# Dog on lead bites dog off lead, who is at fault?



## RoRo (Nov 3, 2019)

UK Specific.

About a week ego, at 9am in the morning, I went for a walk with my German Shepherd and my other smallish dog. 
My GS is a rescue and We have worked really hard to reduce her anxiety around the unknown. She (in my opinion, is a kind friendly and very much protective dog), 
During the walk, she wears a harness (red) and two large red stickers with the words CAUTION on them. She is also on the lead in tight spaces/places.

On that day, a couple with three dogs had appeared in the fields, frantically calling them back running after their three dogs that where charging at us. I put my GS on a short lead and was walking away, their third dog that did catch up with us, had started to harass my GS. I gave him a command to go away, to which he kinda responded with more galloping around us. Even my other dog tried to lead him away from us. As soon as the owners of that dog caught up close enough with us, for me to shout to ask them to give us some space, I think the response was, “he is friendly”... but when I started to wave my stick, the couple finally called their intrusive dog. If I knew that they would follow me and then catch up from behind, I would have walked an opposite direction. Instead, we ended up on a pathway where on either side there was water. Their dog was once again off the lead, now being even more intrusive and in our face, jumped at me and around me and us. The owners of that dog, saw me struggle, did not recall their dog, and it happened. My dog at the time had her ball in her mouth, but the intrusion and all that jumping at us got too much even for me, so my dog bit their dog. 
I’ve enquired about his state, but visually there was nothing. They said, there was nothing I have apologised for the incident and carried on walking. 
A week later, the lady approached me and informed me that apparently there was a massive gash that had to be stapled, that the vet bill put her out of pocket, suggesting that I should share the financial burden. I’ve accepted that it was an unfortunate incident/accident, the dogs or anyone should be free from fear of biting intimidation or personal intrusion, but I refused to share the financial burden. I also refuse to accept that my dog was at fault or that I should do more than what I am already doing. 
I do not have a problem with putting a muzzle on a dog as such, except she is petrified of the muzzle, when she was a puppy, her previous owners would first put a muzzle on her and then abuse her. 
She is six years old and she has come a long way. She is my family, and I feel that she was only trying to protect me from overly friendly dog who was jumping at me, at us.
I also don’t believe that she has done the damage they claim she did, but if so, could I counter claim for my hand that her dog caught while in an altercation with my dog? I was so shocked by her request, I didn’t even mention my hand or my dog being bit by her dog. 
I feel for the lady and her vet bill, but really, legally where do I stand?


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## lullabydream (Jun 25, 2013)

I personally would contact the dog law person
https://www.doglaw.co.uk/

Personally, its probably a grey area but from what I read, shouting they are friendly and allowing to harass someone to be jumping up, and not being able to call back a dog is not a dog under a control.

Having a dog on a lead, doesn't necessarily mean point blank your dog is necessarily under control however under those circumstances, with this so called friendly dog which I beg to differ, friendly isn't a dog that harasses people and other dogs that's a pain in an arse, over exuberant dog that should be kept on a lead in my opinion.

Speaking of finances, good owners have insurances to avoid costs that happen. They don't try to blag money for things like this because their priority is their dog and at the end of the day it's possibly a civil issue can possibly be taken to small claims court and if they win, well depending on finances £1 a week isn't going to help pay a large vet bill that needs paying there and then. Again just my opinion. All in the hypothetical again.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Personally, I think their dog was to blame and was out of control.

You asked them to keep it away and they ignored you.

You tried to walk away - they followed you.

I would have done the same as you and if anyone tried getting me to take the blame and foot their dog’s vet fees they would be told to “go forth and multiply” or I would sue for damages for my injuries.

If you’re concerned give the Police a call and ask their advice. 

When my dog (on leash) was attacked and bitten by a loose, uncontrolled dog the Police were brilliant and served the owner of the loose dog a 12 month community order and it had to be kept on lead in future.

I told the Policeman that I think the only reason the dog let go was because Jack had a go back eventually, but he said it was in self defence and on leash.


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## Ian246 (Oct 27, 2018)

I’m no lawyer, but it sounds to me as if you did everything you could to avoid any confrontation- considerably more than the other owner. I really doubt that our hard-pressed police forces are going to be in the least bit interested - this is dog on dog and my understanding us they are not generally concerned. If the police contact you, you can tell them precisely what happened, but I’d be very surprised if they did.
If you can put it out if your mind, my advice would be to do just that. If it’s really worrying you, contact the police as Lurcher Lad suggested.
If you’re insured (dogs, I mean), it might be worth calling the insurers. First, they may wish to be made aware, and second, they may have a legal person who can advise you. I called our insurers (Dogs Trust) after my rescue nipped a neighbour and they were very helpful.


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## Dakotas dad (7 mo ago)

I found myself in a similar situation tonight but instead of a field myself and my dog were on a pathway where I had nowhere to go. 

We met a group of dogwalkers, I knew one of them and his 2 dogs and know that my dog is fine with them but there were 2 other dogs and 2 owners with him who I had not met before. 

It's taken nearly 2 years to get to a point where my rescue is happy meeting other dogs but tonight she was overwhelmed by the number of dogs, the lack of room to manoeuvre around them and the fact 3 of them were off lead. 

Of course the dog of the owner who said "it's okay she's friendly" wouldn't leave us to walk past so I had to stop briefly to encourage my dog to walk on and keep moving. The other dog owner I didn't know said "there's too many dogs" and sensibly tried to leash his dog and move on, this gave me absolutely no room and the other dog came too close and tried to jump my dog but lost out and my dog caught hold of the scruff of their neck and refused to let go. 
Because it was off lead no matter where I tried to pull I couldn't get my dog away and the other owner grabbed my dog by her harness and pulled her off which caused an injury to their own dog. 
My problem was that I was quite aware that there were 3 other dogs that I had lost focus of and didn't know which way to turn. 

The owner of the injured dog finally put there dogs lead on and assured me I would be having a big vets bill through my door. 

Before the incident we stopped walking when we saw the 3 dogs off lead to give them time to leash their dogs buy they didn't. They kept coming so I moved to the side but found they just moved around us so I kept going as that would be the only way to get distance between us. 

I know it's not against the law to not have your dog leashed on a path but surely the other owner is negligent as well. I tried to control my dog but couldn't keep her away from the other off lead dog.


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## cbcdesign (Jul 3, 2014)

Lurcherlad said:


> I would have done the same as you and if anyone tried getting me to take the blame and foot their dog's vet fees they would be told to "go forth and multiply" or I would sue for damages for my injuries.


Too true, that is precisely my attitude too. These people must learn a lesson, an expensive one if necessary, keep their dogs under control or expect potential repercussions including possible injury from a frightened leashed animal.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

Dakotas dad said:


> The owner of the injured dog finally put there dogs lead on and assured me I would be having a big vets bill through my door


I hope you treated the bill as you should in the circumstances - torn up and put in the recycling.


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