Puppy attacked

My girlfriend was walking our 4-month Puli today on his leash when it was attacked by another dog who, according to the walker, had escaped from the leash. The other dog walker wasn't the owner, but we will be able to contact the owner.

Our puppy has a limp, a bloody leg and was very distressed, so we've left him with vets who are going to shave his leg and examine further, but the bill is going to be a minimum of £300-500. Obviously, it could be more if they find a problem.

I am an UK resident and took out insurance with the Kennel Club at the turn of the year. I have to pay any bills up to £60.

What is the protocol in these situations? Do I sue the owner? Do I just make the claim to my insurance company? Do I pay the vet and then claim later? etc.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Sorry to hear about this... hope your puppy is OK.

Each insurance company (and vet) is different. Some will liaise with the vet and you don't pay anything; but some (like mine) you have to pay, then claim back from the insurance company.

I would start off by trying to contact the owner of the dog that attacked. Are they willing to admit that their dog did this? Will the dog walker act as a witness? If they admit it - are they willing to pay some, or all, of the medical bill?
If so, then great.

If not, then there isn't much you can do. I guess you could sue them, but what would you achieve? If your dog is insured, you shouldn't be too out of pocket anyway.

Also, you need to call your insurance company and tell them you are making a claim - they will advise you on the best way to do this (and whether you'll have to pay upfront or leave it between the vet and the insurance etc).

That is awful, I hope your pup is OK. I have a 3 1/2 month old lab pup and I am so paranoid about him not meeting any nasty dogs, as its not just the physical damage but mental damage too.

Was the dog walker a professional, I use the term as in being paid to walk this dog?? If so then as a professional dog walker myself, surely they have insurance, care and control, to cover the vets bills???

Personally I wouldn't want to walk a dog capable of an unprovoked attack on a puppy, and if it were my pup I would be making a report to the local dog warden, this dog is dangerous and next time it could be a child that is attacked.

L

Oh this is outrageous!!! Poor little puppy, no dog normally attacks a little, defenceless pup, this dog must be REALLY nasty! Get hold of the dog warden and tell him all, I hope she got a descrption of the dog, where she was etc. and hopefully a car reg maybe? As Vivaro said, it's not just the physical injuries, it's the mental ones too, which I've had to go through with my gsd because of nasty dogs attacking her, she's now fighting back which I didn't want!

YES, they have to pay the vet bill! I'm having to fork out £100 tomorrow to a woman who's dog came over and attacked mine, I stuck my leg inbetween them, it bit my leg, I had to let go of my dog, she chased it and bit it on its side making a small puncture wound (good girl !!!!!) because she knew the dog had bitten me I think! Thankfully, since that fateful day, we've met only nice, friendly doglets and I hope your little puppy gets to do the same. Next time, I'm gonna kick a dog that comes over and launches an attack on mine and that's fact!!!

It's only common courtesy that you offer to pay a vet bill of damage that your dog has inflicted on another dog no matter what the circumstances really, so make sure they do. Do I want to end up in court fighting my case? Nah! Even though their dog bit a human in my case!!!!

We just went to the house where we think the dog owner lives (although he didn't fully confirm that he was the owner) and although he witnessed the latter stages of the incident in which the dog was attacking our puppy, he fibbed, said the dog was on the lead and that it was "just an accident". Another chap walking his dog said before we knocked on the door that "you won't get any money out of them," so I fear this isn't a one-off.

I'm currently torn. Although the £65 isn't a big deal, and I doubt we'll get it back, I want to report him for having a dangerous dog, but, at the same time, I'm concerned about the potential hassle, and the long term effects of going to war with someone living on the same road, especially if they aren't 'good, reasonable people'.

The good news is that our puppy's leg isn't broken, and that we get to collect him in a couple of hours. He's going to be in pain for the next few days with the swelling and will be on antibiotics, but should recover, hopefully without any mental scarring. I'm hoping that I won't have any problem reclaiming the rest of the bill (£300-500) from the insurance company.

I understand where you're coming from, you don't want to "upset" somebody like that living in the same road, who could possibly retaliate in some way or other and harm your puppy, but on the other hand, I really think the dog warden should be told about this incident don't you? You can ask him to keep it confidential kind of thing? Maybe others might have reported him this way, and then the dog warden might be able to do something about it? good luck, I hope your puppy isn't in too much pain poor little guy.

not that ole chestnut again

im surprised a dog professional would express this though..

this dog is dangerous and next time it could be a child that is attacked.

Sigh, dogs that are not comfortable with dogs are often superb with children and adults and vice versa.

OP


Suppose this was not an incident between two dogs but both your cars involved in a RTA?

Would you have the same point of view?

The fact is that as a result of this, your dog has suffered distress, harm, and you are out of pocket. Furthermore it is entirely possible that, if you have not taken out a life policy, that any future issues with the leg etc in question will be excluded from future cover and/or your premium may rise.

Secondly, if there are no consequences to actions then there are no motives to improve. Furthermore, if this owner is insured he is legally OBLIGED to inform his insurance company of any situations such as this as it may affect HIS cover.

You put in your claim to your insurers, your provide the relevant information it is then up to THEM to get money off the miscreant.

I fail to understand your reluctance.

Furthermore I would report this incident to the dog warden and the police so that any further incidents are minimised and the dog is on record as having previous.

On top of which, if this dog was being exercised by someone other than the owner, their competence should be questioned.

Why?? The dog which attacked OPs puppy is clearly aggressive and unpredictable, an attack such as that on a puppy is quite clearly unprovoked. It would concern me that today it was OPs puppy and tomorrow a small child. I have dogs and young children. IMO (and that of many other professionals) dogs which attack other dogs are aggressive and dangerous to all, the issue with children is that a) they are small and vulnerable and b) lack the necessary awareness to read a dog's body language/warning signals and take avoiding action.

I've been bitten in the course of my work, its not something I care to repeat but accept it comes with the territory, it was 6 stitches to my thigh, could have been a child's face. That was a dog which initially showed aggression to other dogs, then progressed onto biting people

I'm afraid that my view comes from hearing too often stories from owners whose dogs have bitten/attacked firstly other dogs and then bitten (in one case nastily) a child in the family.

Anyway, I think that is best saved for another debate

Snoopy glad to hear your puppy is going to be OK, let's hope he isn't left traumatised by the incident. Have you got some dogs of a sound temperament you can exercise him with once his leg is healed, so he gets plenty of positive experiences of other dogs??

L

As a dog professional i do not base my views upon stories and anecdotes of pet dog owners, i base my views of upon the knowledge and experience and learning i have gained as a dog professional throughtout the years. Thats how, by definition, i am a 'dog professional', as i have moved far and beyond the natural everyday thinking patterns of an average pet dog owner, which is how i am qualified to be to advise owners and sort out problem dogs.

As a dog pfofessional, if i quantified, qualified, asessed, advised, informed, trained, and planned just according to the shallow (as in not deep nor considered, not the insulting use of that term) notions of the pet dog owner i'm employed by, then the pet dog owner would not need my services. As it is my job is for them to tell me what happened and for me to interpret according to my knowledge of canine behaviour.
The key phrase was "stories and anecdotes".