Hello again. This post is going to be a bit disturbing so if you can't take looking at a heartbreaking picture....stop reading now. However, I hope you will continue because this type of thing happens quite too often, unfortunately, and I thought I would post something about it in an effort to do something about it. Maybe it will help, maybe not.
This is a picture of a friend’s dog that was attacked by a neighbor’s dog and the conversation that follows the pic is taking place over the last day on Facebook. It hurts for me to even LOOK at these pictures and I am removing names from these posts to protect everyone’s privacy. I felt this was one small way I could help from miles and miles away. The neighbors, so far, haven’t offered an apology or any sort of help with a vet bill or any sympathy what so ever and it just seems (to me) like if your dog was the one who went into someone else’s yard and did ANY sort of injury to another animal or person or property, you would feel SOMEWHAT responsible. Wouldn’t you? Maybe that’s just me….I don’t know. You decide for yourself. I hope they are able to come to a peaceful resolution, if there IS such a thing in a case like this. It’s really sad. We all love our pets, no matter the size or breed just like we love our kids and other relatives when they do something wrong. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t responsible for their actions, right? Again, it’s always heartbreaking to make decisions that hurt our loved ones but we have to do what we know is right sometimes to protect others in the long run.
(Note: After deleting names down to just initials, I realized that some people have the same initials, but I think it’s fine although.)
My Friend--Taking a poll: if Neighbor 1 lets their dog out of the fence and it goes to Neighbor 2's back yard and attacks and chews up smaller dog out for a bathroom break, should Neighbors1 reimburse Neighbors2 the bill for the ER that saved that dog's life?
MO--yes
LS-- Yep. Quickly
WM-- As a vet who has been in the middle of this situation many times, absolutely yes.
PD-- without question.
KW--Oh M! Sorry!!!
KW--Same here, Dr M.
SF--Is this really so different from one child attacking another in their own yard? Parents #1 would be responsible then right? Why should dogs be any lessor a responsibility? So yes!
TW--Hell yes.........
SH--In VA the aggressive dog could be put down - also since the dog is off leash the owner could be sued for physical and emotional damages ... sorry to hear about your dog
DS--Do we vote online or by phone? And how many votes per person? I say yes but I want to make sure my votes count.
KG--No doubt !! And should sue if not !!
HM--Absolutely yes!
My Friend--But you see, their crazy Blue Healer isn't aggressive to their knowledge. So what if I had to chase him off my acre just to get him to drop my dog, then spend the night at the ER while he fought for his life? They just can't believe I'd ask for the $960 back.
SH--Also your home owner insurance may help your cost?
KM-- Sue
KT-- Funny you said blue healer, just had a convo w someone who had a blue healer attack their 3 yr old daughter and caused her to have 3 surgeries to correct facial damage. Owner didn't think their digit was aggressive either. And yes, they should pay for the bill!
KT-- *dog
My Friend--KT the vet said Everyone's always talking about breeds like pit's and rott's but blue healers are responsible for as many attacks as they are. There is a leash law, it wouldn't also apply to my dog in my own yard though, right?
DH--I'm going with Sean's suggestion. Is this itty bitty that y'all just got? Are thee girls ok? Oh and that would be a dead blue healer
KM—M, if you don't make them responsible for this its gonna happen again.
My Friend--Yes, we adopted him from a shelter in March, after he was picked up eating out of dumpsters. Sweet, Pom/Corgi mix with some street sense, and I worry he won't be the same.
SH--I do not think you have to have your dog on a leash on your own property. Also if your community has a HOA - they would have guide lines.
MA--definitely
DH--Is he home yet? Just baby him to pieces.
My Friend--KM, I agree, next time it could be the kids. They aren't returning any calls, and these are people we liked, had over for swim parties and BBQ's, it's insane. Regardless of the money, they haven’t even called to see if he survived. If my dog had been eaten while on their property, I wouldn't ask for or expect a cent. How was I friendly with such tacky people?! hahaha
My Friend--He's home, and stable, still has the drainage tubes and big collar and will need a lot of extra care. I'd be over there with my checkbook in a nanosecond if the roles were reversed. I'd throw in made from scratch lasagna and a store bought cake! My cakes are never edible.
DH--At the very least they could have gone to the vet with you. No apology or anything?
DH--Doesn't the vet have to contact Animal Control to report the attack?
NB--They definitely need to pay!!! That's awful, M. I'm so sorry:-(
My Friend—Nada, DH, I should have asked, wondered that myself this afternoon. I didn't know if I should call the police, animal control, a lawyer, all three? I'm waiting on J to get home to go over there. Because I tend to have a very non-peaceful reaction to people who wrong my family.
MM-- If my dog did that, paying the vet bill would be the least I could/would do. I'm so sorry you all are having to deal with this. Must have been terribly traumatic.
DH--I showed my husband and he is beyond furious so I don't think you getting slightly ticked off is out of line.
DS--Seriously, I need some kind of confirmation on my vote. I heard "Thank you voting for Contestant 1" so many times last night, I heard it in my sleep.
MM-- You need to unleash your Opelika roots on 'em.
HD-- Oh M! How horrible! Yes, YES, YES they should pay ans YES! I would be terribly worried that next time it would be one of the kids! Hope the girls weren't too traumatized. ~ hugs
DH--Please tell us how it goes.
JB-- I would call animal control and the police to make a report. More than likely they will quarantine the dog for 7 days to run all kind of tests. Then just go from there. That is so sad :( poor baby. I would be furious and wouldn’t just be able to sit at home, so you’re doing better than I am. I hope he makes out alright. Prayers.
LC-- yes!
MW--Oh, that just breaks my heart and pisses me off at the same time! So my answer is YES, HELL YES! And also one dead neighbor dog.
My Friend--I will, and thanks. And DS that better be a typo since Phillip was #2! This is awful but in a crowded lobby last night with other stressed owners and their dogs, they did not serve wine so I coped after a long while by quietly redialing my votes for Phillip while I cradled Charlie. The nurse called us finally, and when I tried to hit "end" in the middle of a vote I hit speaker instead. You could have cut the judgement with knife when THANK U FOR VOTING FOR CONTESTANT 2 screamed at me.
DS--Wait, I was voting for Phillip. Are you kidding me with #2?
My Friend--JB I've left messages but I am better at taking care of the kids and Charlie and venting here than I am at resolving anything peacefully. They get today to address it in some way. Not tomorrow.
CS--M! Oh my gosh, I don’t even know where to begin!!! I am so sorry for Charlie! and yes, that question you asked is a no-brainer rhetorical one! I'm sooooo sorry!!!!!!
AP-- Absolutely!! That happened to my parent's neighbor last Christmas...two pit bulls actually killed their Rat Terrier. I hope that's not your dog?
SK-- :( poor pup!! Hope he heals quickly & yes tacky neighbors should pay, the very least they should do. I'd call animal control too. Hope your girls are handling OK. :(
GI-- Abso-freakin-lutely! That's horrible! Poor l'il thing!
My Friend--AP, yes, he's ours, we just adopted him recently, I would have come UNGLUED had he died. SK, thanks,they are taking it well just trying to understand why they can't hold him and walk him. He hates taking all the meds and that's an ordeal but we're so lucky he lived.
AM-- HOLY COW!!!! I think I would kill someone (or something) that did this to my sweet dog. That poor baby. Bring these pictures over to their house along with the vet bill. If they don't pay they are losers...I hate using that word but in this case it would apply. That is horrifying. So so sorry. :-(
MC--Little YES! Every dime PLUS gas money and the therapy bill for the family of smaller dog! OMG!
My Friend-- AM last night I was caught between fear and rage and today it's just rage. Thanks so much for all the good advice, and for the distraction--I get to appear sane for another day.
DS-- So sorry M :( and my goodness what is wrong with those owners..
AT-- i think they are responsible
KN-- M... I have your back girl. I'm tempted to drive up and have a quiet word with your neighbors, however, money will be the last of their concerns when I'm done "chatting" with them. I'll start by smacking their cell phones across their faces for not returning your calls, stick their checkbooks up their arses for not reimbursing your costs, shoving their meaningless apologies down their throats for not caring at all and pinning them down and biting off their ears just so they understand what your poor baby felt like........... I think that should just about cover it!!!!!
KN-- Ps - which neighbor by the way to the left or right of your house? Would hate to bite the nice neighbor's ear off!!!!
KT-- Absolutely....that would be the right thing to do. So sorry you and the girls are going through this. Hugs to you all.
My Friend--KN I pick you to have my back, DONE. You sassy Aussie's are so graceful with your beat downs!
LR-- OMG! I'm so sorry M. Poor dog. This makes me angry!
KV-- Hell yeah neighbor #1 needs to cough up the dough!
CY-- so sorry to hear and see this, my answer is yes. and i am sure you have seen my dog pics, i love dogs, i have two pits, and they are sweet as heck, but we have a neighbors american bulldog that gets out all the time and comes in our yard. and our dogs have met before and seemed ok a couple times, but once mine got on their a little and busted his lip. if my neighbors dog comes in my yard and gets hurt by my dogs, should i pay?
LM--sorry to hear, we have a situation with a neighbor similar that has just put a rocweiler (sp?) in their yard on a swing set chain, my 12 year old is scared to go in our on back yard because they do not have a fence. It is bad enough my hubby has to ride the lawnmower in the yard with his 45 on his side, but it comes in the yard, it will be a dead dog. I love animals, but don't like them scaring my young un or anyone elses kid.
My Friend--We finally get a text from the neighbor and I'm going to need meds to keep from kicking their door in. She said it was "so kind" of us to worry for the children on our block but that their dogs "played with other dogs before they put them on shock collars in a fence" And it is unfortunate their heeler also had a bite mark and "unfortunate" he wandered out of his fence onto our property, just as it's too bad ours left the safety of it's pool enclosure. She said she is aware that some people "are taken advantage of by emergency vets who know owners love their pets but that she is sure the little guy will be bouncy and happy real soon"
KR--OMG....are you kidding me? I'm just seeing all this and your last post about their text. Soooo, perhaps it's unfortunate that all of your friends are going to kick their a*s and it's too bad that their heeler might not see the light of day again??? IDK, that's just me. I'm so sorry you are having to go through this. We just had 2 HUGE dogs move in next door and although I love big dogs, J is terrified and scared to go in our back yard and I am worried they will break through our very old privacy fence to get to my tiny dog while I'm not home.
CR--Wow M I am so sorry :( I absolutely think, even if not legally-which I don't know the answer to-common DECENCY would prevail and they would WANT to do the right thing. Yes, I say contact animal control in the very least to make a report. Then, take your photos, have them blown up into a large poster board sign and post in in your front yard with a caption about the "sweet" dog across the street ;)
CR--Oh, and might I add if this happened to K or K you can imagine S’s reaction....pretty sure the vet bill would be the least of their concerns.
My Friend--Right?! Well J's still thinking he and the man he thought was decent, his pal (her character has long been in question) could work something out, "man to man, business owner to business owner". Not to be the pessimist who wants warfare with neighbors in our small community, but we’re officially past that. She sent that after she saw the photos. We are WAY past civil resolution. I called animal control and should hear from the sherif soon.
CR—Well hopefully he is right and they can work something out. I know warfare with the neighbors is NOT a fun thing...our started BEFORE we moved in when the neighbors dog tried to attack S on our back porch!! Irresponsible pet owners are the worst!!
My Friend—I love the sign idea, and since there's not a lot of traffic through here, door to door fliers could be fun. either way, they're going to feel this. I should probably pray now. :)
KR—I kinda think THEY should be praying right now..but maybe that's just me. Sorry, I'm probably being hateful.
DH—OK report it to animal control or play blonde and call the police to warn them because if it comes near the girls it will die.
DH—And by the way I'm sure their dog was bit as a defensive action.
MT—HELL YES!!!!
MT—M, I'm thinking police report and animal control.
My Friend—Yes, that's what it’s coming to, then to small claims, and then I'm afraid we're pretty much the suburbs version of the Hatfield&McCoys. Oh well..they had their chance with the ball.
DH—I think any sane parent in the subdivision is going to side with y'all. Common sense has to kick in and see that this dog has attacked once and could do it again. You and your hubby are taking steps to make sure this is not a child next time.
MT—M, is that poor Houser??
My Friend—No, it's Charlie, we adopted him in March from a no kill shelter visiting PetsMart-I wasn't there looking for a pet. But he looked so much like a little dog I had and loved back in Auburn, so.. home with me he went.
***These were all the posts, since I last checked. I hope I have deleted all names and I went ahead and took out the post times and “like” thing because it was just too much. If I have missed deleting anyone’s name, I sincerely apologize and hope you don’t mind me posting this.
I guess this has just been a quick update to say that I'm still alive (if you call it that) and not much of a post. I am going to start sending short blasts from my phone as a post. I have no idea how that will look yet. If I don't like it, I won't do it again. Happy Spring!