My dog was recently attacked by another dog twice and the owner wont pay all the vets bills. What should I do?

My springer spaniel was attacked by a great dane on 2 different occasions. The 1st time we were in a field and my dog was off the lead and just sniffing around some grass then all of a sudden a great dane runs out from behind me and heads straight for my dog. I tried to shout to make it leave my dog alone but it just picked him up shook him around (leaving nasty bite marks) and sort of threw him a few metres. the great dane then ran back to its owner who put it on the lead. The 2nd time i had my dog on the lead and i was going through a tunnel to get to the field on the other side when I noticed the same great dane running towards us (unleashed). I put myself in between the two dogs and started shouting "go away!" however this great dane had other ideas. It pinned my dog to the ground and by the timed the owner had pulled it off my dog had a gash down the side of his back and a deep wound to his neck. The owner refused to pay any more than half of the bills. what should i do?

The Dane's owner is responsible for the wounds from the second attack. You will win if you take it to small claims court, and the other person will also be charged for the court costs.
You can tell them that you have filed, and tell him how much it will cost after he takes the day off work, pays restitution to you, and pays the court costs. Also, his dog will be ON RECORD as being vicious, and it will be illegal for it to ever be off lead..
So, faced with the consequences, I think he just may pay you before it goes to court and becomes public record.

However, as your dog was off lead at the time of the first attack, that one won't be enforceable, as off-lead is always at your own risk, unless there is public record that the aggressor is listed in public record as 'dangerous'. (having attacked before)

Sue the other owner for damages

take him to small claims court.

seek legal help

Take them to court and make them pay. People need to take responsibility for their actions and their pets.

Small claims court!

lawsuit

get a lawyer....and get some pepper spray for your walks...use it on the great dane if it goes after your dog again...i know i would!

contact Judge Judy - they will take your case and you'll be paid to appear on the tv show!!!!
Any of those court shows will do it... just look them up!!!!

If your dog was off it's lead during the first incedent then you can't get any compensation. Since your dog was on the lead the second time you can take the owner of the other dog to court and sue for vet bills..............................

We had that happen a few years back to our pomeranian on our own property. We took the owner to small claims court. In his case, he didn't have any money, but we were successful in getting a court order that he had to keep the dog tied up. You could look into that. Maybe just the threat will be enough, but be prepared to follow through if he doesn't give in.

I hate to suggest this, but I think you might need to file a police report about this. The dog sounds way too aggressive and the owner seems unable or unwilling to do what it takes to control it. Great Danes are a huge responsibility, and some people shouldn't have them. Talk to the police and file the report so you have legal ground to stand on should you want to take legal action to get the vet bills reimbursed.

Well you were both in the wrong when the dane attacked the first time, because you both had your dogs loose. However, he was in the wrong the second time by having his dog off it's lead, so he would be responsible for 100% of your dog's vet bills for the second attack. Hire an attorney if necessary!

Sue and better win

if the dog is a threat to people or other animals it has to be kept on a leash. for the owner to let the dog roam free and attack other animals is incredibly reckless. I'm sure you have a case if you want to go ahead and sue. the owner should have to take full responsibility for the costs of what the dog has done to yours. that's really sad and you should talk to a lawyer and explore your rights

small claims court will cost you only $25 to $100 and you represent yourself, either that or judge judy!

Call the police and spca! Get a lawyer if you have to!

I would also suggest askign this question in the law section. While, true, this does have to do with dogs, you may be able to find more people to help you, there.

I'm sorry about what happened!

Definitely call your local Police department and file a complaint against the Dane's owner. If the dog's owner is found guilty of negligence, he will be required to pay the Vet bills, and possibly punitive damages.

I think this country is sue happy, however in this case, it sounds like the owner has left you with no other choice. I would ask for the full amount of the vet bills and maybe a special request for the owner to keep the dog on a leash when outdoors or find a new home for her pet before he actually attacks something and the results are fatal. Pray it is not a child.

For the first incident, since your dog was off-leash, you may not have standing in a legal suit (depending on the local laws) but at least it establishes the other dog as aggessive toward yours. But in the second case, where your dog was leashed and the other was off-leash, it sounds like it would be open and shut. I might just focus on the 2necase, as it might weaken your position if your off-leash episode is thrown in the mix. Good luck and hope your dog isn't too traumatized!

I. Call and ask your local animal control.
2. Do you have any witnesses to the attacks.
3. Keep your records of vet bills and other costs in order.
4. Write everything down, if you haven't already. Write the date, times, places.
5. Do you have the owner's name ?
6. Make sure that she has paid at least some before getting in too deep.
7. By paying part, it shows that she accepts at least a part of the fault.

This kind of dispute goes according to local laws. You need to find out what to do in your area. Animal control will know.

Three things;

Call your local ASPCA or Animal Control Center and report the incident.

Buy pepper spray and keep it with you.

Go to your courthouse and ask how to begin the proceedings for filing a small claim. It's usually fairly cheap.

Take legal action. Half of the bills is NOT acceptable. You are lucky you weren't injured. It is a difficult situation, and the owner of the dane sounds unable or unwilling to control the dog- which is a danger to other animals, and possibly people. I have a Rottweiler female who wasn't socialized properly, and is other dog agressive- therefore she is not allowed out of fencing, or on walks. She has never hurt another animal or person, but she is other dog aggressive, I know this and don't put her in situations where something ugly could happen. The Great Dane owner should be doing the same.

That's sort of a sticky situation for you to be in. Alot of times when another owner's dog attacks yours they for some reason feel that their dog has done nothing wrong or that there is some legitimate reason their dog had for attacking yours. If this has happened twice though in the same feild, I would encourage you to talk to the owner about at least making sure that you walk your dogs in that feild at different times so there is no chance of confrontation between the two of them.

Most cases I've seen like this have ended up in court. It shoudl be the responsibility of the owner of the Dane to at the very least offer to pay the full bill since his dog attacked yours for no reason. Try talking to him about it again. Ask him what he would expect from you if the tables were turned and it had been your dog that attacked his. I'm sure that he would say he would expect you to pay for it. I know how much a bill for those sort of things cost, so I can imagine your concern about him paying.

On the other hand, at least he was kind enough to offer to pay for half of the bills. Alot of people would refuse to pay even a dollar to help out. You won't find many people that will do even what he did.

Try talking to him about it one more time and express your concerns to him. Just be sure to keep a cool head when you do it. Don't get upset and put him on the defensive. Having a calm and civilized conversation will have the best results. I'm sure you will be able to come to an understanding, and if you cannot, take him to court!

Oh, and a small bit of advice, placing yourself between your dog and another animal that is coming to attack it rarely has any good outcome. The other animal will stop at nothing to attack you just to get to what he is going after. So if that happens again, just be careful.

SUE!!!!!!!!!

claims court oh and if thats not an option then get pepper spray and spray that nasty great dane (if he attacks your dog again)

Take them to court as soon as possible. That is the best thing you can do. For your dog and yourself.

The first time -- you were both at fault having the dogs off the leash -- that's just asking for trouble. . .
The second time -- I would go after the person -- you clearly learned your lesson leaving your dog leashed --

GET SOME PEPPER SPRAY and spray that dog if he goes near your dog again - it will not kill the great dane but he might learn HIS lesson!!

Take it to court.

well this a tricky case. i was suggest taking the owner of the great danes to a civil court and sue him or her. but make sure you have the reciepts and at least photos of hte injuries. but if your dog was off the leash and there is a leash law on the property the field and tunnel is on you might have a problem with that. but that is what i do but if the great danes were on your property off the leash their owner is definitely liable. but since yall might not a civil court is your best bet. or you could cal your local animal control and get some definite advice.

You can file a civil suit. Also, some jurisdictions have dog wardens. If a dog attacks more than once, the owner can lose the dog. The dog warden can pressure the owner to pay the bills or lose the dog. It should be reported to the police anyway, if the dog is dangerous, they need to know, for everyones sake.