# Please please help, devastating dog issue



## Molly99 (Apr 16, 2012)

Last night, there was an incident involving my large dog.  She doesn't like our neighbour's minature and extremely excitable dog, so I have always been so careful to keep them apart.  We live in a very rural area though and their dogs wander where they like.

Last night though, our neighbours were off for a walk and their 2 dogs ran way ahead of them.  I had my big dog on her lead but their dogs ran straight onto our land and into us.  It was literally a split second, it was chaos, I tried to stay on my feet but their other dog was jumping up at me and my pup was trying to run away.  I had the lead the whole time, I didn't even feel like anything had happened, there was no pulling or noise.  If their dog wasn't on the ground I wouldn't have known that anything had happened.  I didn't see a thing, it must have been one big bite and that was it.  

I am utterly mortified, their dog was so little that she died of her injuries last night.  I am just beside myself and cannot stop crying.  I have no idea what to do.  I have called my insurance and they say that I am not liable because I was on my land, my dog on her lead and their dogs not under suitable control.  That makes me feel even worse, of course they are not going to see it that way, who would blame them?  How on earth will they take that if it comes up?

Although I didn't see what happened, it was clearly my dog that bit. It feels like a catastrophic incident but I know that she is my dog and ultimately I am responsible.  I feel like I have risked my own dogs life and am responsible for the little dog that they absolutely adored  

I wrote them a letter and went to see them just now.  They are obviously devastated and said that they blamed my dog but not me.  

Sorry, I am just in turmoil, I don't know what I expect you to write back.  I just need someone to help.  What on earth do I do, I guess that I just need to wait to see what they decide.  I am thinking about my beautiful dog's life now.  She is everything to me but should we be thinking about the unthinkable?

Life cannot get an worse right now, when will all of this ever end


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## *laura* (Oct 7, 2007)

Oh molly how awful for you    there was nothing you could have done differently your dog was on its lead, your neighbours really should have kept their dog on the lead too   try to not beat yourself up about it


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## bundles (Jul 16, 2011)

Oh Molly   I have read so many of your posts & really can't believe I am now reading this. It is a dog owners responsibility to keep their dogs under control. You did, they did not. End of. Ultimately a dog is an animal and will behave in an animal way when attacked. Your dog was just acting on instinct and did nothing wrong. Admit nothing, keep things vague & let time pass. 
Honey you need this like a hole in the head  
xx


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## Dragonfly32 (Mar 26, 2014)

Molly, I am so sorry to hear what you have gone through, it is a dog owners worst nightmare. You, as a responsible dog owner had yours on the lead, they were in the wrong on so many counts. Sorry I am afraid I dont have any useful advice, but stay strong, remember it was your land and your dog was on the lead.


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## Trunky (Jul 26, 2013)

Your dog was on the lead, theirs was not. The blame in no way is yours. 

Not a nice thing to happen but nothing can be done against you or your dog legally.


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## CrazyHorse (May 8, 2014)

I'm so sorry, Molly. Your neighbours may blame your dog, but I blame THEM. They had no business allowing their dogs off their property off lead. If a small dog runs up to a large dog and disturbs the large dog, the encounter can easily end like this. It doesn't mean that your dog is inherently dangerous and aggressive.

I'm sorry for your neighbours' loss, but there's nothing for them to decide here. You were on your property with your dog on the lead, their dogs invaded your land and your and your dog's personal space. I think it's fine to say sorry for their loss when speaking to them, but neither you nor your dog are to blame and I think you should politely but firmly reject any such suggestion from the neighbours.

Your dog biting another dog (that was not an assistance dog) does not put you in breach of the Dangerous Dogs Act: http://blogs.rspca.org.uk/insights/2014/05/14/how-the-changes-to-the-dangerous-dogs-act-affect-you-and-your-dog/. There's also no way that your neighbours can credibly say your dog was threatening them. Please don't consider putting your beloved pet down over this unfortunate incident, which was the fault of your neighbours for not properly controlling their animals. 

/links


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## deedee_spark (Aug 6, 2014)

I'm so sorry. How awful for you and your dog, and your neighbours dog. :-(

Don't call the RSPCA for advice. I'd possibly try to 'sit' it out, like the others say. I'm not sure whether sending your dog to a family member (for his protection) will make it worse of not? I mean, just incase an over zealous police officer gets involved with inaccurate information. Possibly it will look worse?

What I would do is try to find out your legal rights, just incase your neighbours get spiteful (forewarned and all that). Maybe post something on a dog forum? Or calling free legal animal advice?

Anyway, I am truly sorry - the last thing you need right now. Your neighbours should control their dogs.  

xx       

PS Update: I agree that you should be very careful what you say to your neighbours. Hopefully, your neighbours will see sense and not do anything stupid. It's just best to check out your right in case (obviously don't admit you've checked your rights out to anyone but DH).


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## deedee_spark (Aug 6, 2014)

A very quick google brought up this story. It's Wales but this year.

Since this is the opposite to your situation (dog invades neighbours garden and kills dog), I think your dog is safe.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-28523448

I would still be careful what you say to your neighbours and double check your rights, but it looks like the police can do nothing. It's just a horrible situation all round.

x
 

/links


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2014)

Oh you poor thing Molly   I have a big dog & a quite big one, so can totally imagine the whole thing. What a horrible year   It was obviously an accident and they were on your land you said. Yes don't say too much and you can only be really kind & apologetic, see if you can do anything to help them feel any better/comfort?Maybe you'll have to use some kind of muzzle when yours goes out too? 

Thinking of you and sending you a big cyber hug xxx


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## Molly99 (Apr 16, 2012)

Thank you so much  

This year has just been horrific, I turned 41 yesterday just to top it all off  

I also called the vets after posting and they said exactly the same as you all.  I took my neighbours up a short letter in the end, that was pretty awful but as pleasant as I could have hoped for. 

They came down later in the day to tell me of the injuries and I'm so embarrassed to say that I had a full on hyper ventilating melt down   .  There may have been a lot of things that they were expecting but that certainly wasn't one of them.  i explained a little and they were very kind.  I should have been giving them my sympathies though, not the other way around.  It is horrifically awkward (especially as we live very closely in a remote area) but maybe in some perverse way it helped to diffuse the situation.

I feel more trapped in my house than ever now but whatever it takes to protect my dog.  

Thank you again for your support, I so desperately needed it.  I've gone from a woman on the edge to over the precipice now, it really was a tragic last straw.


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## wendycat (Nov 18, 2006)

Molly - I'm so sorry, how absolutely devastating for you   


It must be every dog owner's nightmare, but it really was just a dreadful incident over which you had no control xxx


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## kandykane (Nov 17, 2008)

Your dog was in no way to blame. Their dogs were out of control and jumping all over you. If you dog had been aggressive you would have been aware of growing and biting etc. as it was it sounds like your dog gave it a 'nip' to warn it off her owner, perfectly understandable given the circumstances. It also sounds like they haven't bothered to train their dogs, whereas you are a responsible owner and had your dog under control on a lead. I used to have a newfie and now have a rottie cross (both puddings) so am used to the whole 'big dog thing' from other owners. Please do not admit any liability, their dogs were trespassing on your land and out of control. It's a very sad situation for the owners but it is Not Your Dog's Fault.


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## Greyhoundgal (Oct 7, 2013)

Molly - I'm so sorry you've had this awful experience but people MUST learn to keep their dogs close to them. You must not in any way view your dog differently. Do remember dogs only have a few ways in which to express themselves and in this instance your dog couldn't do flight so she did fight   I have often found big dogs being put in this situation by unruly small dogs.....if a large dog behaved in the manner many small dogs do then people would be doing more training. Just because a dog is small doesn't mean it's ok to be badly behaved. My big dog was often under attack by small dogs. The one time he threw a terrier up in the air to tell it to stop I heard no end of how dangerous my dog was  

I'm genuinely sorry for you and your dog. It will have been a traumatising experience for you both. Just to reassure you, a neighbour where I used to live had a German shepherd cross which was always on the lead. Another local dog, a terrier, regularly used to bait her when out so the owner took walking at different times to avoid this dog.  Almost as if the terriers owner was trying to provoke something, she then took to walking her dog past my neighbours house. One day, my neighbour was at the door, they walked past and her GSD flew out of the door and attacked the terrier. I only tell you this story (which is different as the GSD left the property) to say no prosecution was followed up....even off my neighbours property. Even afterwards, that terriers owner continued to walk her dog past my neighbour - what a stupid and insensitive owner  .  What I mean by all of this is to reassure you that no one will be asking you to put your dog to sleep and nor should you consider it. She is the same dog she has always been  

Hope things settle down soon.

Grey xxxx


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## kerryh (Apr 15, 2014)

Molly this is not your fault. Your dog was behaving like a dog. Those little dogs were on your land and off their leads. They should have been taught of learnt long ago not to approach other dogs like that, it's an act of aggression on their part. Not to mention that your older dog was probably feeling protective of your puppy and you. We have a puppy and when she first went out she approached other dogs in a daft way and got snapped at a few times. I was pleased because she needs to learn young how to approach other dogs with respect. If one of those dogs bit her I would have seen it as her fault for being silly! Please try not to feel too awful


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## artist_mum (Jun 19, 2012)

hi molly

just came across this - gosh, Molly, I'm so sorry.  As a dog owner I can only begin to imagine how hard this all is.  And knowing how things have been from the steppie thread, I understand how this just comes on top of so much stuff. You're such a coper, I see that from your posts.  But this is such a hard thing to handle, even without all the other difficulties.  

I hope things have calmed down a bit by now although I'm guessing the shock will mean it lasts a bit whilst you process everything.  In a way it's good that you had a meltdown whilst the neighbours were over, so they could see how it affects you just as much as them.. and clearly they weren't being so careful with their dogs as you were with yours at the time.

Sending you loads of hugs and thinking of you.  Dogs, kids.. it's hard 

xxx


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## Molly99 (Apr 16, 2012)

Thank you all so much for being so wonderfully supportive.

Well, I've managed to avoid seeing them at all since the incident, which is something seeing as how our houses are arranged.  I saw her briefly through the window yesterday and had complete palpatations, so avoiding for longer is definitely on the cards for me until I'm feeling stronger.  

I'm petrified that they'll come over again to talk about help with the vets bill, my insurance won't pay out as my dog was on her lead and on our land.  I'm praying that their dog was insured and they will cover it and it doesn't come up  

Limping along to the end of the year.  It has to get better right? xx


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## artist_mum (Jun 19, 2012)

It will Molly.  Hang on in there.  Take a day at a time xxx


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## Molly99 (Apr 16, 2012)

Thank you sweetie  

We had the inevitable visit last night to present the vets bill (they didn't have insurance) and to tell us that they feel they are letting their dog down if they don't unofficially report it to the police and dog warden.  Our community police woman lives down the road and has always felt very gossipy, so another thing to look forward to    

Luckily we've had fab legal and professional advice so hopefully it's just accepting that we can't help living in an area of out of control dogs (at least 8 car chasing, biting, 5 minutes in front of their owners dogs etc etc and loads of visitors) so we need to always ensure that she is under strict control.  She wasn't dangerously out of control in the first place, but that doesn't seem to matter (especially as she's the same breed as yours KandyKane)  

It's the 7 stages of grief, they accept responsibility in one breath but not in another.  Understandable really.  Think we'll offer to pay half, not sure whether they'll be happy with that but it's all that we can afford.  It's all about surviving now, whatever to keep the peace and get this year over with.

 credit card on top of treatment.  Think that this really is the final straw for any little teeny weeny dreams that I had for donor.  Life had other plans for me.  God, I hope that they're better plans that what I've seen so far  

Thank you again for all of your fantastic support when I needed it most.  I know that this wasn't fertility related, so thank you, you are all amazing xxxx


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## CrazyHorse (May 8, 2014)

Hi, Molly, please consider calling Citizens' Advice before offering to pay your neighbours anything. I'm concerned that making such an offer could be construed as admitting liability, which could be a real problem if this becomes a legal matter. This entire incident was THEIR FAULT -- I truly believe you owe them absolutely nothing here. They acted irresponsibly, with an unfortunate outcome. They need to grow up and accept that their actions had consequences -- which, very sadly, were visited on their poor innocent pup as a result of their failure to behave as responsible pet owners.

  to you at this difficult time.


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## Dream come true (Feb 22, 2012)

Please do not offer or pay any money to your neighbours. They are the I've at fault not you or your poor dog. They should have controlled their dog. X


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## podgey (Oct 6, 2013)

I also wanted to say please don't pay anything as that is admitting liability and can open the doors to a later claim from u for stress etc etc. my dog ran into the road once out of my gate and was killed by a car. The car owner then wanted money for damage to her car. I also felt guilty and it was after all my dogs fault and felt confident that my dog insurance company would pay her. They wouldn't pay and told me I mustn't pay anything. They said it was an act of god and therefore not my fault. The lady kept asking me for money but the insurance company was insistent that she claimed off her own insurance and I mustn't pay a penny as that was admitting fault and they could then do a larger claim.  In the end I contacted my household insurance and they said I was covered under them so I am not sure if they paid out but I gave over this info and didn't hear again. I am so sorry u are having to go through with this on top of everything else


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## artist_mum (Jun 19, 2012)

hey Molly
Also not sure that paying out would be good…? Hope you can get some advice and work out the best way forward.  Thinking of you.
xx


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