I don't think you can force anyone to pay vet bills for a cat, I recently phoned the police regarding my daughters cat and was told they do not take any thing to do with cats !

including calls regarding cat burglars these days

how true is that...

Just a question then - i always believed that there was no such law as tresspassing in this country. It was one of those things that everyone believed but isn't actually true i thought.

It was an american law, but actually means nothing in this country - is that right or wrong. Sorry bit off subject.

It comes under Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1994..._19940033_en_8

Dawn again you cut right to the heart of the matter.


Just after the infammous DDA was made law, a rather stupid C/Sup police officer in Eltham/Bexley took to court a dog that had chased a cat out of its garden and killed it in a garden nearby.


The magistrates ruled "that what dogs do" and dismissed the case.

The cat owner also said the case should never have taken place.

thank you......learn something new everyday...as they say!!

Civil liability arises from the Animals Act 1971. Anyone who is the keeper of a dog that causes damage by killing or injuring livestock is liable for the damage caused. Most pets are not livestock.
The keeper of the dog is not liable where the damage is due wholly to the fault of the person suffering it or if the livestock were killed or injured on land onto which they had strayed and either the dog belonged to the occupier or its presence was authorised by the occupier.

They would also have to proove negligence.

I know of a recent case where a burglar smashed a conservatory door to steal a flat screen TV he thought he was safe as 2 GSDs on the premises were behind another door. On his way out he dropped the tv in the back garden breaking it because he realised the dogs had opened the door and were coming after him, he was severly bitten and tried to sue, not only did he loose but had to pay for the damage to the TV and Conservatory door and also had to pay vet bills has the dogs had cut their feet badly on the broken glass, plus got a criminal conviction aswell.

as far as i am aware if you hit a dog you must report it by law but hit a cat you dont have to, so if a dog was to hurt or kill a cat there is nothing that can be done by law. I would prob offer some thing if it was next doors but cats are more wild as they do what that want really as long as fed and have love they are happy. I would feel bad if one of my dogs hurt or killed a cat but unless it has an id tag you wont now who's it is till you see the sign saying cat missing and by then it could be to late.