Wedding Etiquette Forum

LONG NWR: What's your opinion? WWYD?

So long story, I'll keep as short as possible without leaving out pertinient info. Sorry it's long, but I need honest opinions. The other night I was walking my 2 dogs (both a little under 50lbs...think giant weenie dogs or small bassets) and I had two friends with me luckily. As we turned a corner I noticed a dog in a yard up ahead. When the dog is there and I see it, I usually cross the street because it barks from behind its fence and gets my dogs riled up and they like to pull me. So I'm crossing the street and as we are in the middle of the road in front of the house with the dog I realize the gate and front door to their house is open and the dog is running towards us. It's a small like 10lb dog maybe. I yell at the people (they are moving out at the time which is why all the doors/gates were open) to get there dog, but they 1)don't get the dog in time and 2) don't even try to help me. So their dog gets to my dogs who are now going nuts (I still had their leashes though) and one of my dogs bites and holds on to the little dog. Me and my friends were kicking, pulling, doing whatever and finally my dog let their dog go. Here's the shortened part: My dogs weren't hurt, they were on leashes, and we were in the middle of the street. My friends and I could have been long gone b/c the whole family went back inside to check on the dog, but we waited to see if it was ok or how wounded it was. After the fight, their dog was bitten but not bleeding at the time; I told them to take the dog to the vet asap because even if it's not bleeding it could be hurt...dogs jaws are the strongest part of their bodies! They didn't take their dog to the vet cause it was "acting normal" until 4 hours later when, of course, the shock wore off and the internal problems started showing. The next morning I get a call from them saying I owe them $700 for the vet bill and anything else the dog might need! Yes, I agree my dog bit their dog and I feel really bad for them and their dog, but at the same time my principles tell me that this was their fault because they should have had their dog on a leash (as required by law) or locked in the bathroom or something. I'm sorry that your dogs ran towards my dogs and my two dogs are a lot bigger than your dog! Had their dog had bit mine instead there wouldn't even be a question as to whose fault this was and who should pay. They never even admitted any sort of guilt except that "the gate is never open and it was only open for a second for us to move the big furniture". Well, my bad, but wouldn't you be at fault if you were watching a baby and the gate was open "for a second" and it fell in and died? Ugh, I'm just pissed that this happened and that my dog hurt another dog and that people in LA are sue crazy, and my conscious weighs heavy on me. I mean, I don't have the money, they don't have the money, but I can't justify giving them anything since it was their negligence. If their dog got hit by a car because the dog was out would it be the driver's fault too? If you read this and responded, thanks. I need support/possible trashing right now.

Re: LONG NWR: What's your opinion? WWYD?

  • I saw something like this on Judge Judy one day randomly.  If the dog was out, not on a leash and you tried to avoid the situation, I don't think you're at fault. 
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  • wtf? totally their fault. find some literature backing up the part about it being the law for the dog to be either in the house or on a leash, and send it back to them with the bill.
  • I wouldn't pay.  If you have a friend who's a lawyer in the area I'd maybe see if you could get an opinion according to your local law, but from your version you weren't at fault. 
  • Get a lawyer if you don't want to pay.  Leash or not, your dog bit their dog.  And if they pursue any legal action, things don't usually end well for the biting dog.Also, your dogs need some serious behavioral therapy and training.  A dog that attacks a smaller dog that viciously needs serious help.  I would worry about bringing it in public after an attack like that.
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  • Their fault, and I would be shocked if any judge saw it otherwise. There is a leash law for a reason. Your dogs were on leashes, theirs wasn't.
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  • Let them sue you. They won't win. Your dogs were on leashes on public property while their dog was running around on public property without a leash. It is their duty to keep their dog out of harm's way, not yours. As you said, their dog could just as easily been hit by a car, which would not be the driver's fault. You were not the negligent one.
  • Don't pay anything. They might just be "blowing smoke." If it comes to the point where they would file a small claims action against you, then talk to a lawyer.
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  • If dogs are required to be on a leash outside and their's was not, they are at fault IMO. 
  • I agree it's not your fault, BUT I also agree that just because your dogs are bigger, there is NO reason that your dog should bite another.  If my dogs showed violent tendancies like that, I'd seriously consider putting it down.  What if a small child ran towards it?  Same reaction?  You just don't know.
  • Personally I would pay. Your dog caused the damage. Has your dog ever bitten before? Be careful some areas have strict liability concerning dog bites. In the very least, this has put you on notice that you have a "dangerous" dog. Be very careful, as the city/county can take/ kill you dog in certain situations. Talk to a lawyer ASAP.

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  • Yeah, the general rule for dog liability (which may vary from area to area, obviously) is that dogs get "one bite" and you're liable for everything after that pretty much without question.  And they may be put down.  I know it sucks that their dog wasn't on a leash, but the fact of the matter is that your dog bit theirs.  Sometimes dogs get loose by accident; that doesn't give your dog carte blanche to attack them.You really, really, really need to get your dogs trained or rehabilitated.  That kind of behavior is just not okay.  ITA with the PP--what if it was a child?  Or, what if they're the aggressor with a dog that's not so tiny and YOUR dog winds up being the one hurt?   It's a huge risk.
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  • I wouldn't pay. Their dog was originally the aggressor - it just so happens it was also the one to get hurt.But I also agree that if your dogs are so high strung or whatever that they can't even walk by another dog without getting all riled up, they need behaviour training.
  • FYI all of the Judge TV shows are just arbitration. This means they are not necessary following all of local small claims rules.

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  • Just an FYI: We've been doing as much training as we can with them. We rescued/adopted them in January. They are 4 yrs old (what the vet said-since we don't actually know). We walk them on leads and leashes but even then Maddy (the non-biter dog) tries to claw at her face to get it off if she sees a squirrel or something because it pulls her head around so much when they pull. Honestly, I don't think their dog was agressive, but it's very barky anytime we pass by the house and it's out in its yard. Our dogs are very calm and relaxed around people and babies and other dogs that visit our house. We don't know what their prior "abuses" might have been, but we know they were put in the shelter separately which totally caused some abandonment and separation anxiety issues. We can't walk them separately or they whine and cry. Depending on the dogs we pass as we walk them (we always cross streets or make the dogs stand still and not stare at the dogs passing them) they either whine and act scared with tails tucked or they want to pull and go towards the other dogs. I have a lawyer friends who told me not to speak with them anymore and that she wouldn't pay and doesn't think we're at fault. The only civil codes and laws I could find had to do with dogs biting people (our dogs tend to ignore people and don't jump on people). I found one thing (just internet info not a law or code) that said that generally speaking dog society is different from ours and the owner is responsible for their pet, and there's two ways to kind of interpret that...responsible meaning, follow the rules and keep your dog on a leash, or responsible meaning, your dog does the damage, no matter the circumstances, you pay. Thanks for the comments ladies.
  • Well, now you know your dogs have a tendency towards aggression for small dogs.  You need to look into muzzles along with the training/rehabilitation if you continue to walk them or take them out in public.  I'm sorry, but it would be really irresponsible to do otherwise, especially now that you know.  Even if they're perfect angels 99% of the time..obviously, they can turn violent and you need to account for that.  Anything other than that is totally irresponsible, IMO, and unfair to other dogs they might come in contact with.
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  • I second your opinion Katiewhompos...PEOPLE SUCK!
  • Not to mention people suck when they abandon their animals at my freaking store. I walk outside today to check on the status of our shopping carts and find a crate with 2 3-month old kittens inside.
  • The same thing happened to my neighbor.  The owner of the dog that did the biting called the police to file a report.  Since my neighbor had her dog on a leash (required by law) and the dog that got bit was not, nothing happened.  It did take awhile to get through all of the legal stuff but it all came down to the fact that if the owners had their dog properly leashed/gated/confined than nothing would have happened therefore it was actually their fault and they were fined.
  • Brie- I think you are blowing this out of proportion. OP, you did the right thing and you are not at fault. It is the owners responsibility to keep their dog on their property at all times and/or keep them on a leash. If an unleashed dog charged your dog, it acted in a defensive way which does not mean it is aggressive towards all other dogs, much less humans. I would still consider working with a behavioral therapist (not just a Petsmart training person) to assess your dog just in case.Also, carry a small squirt bottle with water in it, you can use this to diffuse fights at the dog park and on walks because you never know what might happen.
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