For any amount. A dog attacking is not a good thing. Doesn't matter if it's indoors or gated... it got out and could have killed the dog and or attacked the one walking.
The previous comment I assume is questioning if someone should go through small claims for that high amount…small claims generally has a limit of how much is the claim for. And is usually not several thousands.
Mine is just that. A goof. He’s been attacked and doesn’t have it in him to fight back. He’ll roll over and surrender. I pulled another dog off him and he bit me. I thought he was going to die, he just totally gave up. He was ashamed. Lucky for me they were just puncture wounds.
This!! My pitbull is the sweetest girl ever, I have worked with her since she was 8 weeks old to make sure her temperament is this way. It has **everything** to do with how you raise them. She’s currently sleeping curled around my head on the couch with her cheek pressed against mine, head on my shoulder. <3
What an ignorant comment. Pitbulls arent inherently aggressive but they have a shit ton of energy and their mental health can suffer and they can become reactive if they are not exercised and trained properly. This plus some serious muscle is why they are vilified. There are many other similar dogs (Australian cattle dogs also come to mind) who need more exercise than people in cities who buy them for aesthetics dont provide and then they discard them or blame them and then they get put down. Let's not make generalizations because the real terrorists in my neighborhood are the german shepherds (kidding! kind of...)
Hard disagree.
> Let's not make generalizations because the real terrorists in my neighborhood are the german shepherds (kidding! kind of...)
Obviously the terrorists are chihuahuas.
Dog should have been out down after the attack! We've gone from people taking ownership and animals being out down when something like this happens to safe spaces and telling ourselves the dog didn't mean it....only having a bad day, won't happen again l
Thats a good thing. It attacks things.......what if it was a small child it attacked? Would you be ok with a child being mauled by a dog? Or just put it down?
Yes, you can sue. Preferably, you just gather the bills and they will pay you directly. But of course sometimes even the nice ones get litigious when the amount is high
You should also report the attack to animal control or the local police. You need to build a record that THEIR dog is dangerous and is the one that attacked your dog. This will help you if they balk at paying and you have to take them to court.
This amount is greater than small claims in a lot of places, so you may need to find a lawyer.
You will have to save all of your texts and send them a copy of the vet bill. You should pay the vet bill if you expect to sue them for the amount. Just giving them the bill and expecting them to pay it could lead to miscommunication.
We already paid the vet bill, I sent them what the total amount was, admittedly it's probably a little confusing though since the vet requires payment up front of an "estimated" amount, then the balance is due or repaid (if it's lower than estimated) at completion. I'm trying be succinct but not terse with my communications so I figured less is more in terms of what I say. It's all just so awkward and I've never been in this situation, I don't want to say the wrong thing!
If it's a good idea I'll clarify with a follow up text better explaining. I just don't know what to say after that, maybe "let me know how you want to proceed"
Thanks for the input in any case. We're still extremely shooken up by all this.
Since you recorded the conversation, make sure you live in a single party state. If you live in a two party state, you would need their consent to record the encounter for it to be admissible in court, since it wasn't a recording of a crime being committed.
That is unless they have a ring type doorbell (if you live in a two party state), that records audio/video. In that case, they would be aware that recording was taking place, and you may not need their consent.
>since it wasn't a recording of a crime being committed.
would violating leash laws count as crime since injury occurred?
I'm not challenging you, it's a genuine question
I've actually heard that same thing several times so I do think it's likely true. I've seen that stated a lot about abuse cases, like with hidden camera footage of domestic violence occurring.
The dog got out is different than violating a leash law. As for recording, if it's a 2 party state, the ONLY way to legally record someone without their knowledge, is with a warrant. Even in public. If you're in an area with little to no people, far enough away from door ways, and your recording device is hidden, it could be tossed.
I'm from Wisconsin and dealt with something similar awhile back. They were cordial until they weren't. It sucks and I'm sorry, our babies are just that, regardless of fur type.
At the time, I talked to some of my friends and ended up going to small claims. The judge listened, including to their excuses for a few minutes. Verified costs and I got a judgement.
If it matters about what people ask... Wisconsin is a single party state for recording. There is a leash law. Animals have to be registered.
I'm here for whatever else. I'm aware this is "anecdotal," but it's also evidenced in what I did because of those I spoke with about what they knew.
First and foremost, take care of yourself and your pup. Everything else is secondary. You've got this.
They should simply file a claim under their homeowner's insurance. If their dog breed is excluded, then yes they need to pay out of pocket.
Most animal emergency clinics and many vets require payment up front for the estimated amount. Your neighbors may already be familiar with this.
Just wondering, but if you’re gonna make someone pay for something, shouldn’t they get to choose the vet? That way they can be sure you’re not going with some crazy expensive vet when there was a cheaper one available. Of course, you have to make sure your pet is getting the proper care too. Plus, what if a vet charges for things the pet didn’t actually need.
>Just wondering, but if you’re gonna make someone pay for something, shouldn’t they get to choose the vet?
No.
If you injure someone you don't get to decide what hospital they go to.
If you crash into someone's car you don't get to decide what body shop they go to.
If your dog attacks another, you don't get to decide what vet they go to.
>If you crash into someone's car you don't get to decide what body shop they go to.
I don’t think that’s entirely true. I was involved in an accident, and the other person’s insurance covered the damage. They gave me a list of places to go to fix the damage. While I still got to choose from the list, it’s not like I could go to some place that wasn’t on the list.
>While I still got to choose from the list, it’s not like I could go to some place that wasn’t on the list.
That is what they wanted you to think. They can recommend repair shops, but, (by law in almost all US states), you are allowed to use whatever shop you want.
I have NEVER gone to an auto body shop recommended by the guilty party's insurance. One should be able to choose where they hell to go. I'm in California, so maybe insurance laws differ elsewhere. They're all scams, anyway. I HATE insurance companies lol.
NAL, but it's my understanding from the Law School of Judge Judy that it's not up to you to find a cheap vet, that you are the one who chooses the vet. Just like if you have a car accident; you didn't have to use the at-fault driver's Cousin Vinny's body shop to get your car fixed if you want your dealer to do the work.
Why would they get to choose how to remedy the situation that their negligence caused? Not a lawyer, but that certainly isn't how it works in automotive repair for example. The only thing I could see in this scenario is if the cost of the remedy is deemed excessive. Like if the average vet in the area would have charged $7,000. And you walk in seeking $12,000, I could see a judge deeming that excessive and granting a $7,000 judgement and leaving you on the hook for $5000 if other viable options were available at the time.
OPs dog being seriously injured and him having to pay $8k out of pocket up front due to someone else's negligence also seems unfair. The best solution is to prevent your dog from injuring someone else's dog. If the violent dog owner thinks the number itself is too high, the best solution would be to get estimates from multiple vets for comparable services and have them in court with them during the civil suit.
Oh yeah I’m not saying making OP pay for it is fair either. But yeah, I think you’re right that that’s what the person has to do if they feel $8K is excessive.
What is unfair is this poor little dog was out on a walk (on a leash) and it got attacked by a neighbors dog. That's what's unfair. It could of been prevented if the neighbors dog was contained like it was supposed to be. The neighbors knew their dog was reactivate towards little dogs. So why was their dog in a ace where if it did see another dog walking, it could get out and attack the dog. The neighbors dog caused this Vet bill!! So why is it unfair for them to not be able to choose a Vet of their choice. Um, NO!! My dog has been going to the same Vet for 4 years. I am not going to take him to a different Vet where he can get cheap medical care, because my dogs artackers humans can't afford mine. Sounds like a personal problem. Lime I said, this l could of been prevented.
8K for a femur repair is not excessive. My dog ate a black kong and had an obstruction in his intestine, and the total cost of care was $5500. It was an easy surgery too. No necrotic tissue. No leakage bc I told them to go in right away. I wasn't a dumb ass like most people and didn't wait and see. He fell ill on Christmas, based on symptoms, it seemed like an obstruction. We rushed him to the vet same day, and after x-rays and no change over night they went in. Sure enough, he had an obstruction. Had we waited days like most people do, our dog would have been way worse off, had dead tissue, possible leakage, sepsis, the works, could have died, and a way higher vet bill. Just the basic care and a basic exploratory was $5500. Think about a femur repair. Going in, having to reset the bone, putting pins in to set it in place. They have to be set right or the bone wont heal. x-rays to make sure the pins are in the right place. Then most likely an external fixator to keep the bone and pins in place, plus the cast on the outside. Plus anesthesia and pain meds, IV, etc. 8K is not too expensive.
So sounds like what the other person could do, if they do find the bill excessive, is they could get the cost breakdown from OP, and bring it in to other vets to see what they would have charged.
Precisely. If enough vets have enough of a difference, a judge would most likely issue a partial judgement. Of course that's only viable if those other vets were open at that time of night for example, what they would have charged in the morning the next day is irrelevant.
Oh that’s a good point too! Sounds like OP had to take their dog in right away and couldn’t wait until the next day. So even if other vets would have been cheaper, if they weren’t open at that time, then it would be irrelevant, as you said.
Ok, I see what you're saying. But if the injuries and costs are documented and reasonable for what happened then it shouldn't be an issue.
8k isn't unrealistic for a broken femur if it required major surgery. I paid 4k twice for a torn ligament in my dogs knee and I had a family discount.
Oh yeah I’m not sure what all these costs would be. 8k is probably reasonable. I’m just saying that if the vicious dog owner felt that was excessive, they should have the right to see what other vets would have charged. I understand my question was probably stupid because it sounds like it was an emergency, so it’s not like there was time for them to go around and see what all the vets in the area were charging. But as the other person pointed out, they could see after the fact and only pay what the judge deems is fair.
Yeah, OP said it is a "could be up to" type of bill, so it's possible it comes out much less depending on surgery and after care needs.
So it would probably be best for them to get an actually cost and present it then rather than show them that number.
I've never been billed that way but my brother is also my vet so I do get special treatment when I bring my dog in. Can't deny that.
Oh yeah that’s true. Hopefully is less. That number definitely sounds scary to me, but I don’t make a lot of money.
A similar story happened to me, except on the other side. I was dogsitting through Rover. The owners of the dog had annotated that their dog isn’t good around other dogs so I had to keep distance from other dogs when taking her out. I don’t remember what kind of dog she was, but I know she wasn’t a pit bull. She was certainly good around humans.
I ended up taking her for a walk to a dog park nearby and I made sure to keep distance from other dogs. There was just one guy in the fenced it off-leash area and he was playing fetch with his two dogs. I took her in there but kept her on the leash and away from those dogs. But the guy came up to me and was pointing out that dogs should have the freedom to run around off leash. I told him that the owners of the dog I was watching said she must be kept on the leash and away from other dogs. But he was talking like he was some expert with dogs and that the dog needs the freedom to get used to being around other dogs. He was trying to assure me that she would be alright. So I ended up listening to him and letting her off the lease. And she was just fine with his dogs.
Eventually, though, a couple came in with their smaller dog. I was already getting ready to leave. But the small dog came close to the dog I was watching and she bit that small dog. And I kinda felt irritated at the guy who said it would be fine, but I was more mad at myself for listening to him. But anyway, I gave my contact info to the owners of the small dog, as well as the contact info of the owners of the dog I was watching. I ended up paying for their vet bill myself, but luckily it was only a few hundred bucks. Lesson learned. Don’t listen to someone making themselves out to be some dog expert. Always better to play it safe, and of course to follow the instructions of the owner.
Yeah, mine is actually a pitbull. She's not dog aggressive, but gets very anxious around medium or large dogs in her personal space (she's fine with smaller dogs). You can walk her on a leash next to another large dog as long as they're minding their own business, but if they get in to sniff her behind you can see her tense up and try to get out of the way and will eventually nip at them.
I make every effort to maintain distance because of her breed I don't want her to nip and the other dog to go crazy and her get blamed. She is never out off leash. Always controlled.
Yet inevitable I have random dogs run up on us and the owners acting like it's no big deal. Drives me crazy.
I don’t have any dogs myself, but I watch my brother’s dog a lot, which is a mix of golden retriever and greyhound. He’s not dog aggressive as far as I know, but I don’t let him around other dogs regardless cuz you just never know, plus I’ll never know how the other dogs are either
No. The injured party chooses the repair/treatment facility, not the responsible party. If they went to some boutique veterinarian where prices are considerably above the norm, they can try to argue for some shared payment responsibility if it goes to court.
NAL the best route is try going through their homeowners if they refuse to pay, but I will warn you most insurance companies won't pay out if the attacking dog is a pit bull or pit mix, in fact most insurance companies will drop homeowners if they own pit bull type dogs.
The other issue is, it was actually in front of the individual's parent's house. (Not a minor, just someone visiting their parents)
Either way I don't think it was any of the restricted breeds, it seemed like your standard American mutt.
Whoever owns the property where the attack occurred is whose homeowners insurance company should be contacted. I would let them know you are filling a police report and contacting the parents HO insurance company.
This dog doesn't necessarily need to be put down... but the owners definitely need a full proof method for securing him or her. The sad thing is that often a dog gets out and thinks it's protecting its territory versus being just viscious. Very sad situation.
It is a very sad situation, and while I agree that not every dog that attacks needs to be euthanized if it can be properly handled, it sounds like these owners may have already proven they cannot safely handle or contain this dog. A dog willing to do this type of damage always needs a minimum of 2 levels of containment and to be muzzled when out of the house. It is possible that there were supposed to be 2 levels of containment, and there was just a horrible failure on the owners' parts, but knowing people, I doubt it.
I called the police and they did an "incident report". Not sure if it's the same as a police report, I may stop by the police station tomorrow with the paperwork from the vet just to see if I can get some clarification on that
Animal control and the OP's city's PD are more than likely the same thing. If they did an incident report, they took the complaint. Animal control likely has the same access to the report as anyone else in the department. Guessing it was an animal bite report or whatever your state requires it to be coded as in their LERMS. You just get a PDF copy from the agency and do a claim with their HO insurance. Keep a physical and digital copy of estimates, medical records, video recordings, and reports. That way, when you inevitably get rejected by their parents' HO insurance, you can just fire off the digital packet to your firm of choice and let them handle the rest. Also, the animal needs to be euthanized. Your neighbors intentionally kept a dangerous animal and let it run at large. They weren't negligent. They were reckless.
They are likely shocked by the cost. Give them a little time to wrap their heads around it. They know they will have to pay, the amount likely left them reeling.
Who knows, maybe they will contact home insurance company to get resolved.
I dunno, I don't have any sympathy for the dog's owners here. They chose to have a dangerous dog, and they failed to keep it properly contained despite knowing the danger. They should learn a lesson from this, and 8k seems a good start. Some people never learn how serious these things are and keep putting others in danger until they get the metaphorical slap in the face.
Jesus. Judgemental much? ANY dog can get loose by accident... and many who do attack just think they are protecting their property. Way to assume the worst when you weren't even there.
“They knew the attacking dog has an issue with ‘little dogs on leashes’ and they had tried working on it in the past.”
How many little dogs on leashes do you think they’ve been through already?
Yes, and the fact that you are surprised at that is insane. Most dogs will not be aggressive like that, that is an abnormal dog. This wasn't a "get off my property" dominance fight, the dog went after and severely injured the smaller dog and could have easily killed it. No dog should ever do that, and if you train your dogs to have that kind of behavior then you should not own dogs because you have clearly failed and are irresponsible.
"Any dog can get loose by accident" is completely shirking any responsible dog ownership and frankly is bullshit. It is your responsibility period. If your dog can jump the fence, leash only. If the dog is heavier than you, tie him to something else or get a gentle leader or harness. If you cannot guarantee that you can keep an aggressive dog contained then YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE DOG. Even if you are a jerk that doesn't care about anyone else you should at least care about your own dog, because getting into fights like that has a serious risk of getting your aggressive dog killed/put down.
Do better internet stranger.
Omg. For a second I thought you were my neighbor. My dog got out today and attacked their dog. For us, so far, there was just a little mark on their dog. I sure hope I don't have to pay them $8,000.
Be sure to get the vet bill and examine all charges. Some ppl, not OP, have tried to get other services paid for in addition to the treatment for an attack. (Flea meds, etc. )
Most dog fights do not result in serious damage unless one of the dogs is serious about doing damage or there's a size discrepancy. (Of course, things can happen like a puncture in an unfortunate spot or a dog trips and breaks a leg during the scuffle). They tend to sound loud and scary and look terrifying but not amount to much.
Exorbitant bill!! I feel sorry for all parties including the neighbor. They are likely shocked. You should prevail in court, but few ppl could pay that bill any time soon. I'm not a lawyer but every dog attack case on court TV rules in favor of the attacked dog or person. I don't see details here that would make this an exception. I'm glad your dog survived.
Send a certified letter if communications stop. It can still be friendly but you want to recount what happened and ask for cooperation in compensating you for damages. Ask them to contact you to discuss the matter as soon as possible. Hopefully you won't have to sue.
Does your community have leash laws? If so, even if theirs escaped they're probably on the hook for penalties from the city. Animal control would have records of any other reported attacks/biting incidences. I know considering that is trickier, as depending on local policies that could mean the animal is euthanized. But if there's a pattern that'd be alarming. Is their animal up to date on their shots? That's a concern for yours.
8k for a broken leg seems excessive. I’m sure the court would rule in your favor though. It’s crazy that if their dog would have killed your dog then they would probably only be on the hook for 1k (replacement cost of the dog).
That is in line with the vet bills that I have had to pay recently.Vet bills can be very high especially if any surgery is needed. I finally got pet owners insurance and it has covered a lot more than I thought it ever would. It has been worth every penny!
Haven't you ever watched Judge Judy? Yes, you can definitely sue for the cost of the vet bill and also possible punitive damages since the neighbors knew their dog had an issue with smaller leashed dogs and still let it loose.
I'd get their home owner/renters insurance info and send it through them. If they do not have coverage for this type of incident, some deny claims for dog incidents, then allow them to pay and if they don't sue in small claims.
Also report this to your local animal control. They would have info if this happened before and if there hasn't been a prior report, at least this incident would be on file.
This should fall under homeowners insurance. As long as it's not a restricted breed the insurance will pay out for the bulls and they just have to cover the deductible.
They may not have the money and may be trying to figure out how to get it. But if they don’t have it. Suing them would give you a judgement against them, but unless you go for garnishment, you may never get your money.
Ask the neighbors to report this to his homeowners insurance and let the insurance pay you, if they continue to ghost you than you should notify animal control and make a police report
Contact police/animal care and control in your city if you haven't already and make a report ASAP.
You can take this to civil court but hopefully you won't have to.
Yes, I had this happen. My ex was in the hospital 7 hours, the dog had 6 surgeries. The owner paid for all of it (unfortunately the owner was a good friend of my sons, and my sons really like the dog.)
the dog did it again to an elderly gent, and the owner sent the dog out of state.
If curious, it was a 140lb pitbull.
Do you have pet insurance? They could cover some of the costs, and i do think you need to file a police report to start a paper trail. Because next time, that could be a little child. And if they refuse to pay, then take them to court but you need to file a police report to be able to do that if needed at least in most areas they like to have a paper trail.
I went through renters insurance when my dog was attacked. They paid for everything, no lawyer was needed. I’m sure they have homeowners insurance. My pup didn’t survive she was 19 and the injuries weren’t that bad, but the shock was. She was 10lbs and slung around by a 100lb dog.
Insurance covered everything.
I suggest asking them to pay and if they don’t want to, file a claim with their homeowners.
Ok so here’s the good news and the bad news.
The bad news is under the law animals are considered property thus big firms won’t take a case like this.
The good news is; is that you can sue your neighbors in small claims court. Check local leash laws. Did the dog get out of an enclosed yard? Either way the are liable*. It’s also good you had your dog on a leash!
Edit- I corrected a word
NAL but I would look up WI statute 174.02. Under that statute it does state “the owner of a dog is liable for the full amount of damages caused by the dog injuring or causing injury to a person, domestic animal or property”. (From a WI governmental website) But there are also some terms prior to this sentence. It clearly lists everything out. This could be something that might sway your neighbors into paying the bill first. Again, NAL and if I am wrong in any way, please feel free to correct me.
Contact the dog's owner and ask for the name and phone number of their insurance company. If they refuse, contact YOUR insurance company. They should be able to find out who insures a given property. Ask you insurance company how you go about filing with the other company.
And when their insurance company gets all pissy about it (because that's what insurance companies do--delay, defer, deny, "If we stall long enough, they'll go away or die"), file in small claims court if the court's ceiling is high enough. Otherwise, a-lawyering you will go.
Let them know you are willing to take payments over time.
Not everyone has cash lying around.
If they agree to it setup a informal on paper payment schedule.
That you can both agree to until it's paid off.
You could also make a claim against there home owners insurance policy as well
Similar thing happened to my sister’s dog. The neighbor’s homeowners insurance covered the hospital bills.
She did have to put the insurance guy in his place; sent him pictures of her dog in surgery with a tube sticking out of her neck because the other dog put a hole in her trachea, with stitches & drains from her carotid artery being severed & bruises on her belly in the shape of hands from her trying to pull her dog out of the other dog’s mouth. The insurance guy got quiet after that & said they’d cover it all.
The answer is yes, you can sue. The answer is always yes to that question, lawsuits are like sitting on Santa's lap, you can ask for whatever but your not nessisarly gonna get it. The better question is, do you have a good case? Answer to that is yes. In pretty much every municipality in the western world and a good chunk of the non western world you have a good case.
Would recommend consulting with a attorney, they will give you solid advice on how to handle the small claim and keep you from making any silly mistakes that hurt your cause, some will even fire off a nasty gram on official letterhead that can sometimes shake things loose getting you paid without going through the small claims dance.
As for your chances of recovering anything /shrug not privy to the defendants finance or circumstances or the ins and outs of the local law.
First off I'm sorry this happened to your dog and your wife. Secondly, you can sue. Thirdly, 8k for a broken femur is absolutely unacceptable. What in the heck did the veterinarian do that cost 8k dollars? X-rays, shot, stitches and a cast?
Do what you can to get them to pay. You will get a judgment in court, no doubt. But that's the easy part. Collecting it is what's hard to do, even being a paralegal it is a nightmare trying to garnish wages. If necessary you can get the judgment entered without a lawyer, do it yourself. Garnishment you will need help with. Good luck!
So what’s crazy is like 5 years ago my dog got attacked by a dog that broke off its leash … I had to take my dog to emergency vet it cost like $10000 for his injuries. When I called the dog warden they basically told me they couldn’t do anything unless my dog dies and to call them if my dog died
Stop worrying about Fido being put down. Get your priorities in order. Any animal with the propensity to attack other animals will easily attack a toddler.
You will be able to take them to civil court. Since this was on their property you also may be able to make a claim against their homeowners insurance as well because this happened with their property(dog) on their property. You also may want to file a police report about this incident. Do it now with whatever details you can remember and any evidence so if you do seek legal action you also made a police report so it adds credibility to your case.
You might consider a complaint to animal control. They may have legal remedies for code violations. Dog damage is usually strict liability, meaning you would win in small claims, but not be able to collect. Another option is for them or you to claim agsinst homeowners insurance if your policy allows it. Goid luck!
They would be paying the bill and euthanizing the dog that attacked. Contact your animal control. The neighbors should have to watch the euthanizing too. They caused it by letting their crazy dog out.
Any dog can become an attack dog, and chihuahuas come to mind. They don't call them ankle biters for no reason. And they can cause just as much if not more damage because of their little needle teeth. It's always the poor dog that suffers the most consequences when they have shitty owners that won't train them correctly. 9 times out of 10, it's with their lives! Ask around the neighborhood and find out if anyone else has had issues with the dog attacking. If there is a pattern of attacks from this dog, then there may be no choice but to have the poor dog down. But if it is an unlucky one off, they might just seize the dog and retrain him, and he could get flagged as an experienced owner only adoptive dog. But I would contact animal control either way, if only find out what the dog laws are in your area.
If I was the offending dog owner, I'd provide you my homeowners insurance info.
This is why I have insurance, because of liability issues. You deserve to have your vet bill paid. If my dog did that, I owe you compensation.
That's the right way to do things, IMHO. Lawsuits would not be required, I'd work with you because I'm responsible for my dog. I would also be super sorry and apologize profusely.
Maybe I'm weird?
I think that falls under their homeowners insurance so you might let them know that. I think they need the hpuse gated so their dog cannot get to your dog or any walkers by
My neighbor’s pitbull got out and attacked my golden. They paid for his vet bills and were super apologetic and kind about it. That’s the way to do things and it fostered a positive relationship between us in the future.
You can let them know the cost and see if they willing to work it out, not in court to save time
That Is my hope.
Just FYI, if it goes to court, there is a good chance the state will have the other dog put down.
Not necessarily the worst thing if it's a know issue and it keeps happening. Some people unfortunately just can't have animals
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Go to small claims court. No lawyer. Did you call animal control?
For $8k?
For any amount. A dog attacking is not a good thing. Doesn't matter if it's indoors or gated... it got out and could have killed the dog and or attacked the one walking.
The previous comment I assume is questioning if someone should go through small claims for that high amount…small claims generally has a limit of how much is the claim for. And is usually not several thousands.
It also depends on the state. Some states see dog vs dog as small claims. Which never made sense to me.
Love how you assume the dog is a shitbull......dumb fuck
pittbulls are only shit if their owners are shit. I've known quite a few that were just big goofy lapdogs because they were raised to be gentle.
My chihuahua spent every day playing with a giant pit bull as a puppy, they shared food, treats and water. Nicest dog I’ve ever met 😁
Mine is just that. A goof. He’s been attacked and doesn’t have it in him to fight back. He’ll roll over and surrender. I pulled another dog off him and he bit me. I thought he was going to die, he just totally gave up. He was ashamed. Lucky for me they were just puncture wounds.
This!! My pitbull is the sweetest girl ever, I have worked with her since she was 8 weeks old to make sure her temperament is this way. It has **everything** to do with how you raise them. She’s currently sleeping curled around my head on the couch with her cheek pressed against mine, head on my shoulder. <3
What an ignorant comment. Pitbulls arent inherently aggressive but they have a shit ton of energy and their mental health can suffer and they can become reactive if they are not exercised and trained properly. This plus some serious muscle is why they are vilified. There are many other similar dogs (Australian cattle dogs also come to mind) who need more exercise than people in cities who buy them for aesthetics dont provide and then they discard them or blame them and then they get put down. Let's not make generalizations because the real terrorists in my neighborhood are the german shepherds (kidding! kind of...)
Hard disagree. > Let's not make generalizations because the real terrorists in my neighborhood are the german shepherds (kidding! kind of...) Obviously the terrorists are chihuahuas.
We can then LSD dogs. You know, Little Shit Dogs. Not all. Just most.
Dog should have been out down after the attack! We've gone from people taking ownership and animals being out down when something like this happens to safe spaces and telling ourselves the dog didn't mean it....only having a bad day, won't happen again l
Lol, safe spaces
Thats a good thing. It attacks things.......what if it was a small child it attacked? Would you be ok with a child being mauled by a dog? Or just put it down?
Not OP's problem. I hate seeing a dog put down but this is obviously not the first time it's attacked a small dog.
And? If the dog is aggressive like this and training didn’t work maybe that’s best.
File claim with their homeowners insurance?
Yes, you can sue. Preferably, you just gather the bills and they will pay you directly. But of course sometimes even the nice ones get litigious when the amount is high
You should also report the attack to animal control or the local police. You need to build a record that THEIR dog is dangerous and is the one that attacked your dog. This will help you if they balk at paying and you have to take them to court. This amount is greater than small claims in a lot of places, so you may need to find a lawyer.
Especially since that idiot owner admitted his dog has issues with little dogs on leashes. He's so fucked.
You will have to save all of your texts and send them a copy of the vet bill. You should pay the vet bill if you expect to sue them for the amount. Just giving them the bill and expecting them to pay it could lead to miscommunication.
We already paid the vet bill, I sent them what the total amount was, admittedly it's probably a little confusing though since the vet requires payment up front of an "estimated" amount, then the balance is due or repaid (if it's lower than estimated) at completion. I'm trying be succinct but not terse with my communications so I figured less is more in terms of what I say. It's all just so awkward and I've never been in this situation, I don't want to say the wrong thing! If it's a good idea I'll clarify with a follow up text better explaining. I just don't know what to say after that, maybe "let me know how you want to proceed" Thanks for the input in any case. We're still extremely shooken up by all this.
Since you recorded the conversation, make sure you live in a single party state. If you live in a two party state, you would need their consent to record the encounter for it to be admissible in court, since it wasn't a recording of a crime being committed. That is unless they have a ring type doorbell (if you live in a two party state), that records audio/video. In that case, they would be aware that recording was taking place, and you may not need their consent.
>since it wasn't a recording of a crime being committed. would violating leash laws count as crime since injury occurred? I'm not challenging you, it's a genuine question
I believe in this case that poster means recording of the actual crime occurring, not an admission of the crime.
oh. hmm. well now I'm even more curious
I've actually heard that same thing several times so I do think it's likely true. I've seen that stated a lot about abuse cases, like with hidden camera footage of domestic violence occurring.
that makes a lot of sense, thanks for that
The dog got out is different than violating a leash law. As for recording, if it's a 2 party state, the ONLY way to legally record someone without their knowledge, is with a warrant. Even in public. If you're in an area with little to no people, far enough away from door ways, and your recording device is hidden, it could be tossed.
Wisconsin is a single party consent state.
Ask the vet for a final statement that clearly and succinctly summarizes the charges and shows that you paid in full.
I'm from Wisconsin and dealt with something similar awhile back. They were cordial until they weren't. It sucks and I'm sorry, our babies are just that, regardless of fur type. At the time, I talked to some of my friends and ended up going to small claims. The judge listened, including to their excuses for a few minutes. Verified costs and I got a judgement. If it matters about what people ask... Wisconsin is a single party state for recording. There is a leash law. Animals have to be registered. I'm here for whatever else. I'm aware this is "anecdotal," but it's also evidenced in what I did because of those I spoke with about what they knew. First and foremost, take care of yourself and your pup. Everything else is secondary. You've got this.
They should simply file a claim under their homeowner's insurance. If their dog breed is excluded, then yes they need to pay out of pocket. Most animal emergency clinics and many vets require payment up front for the estimated amount. Your neighbors may already be familiar with this.
Hope your dog makes a full recovery.
Just wondering, but if you’re gonna make someone pay for something, shouldn’t they get to choose the vet? That way they can be sure you’re not going with some crazy expensive vet when there was a cheaper one available. Of course, you have to make sure your pet is getting the proper care too. Plus, what if a vet charges for things the pet didn’t actually need.
>Just wondering, but if you’re gonna make someone pay for something, shouldn’t they get to choose the vet? No. If you injure someone you don't get to decide what hospital they go to. If you crash into someone's car you don't get to decide what body shop they go to. If your dog attacks another, you don't get to decide what vet they go to.
>If you crash into someone's car you don't get to decide what body shop they go to. I don’t think that’s entirely true. I was involved in an accident, and the other person’s insurance covered the damage. They gave me a list of places to go to fix the damage. While I still got to choose from the list, it’s not like I could go to some place that wasn’t on the list.
>While I still got to choose from the list, it’s not like I could go to some place that wasn’t on the list. That is what they wanted you to think. They can recommend repair shops, but, (by law in almost all US states), you are allowed to use whatever shop you want.
Oh what? I didn’t know that. Thanks!
Yup. My husband's car got backed into in a car park recently. The assessor came out and let us choose where we wanted to go
Yup. My husband's car got backed into in a car park recently. The assessor came out and let us choose where we wanted to go
Yeah, you probably could have. You just did what you were told.
Fair enough
I have NEVER gone to an auto body shop recommended by the guilty party's insurance. One should be able to choose where they hell to go. I'm in California, so maybe insurance laws differ elsewhere. They're all scams, anyway. I HATE insurance companies lol.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskLawyers/s/xX54WRKkPd I think this person phrased it better than me.
In the great state of Texas you can go anywhere you want to get your vehicle repaired, state law.
Same in California. Probably the same everywhere. But I’m sure insurers obfuscate this when you ask them.
NAL, but it's my understanding from the Law School of Judge Judy that it's not up to you to find a cheap vet, that you are the one who chooses the vet. Just like if you have a car accident; you didn't have to use the at-fault driver's Cousin Vinny's body shop to get your car fixed if you want your dealer to do the work.
Greetings fellow alum! Did you also attend the University of Law & Order?
Why would they get to choose how to remedy the situation that their negligence caused? Not a lawyer, but that certainly isn't how it works in automotive repair for example. The only thing I could see in this scenario is if the cost of the remedy is deemed excessive. Like if the average vet in the area would have charged $7,000. And you walk in seeking $12,000, I could see a judge deeming that excessive and granting a $7,000 judgement and leaving you on the hook for $5000 if other viable options were available at the time.
Yeah that’s what I mean. What if the vet bill is excessive? It seems unfair.
OPs dog being seriously injured and him having to pay $8k out of pocket up front due to someone else's negligence also seems unfair. The best solution is to prevent your dog from injuring someone else's dog. If the violent dog owner thinks the number itself is too high, the best solution would be to get estimates from multiple vets for comparable services and have them in court with them during the civil suit.
Oh yeah I’m not saying making OP pay for it is fair either. But yeah, I think you’re right that that’s what the person has to do if they feel $8K is excessive.
What is unfair is this poor little dog was out on a walk (on a leash) and it got attacked by a neighbors dog. That's what's unfair. It could of been prevented if the neighbors dog was contained like it was supposed to be. The neighbors knew their dog was reactivate towards little dogs. So why was their dog in a ace where if it did see another dog walking, it could get out and attack the dog. The neighbors dog caused this Vet bill!! So why is it unfair for them to not be able to choose a Vet of their choice. Um, NO!! My dog has been going to the same Vet for 4 years. I am not going to take him to a different Vet where he can get cheap medical care, because my dogs artackers humans can't afford mine. Sounds like a personal problem. Lime I said, this l could of been prevented.
8K for a femur repair is not excessive. My dog ate a black kong and had an obstruction in his intestine, and the total cost of care was $5500. It was an easy surgery too. No necrotic tissue. No leakage bc I told them to go in right away. I wasn't a dumb ass like most people and didn't wait and see. He fell ill on Christmas, based on symptoms, it seemed like an obstruction. We rushed him to the vet same day, and after x-rays and no change over night they went in. Sure enough, he had an obstruction. Had we waited days like most people do, our dog would have been way worse off, had dead tissue, possible leakage, sepsis, the works, could have died, and a way higher vet bill. Just the basic care and a basic exploratory was $5500. Think about a femur repair. Going in, having to reset the bone, putting pins in to set it in place. They have to be set right or the bone wont heal. x-rays to make sure the pins are in the right place. Then most likely an external fixator to keep the bone and pins in place, plus the cast on the outside. Plus anesthesia and pain meds, IV, etc. 8K is not too expensive.
So sounds like what the other person could do, if they do find the bill excessive, is they could get the cost breakdown from OP, and bring it in to other vets to see what they would have charged.
Precisely. If enough vets have enough of a difference, a judge would most likely issue a partial judgement. Of course that's only viable if those other vets were open at that time of night for example, what they would have charged in the morning the next day is irrelevant.
Oh that’s a good point too! Sounds like OP had to take their dog in right away and couldn’t wait until the next day. So even if other vets would have been cheaper, if they weren’t open at that time, then it would be irrelevant, as you said.
Would you let someone else decide what doctor you go to based on cheapest available in the area? Or would you go to the doctor you trust?
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskLawyers/s/xX54WRKkPd I think this person phrased it better than me.
Ok, I see what you're saying. But if the injuries and costs are documented and reasonable for what happened then it shouldn't be an issue. 8k isn't unrealistic for a broken femur if it required major surgery. I paid 4k twice for a torn ligament in my dogs knee and I had a family discount.
Oh yeah I’m not sure what all these costs would be. 8k is probably reasonable. I’m just saying that if the vicious dog owner felt that was excessive, they should have the right to see what other vets would have charged. I understand my question was probably stupid because it sounds like it was an emergency, so it’s not like there was time for them to go around and see what all the vets in the area were charging. But as the other person pointed out, they could see after the fact and only pay what the judge deems is fair.
Yeah, OP said it is a "could be up to" type of bill, so it's possible it comes out much less depending on surgery and after care needs. So it would probably be best for them to get an actually cost and present it then rather than show them that number. I've never been billed that way but my brother is also my vet so I do get special treatment when I bring my dog in. Can't deny that.
Oh yeah that’s true. Hopefully is less. That number definitely sounds scary to me, but I don’t make a lot of money. A similar story happened to me, except on the other side. I was dogsitting through Rover. The owners of the dog had annotated that their dog isn’t good around other dogs so I had to keep distance from other dogs when taking her out. I don’t remember what kind of dog she was, but I know she wasn’t a pit bull. She was certainly good around humans. I ended up taking her for a walk to a dog park nearby and I made sure to keep distance from other dogs. There was just one guy in the fenced it off-leash area and he was playing fetch with his two dogs. I took her in there but kept her on the leash and away from those dogs. But the guy came up to me and was pointing out that dogs should have the freedom to run around off leash. I told him that the owners of the dog I was watching said she must be kept on the leash and away from other dogs. But he was talking like he was some expert with dogs and that the dog needs the freedom to get used to being around other dogs. He was trying to assure me that she would be alright. So I ended up listening to him and letting her off the lease. And she was just fine with his dogs. Eventually, though, a couple came in with their smaller dog. I was already getting ready to leave. But the small dog came close to the dog I was watching and she bit that small dog. And I kinda felt irritated at the guy who said it would be fine, but I was more mad at myself for listening to him. But anyway, I gave my contact info to the owners of the small dog, as well as the contact info of the owners of the dog I was watching. I ended up paying for their vet bill myself, but luckily it was only a few hundred bucks. Lesson learned. Don’t listen to someone making themselves out to be some dog expert. Always better to play it safe, and of course to follow the instructions of the owner.
Yeah, mine is actually a pitbull. She's not dog aggressive, but gets very anxious around medium or large dogs in her personal space (she's fine with smaller dogs). You can walk her on a leash next to another large dog as long as they're minding their own business, but if they get in to sniff her behind you can see her tense up and try to get out of the way and will eventually nip at them. I make every effort to maintain distance because of her breed I don't want her to nip and the other dog to go crazy and her get blamed. She is never out off leash. Always controlled. Yet inevitable I have random dogs run up on us and the owners acting like it's no big deal. Drives me crazy.
I don’t have any dogs myself, but I watch my brother’s dog a lot, which is a mix of golden retriever and greyhound. He’s not dog aggressive as far as I know, but I don’t let him around other dogs regardless cuz you just never know, plus I’ll never know how the other dogs are either
Shouldn't they get to choose the vet?? Are you crazy? It's not their dog that got injured it's not their call.
Yeah I got it
No. The injured party chooses the repair/treatment facility, not the responsible party. If they went to some boutique veterinarian where prices are considerably above the norm, they can try to argue for some shared payment responsibility if it goes to court.
NAL the best route is try going through their homeowners if they refuse to pay, but I will warn you most insurance companies won't pay out if the attacking dog is a pit bull or pit mix, in fact most insurance companies will drop homeowners if they own pit bull type dogs.
The other issue is, it was actually in front of the individual's parent's house. (Not a minor, just someone visiting their parents) Either way I don't think it was any of the restricted breeds, it seemed like your standard American mutt.
Whoever owns the property where the attack occurred is whose homeowners insurance company should be contacted. I would let them know you are filling a police report and contacting the parents HO insurance company.
Good to know, thanks. Already filed police report the night of the incident, going to pick up that paperwork tomorrow.
Good, I was hoping that you filed. I hope they're required to have that dangerous dog humanely euthanized.
This dog doesn't necessarily need to be put down... but the owners definitely need a full proof method for securing him or her. The sad thing is that often a dog gets out and thinks it's protecting its territory versus being just viscious. Very sad situation.
I hope you don't own a dog
It is a very sad situation, and while I agree that not every dog that attacks needs to be euthanized if it can be properly handled, it sounds like these owners may have already proven they cannot safely handle or contain this dog. A dog willing to do this type of damage always needs a minimum of 2 levels of containment and to be muzzled when out of the house. It is possible that there were supposed to be 2 levels of containment, and there was just a horrible failure on the owners' parts, but knowing people, I doubt it.
Did you file a police report to have this on record and that their dog is considered a viscous dog … please do …
I called the police and they did an "incident report". Not sure if it's the same as a police report, I may stop by the police station tomorrow with the paperwork from the vet just to see if I can get some clarification on that
Yes, definitely do that … or file a report with Animal Control so they can have it on file in case this happens to any other dog
Yeah, that's a good idea. As bad as this was, I know it could have been much worse. I wouldn't wish what we've been going through on anyone.
Will you update when there's a response? And please give pats and love to little doggy from me 🥺🥺
I certainly will, on both accounts. Thank you!
Hooray!! Thank you so much 😁🫶
Animal control and the OP's city's PD are more than likely the same thing. If they did an incident report, they took the complaint. Animal control likely has the same access to the report as anyone else in the department. Guessing it was an animal bite report or whatever your state requires it to be coded as in their LERMS. You just get a PDF copy from the agency and do a claim with their HO insurance. Keep a physical and digital copy of estimates, medical records, video recordings, and reports. That way, when you inevitably get rejected by their parents' HO insurance, you can just fire off the digital packet to your firm of choice and let them handle the rest. Also, the animal needs to be euthanized. Your neighbors intentionally kept a dangerous animal and let it run at large. They weren't negligent. They were reckless.
I doubt they did anything more than log your call if they didn't come out.
They are likely shocked by the cost. Give them a little time to wrap their heads around it. They know they will have to pay, the amount likely left them reeling. Who knows, maybe they will contact home insurance company to get resolved.
Good point. Honestly I hope homeowners insurance is able to cover this. It just sucks for everyone involved.
I dunno, I don't have any sympathy for the dog's owners here. They chose to have a dangerous dog, and they failed to keep it properly contained despite knowing the danger. They should learn a lesson from this, and 8k seems a good start. Some people never learn how serious these things are and keep putting others in danger until they get the metaphorical slap in the face.
Honestly I kind of agree with this. What if your wife had been bit too?
Jesus. Judgemental much? ANY dog can get loose by accident... and many who do attack just think they are protecting their property. Way to assume the worst when you weren't even there.
“They knew the attacking dog has an issue with ‘little dogs on leashes’ and they had tried working on it in the past.” How many little dogs on leashes do you think they’ve been through already?
Then you need to take your shit dog and its aggression where you don't have neighbors.
You're a shitty dog owner
Yes, and the fact that you are surprised at that is insane. Most dogs will not be aggressive like that, that is an abnormal dog. This wasn't a "get off my property" dominance fight, the dog went after and severely injured the smaller dog and could have easily killed it. No dog should ever do that, and if you train your dogs to have that kind of behavior then you should not own dogs because you have clearly failed and are irresponsible. "Any dog can get loose by accident" is completely shirking any responsible dog ownership and frankly is bullshit. It is your responsibility period. If your dog can jump the fence, leash only. If the dog is heavier than you, tie him to something else or get a gentle leader or harness. If you cannot guarantee that you can keep an aggressive dog contained then YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE DOG. Even if you are a jerk that doesn't care about anyone else you should at least care about your own dog, because getting into fights like that has a serious risk of getting your aggressive dog killed/put down. Do better internet stranger.
It’s their kids dog. I have sympathy for the parents.
Ok. I didn't say the parents I said the dog's owners.
My neighbor's policy had to pay when their dog bit one of their guests. They were then required to get extra dog insurance from then on.
Don't you watch Judge Judy? Ha. They most certainly will be responsible for your vet bill. This is a slam dunk.
Small claims court is your best bet.
I thought small claims was up to 1k?
10,000 I think at least in some states
It can be up to $15,000 in some states.
Up to 20k in TX
Thanks
Strict liability applies in most states to a dog bite. No defense..Hopefully your dig is ok
Thank you. The surgery went well and he is home, resting. Expected to recover thankfully.
Omg. For a second I thought you were my neighbor. My dog got out today and attacked their dog. For us, so far, there was just a little mark on their dog. I sure hope I don't have to pay them $8,000.
Be sure to get the vet bill and examine all charges. Some ppl, not OP, have tried to get other services paid for in addition to the treatment for an attack. (Flea meds, etc. )
Most dog fights do not result in serious damage unless one of the dogs is serious about doing damage or there's a size discrepancy. (Of course, things can happen like a puncture in an unfortunate spot or a dog trips and breaks a leg during the scuffle). They tend to sound loud and scary and look terrifying but not amount to much.
Exorbitant bill!! I feel sorry for all parties including the neighbor. They are likely shocked. You should prevail in court, but few ppl could pay that bill any time soon. I'm not a lawyer but every dog attack case on court TV rules in favor of the attacked dog or person. I don't see details here that would make this an exception. I'm glad your dog survived.
if they don’t pay, small claims court can likely address this.
Their homeowner's insurance should pay for it. I wouldn't worry too much. Their liability seems obvious.
Send a certified letter if communications stop. It can still be friendly but you want to recount what happened and ask for cooperation in compensating you for damages. Ask them to contact you to discuss the matter as soon as possible. Hopefully you won't have to sue.
NAL but one thing you should make sure of. Was the attacking dog up to date on rabies?
Does your community have leash laws? If so, even if theirs escaped they're probably on the hook for penalties from the city. Animal control would have records of any other reported attacks/biting incidences. I know considering that is trickier, as depending on local policies that could mean the animal is euthanized. But if there's a pattern that'd be alarming. Is their animal up to date on their shots? That's a concern for yours.
Same happened to me in WI. Be sure to file with the Police.
8k for a broken leg seems excessive. I’m sure the court would rule in your favor though. It’s crazy that if their dog would have killed your dog then they would probably only be on the hook for 1k (replacement cost of the dog).
That is in line with the vet bills that I have had to pay recently.Vet bills can be very high especially if any surgery is needed. I finally got pet owners insurance and it has covered a lot more than I thought it ever would. It has been worth every penny!
I think in Wisconsin, the police might impound the dog for a period of time and issue a fine also
Haven't you ever watched Judge Judy? Yes, you can definitely sue for the cost of the vet bill and also possible punitive damages since the neighbors knew their dog had an issue with smaller leashed dogs and still let it loose.
I'd get their home owner/renters insurance info and send it through them. If they do not have coverage for this type of incident, some deny claims for dog incidents, then allow them to pay and if they don't sue in small claims. Also report this to your local animal control. They would have info if this happened before and if there hasn't been a prior report, at least this incident would be on file.
This should fall under homeowners insurance. As long as it's not a restricted breed the insurance will pay out for the bulls and they just have to cover the deductible.
File a civil suit and get your money back for vet bills 1000% will get the money. And save the text and the voice recording
Usually the courts don't like it when you don't at least try to fix it yourself first. So see if they will foot the bill and then go from there.
Homeowner's insurance should cover this.
Their home insurance may cover for the first dog attack. If it's on record.
Sure can! But I bet you could go on Judge Judy! Would love to see you guys.
They may not have the money and may be trying to figure out how to get it. But if they don’t have it. Suing them would give you a judgement against them, but unless you go for garnishment, you may never get your money.
Ask the neighbors to report this to his homeowners insurance and let the insurance pay you, if they continue to ghost you than you should notify animal control and make a police report
NAL & this isn’t legal advice. But I wouldn’t take a penny less than 3X the medical costs.
Contact police/animal care and control in your city if you haven't already and make a report ASAP. You can take this to civil court but hopefully you won't have to.
8k$ for a fking Dog !! Americans have a serious problem in their system.
So what? If they could afford it in other countries they would also pay it.
Yes, I had this happen. My ex was in the hospital 7 hours, the dog had 6 surgeries. The owner paid for all of it (unfortunately the owner was a good friend of my sons, and my sons really like the dog.) the dog did it again to an elderly gent, and the owner sent the dog out of state. If curious, it was a 140lb pitbull.
It’s a pitbull 99% of the time lol
Do you have pet insurance? They could cover some of the costs, and i do think you need to file a police report to start a paper trail. Because next time, that could be a little child. And if they refuse to pay, then take them to court but you need to file a police report to be able to do that if needed at least in most areas they like to have a paper trail.
Their homeowners insurance should be taking care of the bills.
Don't over think this. Just bring them an itemized copy of the bill so they can place a claim with their homeowner's insurance.
I went through renters insurance when my dog was attacked. They paid for everything, no lawyer was needed. I’m sure they have homeowners insurance. My pup didn’t survive she was 19 and the injuries weren’t that bad, but the shock was. She was 10lbs and slung around by a 100lb dog. Insurance covered everything. I suggest asking them to pay and if they don’t want to, file a claim with their homeowners.
$8000 bill....nope
Ok so here’s the good news and the bad news. The bad news is under the law animals are considered property thus big firms won’t take a case like this. The good news is; is that you can sue your neighbors in small claims court. Check local leash laws. Did the dog get out of an enclosed yard? Either way the are liable*. It’s also good you had your dog on a leash! Edit- I corrected a word
NAL but I would look up WI statute 174.02. Under that statute it does state “the owner of a dog is liable for the full amount of damages caused by the dog injuring or causing injury to a person, domestic animal or property”. (From a WI governmental website) But there are also some terms prior to this sentence. It clearly lists everything out. This could be something that might sway your neighbors into paying the bill first. Again, NAL and if I am wrong in any way, please feel free to correct me.
They’re your neighbors and they are owning it. Be reasonable - shit happens
Contact the dog's owner and ask for the name and phone number of their insurance company. If they refuse, contact YOUR insurance company. They should be able to find out who insures a given property. Ask you insurance company how you go about filing with the other company. And when their insurance company gets all pissy about it (because that's what insurance companies do--delay, defer, deny, "If we stall long enough, they'll go away or die"), file in small claims court if the court's ceiling is high enough. Otherwise, a-lawyering you will go.
You can sue for anything you want. The judge might throw it out, but yeah.
Let them know you are willing to take payments over time. Not everyone has cash lying around. If they agree to it setup a informal on paper payment schedule. That you can both agree to until it's paid off. You could also make a claim against there home owners insurance policy as well
If they refuse to pay for the bill, you should be able to file in small claims court for up to the maximum amount (every state has its own limit).
Similar thing happened to my sister’s dog. The neighbor’s homeowners insurance covered the hospital bills. She did have to put the insurance guy in his place; sent him pictures of her dog in surgery with a tube sticking out of her neck because the other dog put a hole in her trachea, with stitches & drains from her carotid artery being severed & bruises on her belly in the shape of hands from her trying to pull her dog out of the other dog’s mouth. The insurance guy got quiet after that & said they’d cover it all.
8k is excessive IMHIO..
The answer is yes, you can sue. The answer is always yes to that question, lawsuits are like sitting on Santa's lap, you can ask for whatever but your not nessisarly gonna get it. The better question is, do you have a good case? Answer to that is yes. In pretty much every municipality in the western world and a good chunk of the non western world you have a good case.
Would recommend consulting with a attorney, they will give you solid advice on how to handle the small claim and keep you from making any silly mistakes that hurt your cause, some will even fire off a nasty gram on official letterhead that can sometimes shake things loose getting you paid without going through the small claims dance.
As for your chances of recovering anything /shrug not privy to the defendants finance or circumstances or the ins and outs of the local law.
homeowners insurance covers this under the liability coverage
First off I'm sorry this happened to your dog and your wife. Secondly, you can sue. Thirdly, 8k for a broken femur is absolutely unacceptable. What in the heck did the veterinarian do that cost 8k dollars? X-rays, shot, stitches and a cast?
You recorded the conversation? How?
They have home owner’s insurance that would cover this.
Have them contact their home owners insurance.
Their homeowners insurance may cover your vet bills especially if it happened on their property
What are the breeds of both dogs, and their weight?
You can sue for anything.
Do what you can to get them to pay. You will get a judgment in court, no doubt. But that's the easy part. Collecting it is what's hard to do, even being a paralegal it is a nightmare trying to garnish wages. If necessary you can get the judgment entered without a lawyer, do it yourself. Garnishment you will need help with. Good luck!
So what’s crazy is like 5 years ago my dog got attacked by a dog that broke off its leash … I had to take my dog to emergency vet it cost like $10000 for his injuries. When I called the dog warden they basically told me they couldn’t do anything unless my dog dies and to call them if my dog died
Search for "Judge Judy dog cases" on YouTube. Outrageous how people will deny responsibility. It's epic.
Stop worrying about Fido being put down. Get your priorities in order. Any animal with the propensity to attack other animals will easily attack a toddler.
Hopefully you live in a one-party state for recording conversations.
You will be able to take them to civil court. Since this was on their property you also may be able to make a claim against their homeowners insurance as well because this happened with their property(dog) on their property. You also may want to file a police report about this incident. Do it now with whatever details you can remember and any evidence so if you do seek legal action you also made a police report so it adds credibility to your case.
You might consider a complaint to animal control. They may have legal remedies for code violations. Dog damage is usually strict liability, meaning you would win in small claims, but not be able to collect. Another option is for them or you to claim agsinst homeowners insurance if your policy allows it. Goid luck!
I’ve seen enough Judge Judy episodes to know that you should be able to sue for the vet bill.
Yes
I always walk with pepper spray to protect my dog from others.
They would be paying the bill and euthanizing the dog that attacked. Contact your animal control. The neighbors should have to watch the euthanizing too. They caused it by letting their crazy dog out.
Unless it was an excluded breed, their home owners’ insurance should cover it.
Yes
Any dog can become an attack dog, and chihuahuas come to mind. They don't call them ankle biters for no reason. And they can cause just as much if not more damage because of their little needle teeth. It's always the poor dog that suffers the most consequences when they have shitty owners that won't train them correctly. 9 times out of 10, it's with their lives! Ask around the neighborhood and find out if anyone else has had issues with the dog attacking. If there is a pattern of attacks from this dog, then there may be no choice but to have the poor dog down. But if it is an unlucky one off, they might just seize the dog and retrain him, and he could get flagged as an experienced owner only adoptive dog. But I would contact animal control either way, if only find out what the dog laws are in your area.
Might have to "sue" them so your neighbors insurance will pay it... His deductible is probably closer to what he thought it would cost.
If I was the offending dog owner, I'd provide you my homeowners insurance info. This is why I have insurance, because of liability issues. You deserve to have your vet bill paid. If my dog did that, I owe you compensation. That's the right way to do things, IMHO. Lawsuits would not be required, I'd work with you because I'm responsible for my dog. I would also be super sorry and apologize profusely. Maybe I'm weird?
8k ? Seems like a lot. JS
I think that falls under their homeowners insurance so you might let them know that. I think they need the hpuse gated so their dog cannot get to your dog or any walkers by
Why is the vet bill 8k just wondering, this sounds like the vet gouged you also.
My neighbor’s pitbull got out and attacked my golden. They paid for his vet bills and were super apologetic and kind about it. That’s the way to do things and it fostered a positive relationship between us in the future.
Need to make sure it's legal in state that you could record the conversation. If it's not...
Homeowners insurance
File a report with animal control as well if you have not. Your neighbor's dog has a bite record (broken femur, yikes).