Dog Community

Dog bite

Posted : 6/6/2006 2:21:34 AM

On May 20th while sitting outside talking on the phone a small pickup pulled into the driveway and at 1st. i thought it was someone just turning around. Anyway to make a long story short i believe Sassie just nicked the guy under the knee she didnt rip his pants like i have seen her do before and i didnt see a actual bite mark.The guy pulled up his pant leg and i didnt see anything but what looked like a small red mark and a scratch. Man went to the police they came next day while i was at work said we needed to put up beware of dog sign and we did that. Problems is i now have to microchip sassie and she is 13 and was planning on putting her to sleep in the fall she wont make another winter. ok back to the problem Sassie is in need of a updated rabies shot and this guy dosent know that or the police i though she had a 2yr and was given a 1yr rabies shot. The man sent a letter saying he wants our insurance info because he has missed work and has medical bills from the bite. Well we dont have any of our pets on our homeowners insurance because its expensive and (i've had other people tell me they dont have there pets on there insurance either)so im at a loss as what to do about this? I've had people try and sue me before over this dog biteing but its never went anywhere because i have no money to sue for. If anyone can give me any ideas on what to do about this i'll sleep lots better. Sorry this is so long its hard to make a long story short! Oh i told the man to watch out my big dog is comming and will bite but he just stood there and had his hands in his pockets while she is trying to bite him. Sassie is a blk. lab/blue heeler

mrv

Posted : 6/6/2006 5:49:41 AM

sorry you are libel in this case. You might want to check with free legal aide in your area, you may qualify for their assistance.

spiritdogs

Posted : 6/6/2006 6:35:52 AM

I've had people try and sue me before over this dog biteing but its never went anywhere because i have no money to sue for. If anyone can give me any ideas on what to do about this i'll sleep lots better.

You should do what should have been done the first time. Get your dog's vaccines updated, get insurance, leash or muzzle your dog who has already had other bite incidents, and get out from under the big rock of delusions you are laboring under. Dog bites are the owner's responsibility. Sorry, but if I were you, I'd make nice to the guy your dog bit, and be prepared to fork over what cash you have to make it right. That's called responsibility.

glenmar

Posted : 6/6/2006 6:46:16 AM

I'm afraid that I have to agree with Anne on this one. I don't let any of my dogs roam around the property loose, and I'd never consider letting my reactive girl NEAR a stranger in a situation where she might feel threatened.

My insurance costs no more because of six german shepherds than without it, but I guess that every state has different underwriting laws. I've just never run into that in any of the states I've lived in.

spiritdogs

Posted : 6/6/2006 7:02:13 AM

Sassie is a blk. lab/blue heeler

Maybe no one ever told you, but it is characteristic of the blue heeler (Cattle Dog) to herd intruders away or stop motion. The nip she gave the man was probably intended that way, rather than as a nasty bite. Herding dogs that mean business connect and often give multiple hard bites. The ones that are herding, or defending against movement, usually give nips that get progressively harder if the "cow" doesn't move.
Even if you have a mixed breed dog, it's helpful to understand the characteristics of the suspected contributors to its DNA.

luv4gsds

Posted : 6/6/2006 8:14:51 AM

You should have done something about her bitting habit long before she even bit someone. Some people have to live and learn from their mistakes. I feel for the poor dog and that man. Did you get a letter from his lawyer asking for your homeowners insurance policy? or did the guy just call you up asking for it. I think I would be looking for legal help some where else.

Firestorm

Posted : 6/6/2006 10:50:37 AM

Sorry for your situation ,but as you said this dog has bit other people. Why was your dog loose? If the dog has bitten other people it should not have been loose. Most places in the US have leash laws for this reason. Is your dog liscensed? If your dog is liscensed it has to have current rabies when you annually renew it. The dog should have had its rabies at the very least, whether you were planning to put it to sleep or not. The first time it happened you should have done something to protect other people from your dog. You need to call a lawyer and find out what your rights and responsibilities are. It doesn't look good with this dog having a past history of biting. As dog owners we need to be responsible and keep other people out of harm from our dogs.

Julie Byers

Posted : 6/6/2006 11:28:51 AM

I'm gonna add my voice to this chorus, take responsibility and give the guy the money right away! Pay a little more than that too. Have him itemize how much work he missed and what the doctor bills were that weren't covered by insurance and pay it gladly. Write him a letter of apology too. If you keep this up you are going to get sued. It won't matter that your dog is not on your homeowner's policy he will make a claim against it anyways. Avoid all of this and pay the guy. Then take pro active steps to keep your pup out of trouble. It sure won't hurt to consult a lawyer if you don't make him happy. Jules

Benedict

Posted : 6/6/2006 12:20:23 PM

I'd take all the advice given here. If my dog bit anyone I would pay every cent they asked for - because if my dog bites that is MY fault for not training him properly. It's not the dog's fault. Being a responsible dog owner means being responsible for any damage they cause.

Kate

jeano

Posted : 6/6/2006 1:44:46 PM

Get a lawyer. I hear that you are poor, and not equipped to deal with this. See if you can get him to negotiate a settlement. Good luck.

Trev El

Posted : 6/6/2006 9:33:35 PM

This woman should not own dogs! Aren't you the same person who had two of your sons puppies run over within 7 months of each other? And this one has bitten people in the past, and now it bites again!? Please do the dogs of this world a favor and leave them alone!

Angela Stottlemire

Posted : 6/7/2006 10:18:34 AM

I DIDNT HAVE MY SONS DOGS RUN OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY SONS 1ST DOG WAS ALMOST 3YRS OLD AND WE MOVED FROM THE COUNTRY WHERE WE WERE SO FAR OFF THE ROAD THE DOGS BARELY KNEW THERE WAS A ROAD THEN WE MOVED AND HUNTER STARTED CHASEING CARS IN FACT EARLIER IN THE DAY OF THE NIGHT HE WAS KILLED HE CHASED MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS GOING BY AND SHE TURNED AROUND AND CAME BACK AND SCOLDED HIM FOR IT AND AS FOR TRIXIE MY SON WAS SUPPOSED TO OF TIED HER UP AFTER SHE WAS DONE RUNNING AROUND AND PLAYING AND HE DIDNT SO THE ONE TIME SHE GOES BY THE ROAD SOME IDIOT SPLATTERS HERE. MY SON IS 17 AND IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF TAKEING CARE OF HIS DOG HE WAS JUST BEING IRRESPONSIBLE AT THE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE MAN HAD NO BUSINESS COMMMING INTO MY YARD IF HE WANTED TO SEE HIS OLD HOMESTEAD HE SHOULD OF FOUND A PLATT BOOK AND LOOKED TO SEE WHO OWNED THE PLACE ISTEAD OF COMMING INTO MY DRIVEWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS MAN ISNT GETTING A DIME FROM ME IT WASNT A BAD BITE JUST A NICK AND THERS NO REASON FOR HIM TO MISS WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE LIVE IN THE COUNTRY SO OUR DOGS CAN BE FREE IF YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTRY YOU GENERALLY HAVE YOUR DOGS LOOSE IM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH LOOSE DOGS OR DOGS THAT BITE IF I PULL INTO SOMEONES PLACE I NEVER GET OUT IF I SEE BARKING DOGS! IN MN ITS EXPENSIVE TO PUT YOUR DOG ON THE HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE I KNOW LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT DONT PUT THERES ON THERE INSURANCE! WELL ENOUGH I'LL SAY ONE THING I'LL NEVER BE BACK HERE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Firestorm

Posted : 6/7/2006 10:41:43 AM

OMG are you upset with everyone on here. I just offered advice for what you asked. I do think you should seek an attorney's advice if this gets out of hand. I wish you the best of luck!

glenmar

Posted : 6/7/2006 10:51:29 AM

What the heck???? Don't shoot the messenger. You asked for advice and you got it. Just because you don't LIKE the advice doesn't make it ok for you to spew venom at all of us. ONE poster was out of line and rather rude.

I too live in the country. I'm surrounded on 3 sides by something like 1000 acres of fields, trees and nothing. Before this, we were also in the country. My dogs do NOT run loose unless I am out with them. I have ONE who might bite if someone came on the property uninvited, but I don't give her that chance. One out of six, but not ONE of mine runs loose. They certainly get play time, but not outside along and unattended. It is just flat not responsible to leave dogs outside loose and unattended, and I'm thinking that you should realize that based on the fact that the dog has bitten before.

Unless your property is clearly posted NO TRESPASSING....KEEP OUT...DANGEROUS DOGS, you don't have a legal leg to stand on. I'd be paying this guy off before I found MY butt in court being sued for all I do own and future income and property as well. And before AC MAKES me put my dog down. But, from your comments earlier that you're going to destroy this girl in the fall cuz she won't last another winter....well, likely you don't care about that.

Prince_Pride

Posted : 6/7/2006 11:01:15 AM

ORIGINAL: glenmar
I too live in the country. I'm surrounded on 3 sides by something like 1000 acres of fields, trees and nothing. Before this, we were also in the country. My dogs do NOT run loose unless I am out with them. I have ONE who might bite if someone came on the property uninvited, but I don't give her that chance. One out of six, but not ONE of mine runs loose. They certainly get play time, but not outside along and unattended. It is just flat not responsible to leave dogs outside loose and unattended, and I'm thinking that you should realize that based on the fact that the dog has bitten before.

I live in the country too, on a dirt road. But I still don't let Prince run loose unsupervised. I could never forgive myself if he got hit by a car or worse...

Alot of people let their dogs run loose where I live as well. And they wander, and they get into garbage and all kids of things. I'm just wondering what it takes before people are responsible for their dogs! [8|]