Family Dog Attacked

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

You should also consider having the vet call the animal control people for your area. The Vet might lend a bit more creedence to the story.

I am sure that animal control gets a lot of the "he said/she said" type of dog complaints from neighbors. The fact that a vet is calling the incident in might get a quicker and more serious response. Plus it could trigger them taking the attacking dogs in for rabies evaluation.

Plus in the view of animal control/law enforcement investigations about attacking animal problems, could eliminate the preceived emotional response complaint.

(That dog barked at me so I want it killed, etc.)

Which I am sure they get from time to time.

[LittleDollClaudia]

I'm so sorry that happened to your sweet doggie. I have a little puggle. (You can see her picture in my album on my profile.) I admit, she's rather excitable, but there is NO excuse for what those dogs did.

I have a pit bull in our complex that is left outside on the patio and it scares the hell out of me that one day it will just hop over. Its barks are very threatening. But no one has the guts to say anything to the owner, who's big and scary himself.

I agree with everyone here as to calling the local animal shelter and your vet to help you file a case against these people.

My personal thing is: why have an animal if you're going to ignore and mis-treat it? But hey, look at how the son reacted.

One thing you can always tell is how someone treats their animals is usually how they treat their kids. ( a good rule for any woman wanting to have kids with someone or vice versa for you men out there)

I hope everything works out and I send you my prayers and happy thoughts.

[joanna71985]

Oh your poor doggy!! I can't believe the way that dog's owners acted!

[EeyoresButterfly]

Well, Schnitzel is home, looking like a Frankenpuppy. I'm sure his cat is happy (he raised our cat Ailaina, she thinks she is a dog). I heard she wasn't quite sure what to do with herself without her dog. :(

Apparently he is getting around quite well. My mom rigged it so he can go potty on the deck since he isn't supposed to take stairs. She turned her back for one minute and he plopped down the stairs like it was no big deal. We have a feeling this is due to his being one doped up doggy so we are going to try to curtail this behavior.

My mother talked to our vet and she agreed that since we were in the street it is not our duty to pay the bill. Right now my parents believe they will take the bill to the owners and tell them that as long as they pay the bill and keep their dog on a leash they will not file a report with the authorities. They do have pictures and a vet bill as proof of what happened. The only way he could have sustained his injuries was from being shaken by a large dog. My father is going to wait to talk to them until he is sure he can do it without yelling. For what it's worth, the past few days when they've had the dog out they have had her on a leash. Perhaps they have learned their lesson.

[ectomstr]

I hope youre dog gets better real quick and it's really sad what's happened to him :(

We had a German Shepard, real nice dog. only remember one time where he barked and snapped at someone. it was my uncle and he was stupid enough to whisper/blow air into Lobo's ear, other than that we took great care of him until he fell into a hole and contracted pneumonia.

I've had problems with neighbors and my dogs, one stuck up witch in particular, though our dogs are inside dogs and only go out to go for a "Walk".

i dunno about these people. I wouldn't hesitate about calling animal control about these people even if they DO pay the vet bill. If they had to get rid of their dogs once and their new dogs are attacking just like the old ones, then they are not fit to own pets. It shows they have learned nothing. something the criminal justice system likes to call "repeat offenders". ;)

[joanna71985]

Oh, I hope they have learned their lesson. Keeping my fingers crossed that they will come around, and pay the vet bill.

[Kwahati]

...could eliminate the preceived emotional response complaint.

(That dog barked at me so I want it killed, etc.)...

See, I'm all about the immediate emotional response. When dogs bark at me, I usually bark back... I'm big and I bark loud! :p:

[Syndrome]

Maybe I watch too many court shows (which is actually what I am doing right now as I type this), but I would contact Animal Control and the police and THEN ask them to pay the bills. That gives you more leverage because they are on notice with the authorities. Otherwise, the question from AC will be, "If this was such a bad incident, why did you wait so long?" You need documentation and you need it ASAP. Otherwise these people will go back to their old behavior because they have no true incentive to stop.

[Princess Susi]

Maybe I watch too many court shows (which is actually what I am doing right now as I type this), but I would contact Animal Control and the police and THEN ask them to pay the bills. That gives you more leverage because they are on notice with the authorities. Otherwise, the question from AC will be, "If this was such a bad incident, why did you wait so long?" You need documentation and you need it ASAP. Otherwise these people will go back to their old behavior because they have no true incentive to stop.

Yep, I have seen no less than 3 BIG dog bites a small dog cases in the last week. I watch the court shows as well. Hey, I am lying in bed to rest my back and that is all that is on during the day anymore, except Soaps. UGH!

There are always big dog/little dog cases. If your dog was on a leash and they were not, you will win. I hope your little weeny dog is doing well. I hate when this happens. No one wins. The little dog is hurt, the big dogs often have to be euthanized due to the behavior taught them by their ignorant owners and the ignorant owners usually go out and get more dogs. The people who love the little dog suffer emotional distress and have to pay a LOT for vet bills.

If only ALL people knew how to treat animals. I am an animal advocate and I have seen this and worse behavior all the time. When I went out on animal welfare calls with the investigation team of the shelter I worked for, it was horrendous how people treated their animals. Dogs tied to stakes in the middle of Winter with snow all around, no food or water, same in the Summer. Some people just don't know HOW to take care of an animal. I think it should be part of the school curriculum to care for an animal and spay and neuter should be a mandatory part of that course.

I love creatures. Sometimes I think I love the animals more than humans. At least they don't act like jerk humans. They just want to be loved and give love. It is their nature.

susi

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I have to agree with other posters that it is a bad idea to wait to report it.

If you take the bill to them, and tell them that you want it paid or you will report them, they could actually use that as an excuse to not pay.

I.E.: They threatned us with legal action if we didn't pay THEIR vet bill. They tried to cohearse money from us! (That would look bad on your part in any sort of mediation/court situation)

I would say to make the reports to the different authorities, and ask your vet to call it in also!

Then let them OFFER to pay your vet expenses and associated rehabilition costs!