Amber is asking for Glynne’s advice, following an incident in which her dog bit another. She is being faced with the vet’s bill for the other party, even though the attack was not her dog’s fault. How can she resolve this tricky situation?

Question

We have just experienced a most upsetting incident. A person, best unnamed, raced her dogs up our road (she in the car, the dogs out of the car!!!)Her one dog, a tiny thing, veered off to our fence and barked at our dogs, poking her nose through a gap. Our dogs had been following the chase on the inside of the fence and were understandably highly excited. When the yapping nose appeared our one dog grabbed hold of it and actually pulled it through the gap in the fence and bit it.On being reprimanded our dog let go immediately and the little thing went off to its owner’s car. The owner has now presented us with the vet’s bill. It’s just money. It doesn’t matter. The principal matters though. Don’t you think this owner was highly irresponsible? and dogs off-lead in a road? Surely illegal?

Hi Amber
I absolutely agree with you 100%!
It’s very fortunate the little dog wasn’t killed but you can not be held responsible for the owner’s stupidity.
I hope you had a witness? If not she will probably claim your dogs got into her garden or your dogs attacked her dog on the road while she was out walking it, which is a very different scenario.
If this person is asking you to pay her vet bills - brace yourself for the shock because people like that will try any story for money! If I am right, and you do have a reliable witness, do not pay a penny. And if you have a friendly attorney, ask him to write them a letter to the effect.
Good luck and let us know the outcome.
Glynne