Money Moral Dilemma: She injured my dog - should she pay?

Tulgey_Wood · 23 June 2010 at 11:52AM

If you're not working why didn't you take it to the PDSA and make an affordable contribution to its treatment?

Tulgey_Wood · 23 June 2010 at 11:55AM

Then again, if you can still afford to go out for dinner, maybe you can afford to take responsibility for your own pet in your own house.

ashleypride · 23 June 2010 at 12:18PM

scotsbob wrote: »

It was an accident but the people who cause accidents are the ones who have to pay.

If my car accidentally hits your car, who is to blame? If I accidentally drop your glass vase who has to pay?

If there is no insurance then the person who causes the accident pays.

No, this really isn't comparable to a traffic incident.

linda1955 · 23 June 2010 at 12:21PM

Even if the dog had been insured there would still be a hefty excess to pay (mine is £90), so insurance doesn't mean the treatment would be free. However, I do agree with other posts that a dog's safety is the owner's responsibility, and as it was an accident I don't think you should ask your friend to pay.

jamespir · 23 June 2010 at 12:21PM

i wouldnt ask them to pay as it was ana accident

Mudpie_2 · 23 June 2010 at 12:22PM

Sorry you have to foot the bill.
Your friend could be out a job tomorrow (especially if she works in the public sector!!!)

ashleypride · 23 June 2010 at 12:26PM

pennypinchUK wrote: »

Why should she pay? It's your dog, you could have kept the dog away from her. She wasn't seeking to hurt the dog - it was an accident. You'd invited your friend to stay at your house so you accept responsibility for damage caused by trips and slips, etc. And if you'd had pet insurance you'd be covered anyway. No dilemma here.

Spot on. The owner of the dog had a guest, that she knew had already ran to the toilet 9 times, the dog should of been placed somewhere out of harms way. The owner is totally responsible for the vet bills.

kevanf1 · 23 June 2010 at 12:29PM

Good grief there are some nasty people answering this one shame on you, you know who you are!

My view, for what it's worth, is that if the friend was a real friend then they'd offer to pay the vet's bill or at least part of it. The animal was in its own home and was pretty obviously concerned about your friend. You have to be a dog owner to understand this but many dogs do pick up on it when one of their family or 'pack' is unwell. If the friend doesn't want to know then I think I would be looking at the friendship a little more closely. Would I really need a 'friend' like that?

duchy · 23 June 2010 at 12:32PM

If the injury to the dog was as a consequence of the food poisoning (and I'm assuming if your friend was hospitalized it was traced back to a particular business) then your claim is against that business -although it is entirely possible they may argue in court that it was your responsibility to have kept the dog under control for its own safety. Small claims court would handle this so wouldn't be expensive.

Honestly though maybe you need to reassess what friendship is that you are even asking someone who was so ill they were hospitialized to pay for something that was entirely beyond their control.

KDH001 · 23 June 2010 at 12:36PM

I think you should just accept it was an accident and pay your own vets bill. If you asked me for money to cover that, I'm afraid I would be saying,"OK, but I will be suing you for poisoning me, and claiming compensation from you for that". It will cost you more than your vet bill.