any State in the U.S. where this is not true. If you dog attacks another animal off your property you are very likely liable for it. You also could face some charges from the police. Here in Pennsylvania you would be in deep ****.


http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovusdogleashlaws.htm

But what about if her dog started it , it's her word against his and the dogs can't give evidence as far as I know, unless there's a dog whisperer about.

[mr.supervideogoodfd]

id do what was said in that other thread.

and thats to bonk both dogs with you hand.

oh yeah and fist the owner

[makemoneyonli]

worse somes to worse, and they make you pay, slip her terrier some antifreeze, works best if you can make it look like it was leaking from your neighbors car, otherwise, a pellet gun will suffice