Is there shared responsibility in dogs attacks?

Reggie200

Hi guys,

Wondering if anyone can assist please.

My dog attacked another dog 6 months ago. The other dog had been repeatedly being going up to the side gate where my dogs were and using my garden as a toilet which drove m dogs beserk.

The owner of the other knowingly allowed there dog to do this and knew the reaction of my dogs. The other dog was always off lead with the owner being over 3o feet away.

On the day of the attack, my sitting room window was open briefly when this dog went into the garden and my dogs jumped out and attacked it 9 feet fron my front door and in my garden. Dogs by nature as we know are territorial. Unfortunately the other dog was injured.

I assisted the owner as much as possible and called the vet ahead.

After the dog was treated I paid the bill in full and notified the owner I deemed the matter closed.

Now, 6 months later the owner is demanding I pay an additional bill out of the blue as there were further complications as a result of the injury, threatening to call the dog warden over the event and threatening solicitors letters.

I believe the owner of the other dog should have some shared responsibility in the event as they knowingly allowed the dog to be offlead provoking my dogs.

I have settled the bill to cover 50% of the overall cost and believe the other owner should accept some responsibility here.

At the moment I simply don't have the money to pay the other 50% which I wasn't expecting, having thought the matter closed.

I have read the control of dogs act many times but are there times that the owner of the other dog should accept some responsibility / be liable to some of the costs as they I believe their actions contributed to the attack?

phill106

I wouldnt have thought you had any responsibility,as it was in your garden and the other dog was also off a lead.

Reggie200

Hi Phil106,

Thanks for your reply but I believe I do have some responsibility as it was my dog that attacked the other dog, regardless of where the event happened.

The dog was on my property with the owner totally aware and allowing it to do so , which is disrespectful but believe they should be partly responsible of the outcome of their actions.

Multipass

It was kind of you to pay anything, if the other dog was loose and on your property it was not your fault, or your dogs fault. I would point this out to the other owner, it’s ludicrous of him to ask for more. Lots of friendly, well trained dogs will attack another dog in their own garden, it’s not that unusual.

coathanger

I don’t believe you have any responsibility for the vets bill. The other dogs owner should have had his dog either under his full control or on a lead & not allow him access to other peoples gardens. I would be inclined to ring the dog warden myself & explain what happened & what you have paid to date … I think you will be surprised by his answer !!! I say this as a dog owner whose own dog was on lead dog was attacked by an off lead dog & 2 years on , we are still paying vet bills !!! The dogs owner has disappeared & hasn’t paid any vets bills …

The other dog was off lead, the owner is lucky you paid anything at all. His dog was unsupervised on your property. If you were on a farm you could have shot him!

Happened once when my dog and another were both off lead, the other dog jumped up on mine and he snapped, injuring the other dog. I went 50/50 with the other owner. Of course, we were out in public and both dogs were off lead. In your case I believe you have done enough, he's taking the pee

Reggie200

Hi Multipass,

Thanks for your message. The guy was quite intimidating and to put the issue to bed as quick as possible and because I believe it was the right thing to do as it was my dog that injured his dog, I paid the bill. If it had been my dog that came worse off who knows what way it would have gone.

Regardless, the owner still accepts zero responsibility for what happened and wants to report the event to the warden 6 months later as a direct result of my refusing to pay the new bill.

He dismisses my argument that his dog was offlead and it happened in my garden or the fact that his dog was using my garden as a toilet..

Shield

This is not appealing a warning, infraction or ban.

Discussion closed.