UPDATE: Dog Park Dispute for all you Judge Judys!

I have several different thoughts about this, but ultimately if you're willing to wear $600 dollar glasses to the dog park then you ought to willing to go to court if something happens to them.  And in court, I don't think that there's enough proof either way to settle it.  If she feels strongly that she is owed the money, then settle it in litigation or court.  My guess is that she knows she doesn't have a case.
About spending that much on glasses:  Designer sunglasses are IN, and people pay that kind of money for them (I would never do that, but that's not the issue).  So I don't doubt that the sunglasses could have cost $600.  I do have friends that spend that kind of money on stuff, and the good news is that most of those expensive glasses are under an extended warranty from the manufacturer and if they get damaged, they are replaced for free.  That's how the people that I know are justifying the purchase.  She definitely needs to look into that!!!
On the other hand, I agree with the person who compared it to a Lexus.  We can't be the judges of whether or not $600 is worth replacing, it has to come down to the basic principle of "who is responsible if stuff happens at the dog park."  This applies to whether or not it's a 3 dollar collar that gets destroyed or a 600 dollar pair of glasses.  Frankly, if I know that I'm responsible for what my dog does to someone's property in the dog park, then I'd like for them to walk in and make an announcement for all to hear that let's us know that they have something that valuable on their person because I can't afford it and I would rather leave then take the chance of having something happen. Even the 60 dollar collar situation:  like someone said...walk your butt around the park and find the collar because unless it was completely ingested, it's still sitting there, and a little work just saved you 60 bucks.  Even in that situation...if my dog's wearing a 60 dollar collar and I'm taking her somewhere to play with other dogs, I would knowingly assume responsibility for the fact that it might be sacraficed for the love of dogs. Luckily my dog does not enjoy the dog park, so I only go dog-less with my mother and her dog.  But like someone mentioned before, if someone's glasses dropped from their head and my dog was heading towards them, I would give her the leave-it command and they wouldn't be touched.  So, a goal for Emmy's mom might be to work on her commands since this seems to be a pattern.
Ultimately, if you wear your nice shoes to the pool, and they get splashed...shouldn't you just humble yourself and make it a learning experience for wearing your nice shoes to the pool! 

Just an unfortunate accident. WOW, $600 glasses. I wear nice prescriptions and they are not that much. These things happen. No one is really at fault. 

Oh yeah, word for people announcing or otherwise making it obvious when they're about to do something in a dog park that would get my dogs in trouble for just being dogs. I will leave, and I have, when people enter who obviously are about to cause a situation. I've got big, slobbery, friendly dogs and if you're going to bring in your 3-year-old or your cranky elderly dog with hip dysplasia or wear your Sunday best, I would really rather just go hang out with my boys by ourselves in the other area, because whatever grief is about to ensue is just not worth it.
 
Many's the time that I have heard behind us, as I and the boys are hightailing it out of the popular area, some sort of dog or human (or both) altercation. It's moments like that when I really thank my lucky stars that I'm pretty intuitive and can usually tell when trouble's a-brewin in enough time to extricate myself and my pups before it all goes down. There are some people that, as soon as they walk in the gate, I can just tell are going to do something dumb and cause a problem.
 
Yesterday there was a dane who had never been to the park before and not only were it's people not letting it off leash, the leash was being held by a 10 year old! Great dane untested in a large canine social group! 10 year old human child! Fabulous idea. Just, fabulous.

Geez..  Is it really necessary for so many of you to insist that a person who wears $600 sunglasses is nothing other than an idiot?????  It's all relative...
 
On that note - I'm sure some of my sunglasses cost that much and yes, I wear them to the dog park.  Sometimes, I even have Diesel jeans on!   The issue is NOT whether or not the woman is stupid because she buys expensive things and therefore deserves whatever she gets at the dog park.  The issue is whether any of us have the right to reimbursement of damage to personal property at the dog park.  The answer is - YES of course we do!!  Providing the Plaintiff were able to produce a receipt for the sunglasses and a witness to corroborate her claim that Emma actually took the glasses off her head - ruling in favor of Plaintiff.  No question. 
 
However...  As a dog owner and major ark goer -  I personally would NEVER expect any kind of reimbursement for ANYTHING that was damaged by another dog.  I'm regularly covered with muddy paw prints, Slick's water bowl is almost always chewed up, my bag gets pee'd on all the time, toys get ruined, etc., etc.  I can't even imagine asking someone to give me money for any of this! 

I personally would never expect reimbursement for ANYTHING that was damaged by another dog either. This is a 'dog' park, not just public space where you have an expectation that the unexpected will not happen. On the contrary, you should always expect the unexpected! Dogs of every description, size, training level, temperment etc. can, and are in these parks. They run ahead, they lag behind. Even the most responsible owners do not have total control of their dogs in this environment IMO.

Although I wouldn't expect compensation myself, I have to admit that my dog did rip someones jacket a few years ago. It wasn't an expensive jacket (thank goodness). I offered to take the jacket and repair it. Which I did. The lady was fine with my handy work and that was that. If she had insisted that I pay for a new jacket I probably would have.

I feel the same way about dog injuries at off leash parks. Unless someone has unleashed a known killer onto the field, I think you should be responsible for your own vet bills. Crap happens and it usually happens fast. You know there is potential for fighting and injury in that environment. If you don't want to assume that responsibility, you should not use the park.

I'm sure people are wearing their wedding rings (which often cost triple this figure) to the dog park...  The value of her property is what it is.  If the dog grabbed them, the owner is liable.  If they fell off, then the liability is her own.  I'd also want an estimate on repairs, not just full replacement.  If the angry sunglass lady won't do an estimate, I'd say "take me to court, then."  (Course, I suspect she'd probably damage the frames in the meantime... that's the pessimist I am!)

I have a friend who owns sunglasses that are that expensive and they are NOT prescription. I think it's insane too, but she thinks it's insane that I spend $100 +  a month for Ash's food when a bag of Purina costs roughly $12.00. [] It's all about your perspective.
 
I think that when you go into a dog park, you should expect to get dirty and maybe not wear $600.00 sunglasses. I once went to the dog park in a really nice pair of jeans. They were my favorite and I had spent about $70.00 on them. Another dog their came running up to me and got two huge mud paw prints on them. I know it's not the same because it can be washed off, but needless to say, I learned my lesson. Don't ever wear my nice stuff to the dog park again.
 
If I had been Emma's owner, I'd offer to pay what I could and what I felt was reasonable (after I saw proof of their worth and got my own estimate as to what the repair would cost) and if that was denied, then she could take me to court. I would also insist on getting a picture of the glasses before I left (camera cell phone) just so that she couldn't damage them any further on her own.

ORIGINAL: Xerxes

First I'm amazed that any glasses cost $600! 
Ruling:  Case Dismissed.  Let's hope it was a lesson learned by both partys.

 
SO AGREED!!!  my husband just spent over 600 on his glasses and over 300 on my daughter's.  told him that is that last time he is shopping where he went.....

Lord have mercy. Who in their right mind would wear $600 sunglasses to a dog park? Probably the same idiots who wear nice clothes to the dog park and get their drawers in a wad because dogs are rubbing up against them/jumping on them/sniffing them. They are probably the same half wits who bring their leashed dog to a dog park and refuse to

 
 
Your guys this post is totally cracking me up.....Im sitting here reading this out loud to my husband....  You guys have all wrote the funniest things.... this one is my favorite....I don't go to the dog park but for amusement I do drive in a watch all this kind of stuff that does go on... Hubby and I have seen Animal control and the police with there lights on there many times since the place opened in May....
 
I needed a good laugh...... so thanks for all the commical posts. IM glad I click on this one...
 
Kim

Emma sounds like a character, but I agree with everyone, and feel you should expect the unexpected at a dog park. I've gotten muddy, I've seen people plowed into and knocked over by packs of playful dogs, and one time my 100 pound Laddie marked a woman who I was standing there having a conversation with. I saw him lift his leg and I let out a blood curdling scream, "NO!!!" I was thoroughly embarrassed and extremely apologetic, but she made light of the situation. As she put it, he was just marking his territory and now she belonged to him. I felt fairly fortunate that I knew her pretty well since we were both regulars at the park. Can't image what would have happened to someone not as understanding. It's the dog park - anything can happen.

Matter has been resolved! The lens" were replaced and the frames were tweeked. Total cost to Emma's Mom - $40. Entertainment value -priceless

With that kind of a difference in price it makes me think the glasses were a Valentine's Day present or something that she was under the impression was soooo expensive, but they were really just a knockoff... >.<

I'm glad Emma's mom got off so much easier though!