Real life MMD: Our dog ruined the neighbour's curtains - should we pay?

SiberianHusky

I would say to them:

Welcome to living with a dog. Still want one?

djb77

The neighbours must have put the cage very close to the curtains for the dog to reach them so it is their fault for not placing it further away from the curtains in the first place. They also left the dog alone, around the time of bonfire night, which most people know, even if you don't have a dog, dogs do not like (It is mentioned on the TV every year). Also, as the dog was left alone on that evening they are assuming it was fireworks that caused the dog to wreck the curtains not the fact that is was left near the curtains.

Bearing all that in mind I think you should not pay but as mentioned in other posts maybe you could offer a contribution.

Also, other posts are assuming that if the neighbours didn't offer to look after the dog it would go into kennels but they may have left the dog with family normally but because the neighbours offered decided to do that instead.

Greenfly_3

This was a trial run for your friends. Now they know. this goes against what I really think, but I think you should offer to pay a proportion of the cost of replacing the curtains, taking into account, of course, how old they are. They MAY have been expensive to buy and MAY be expensive to replace, but if they are 5 years old.......

Industry_Observer

I can only assume most of the posters I have read don't own dogs or even know anyone that does.

Legal position - who asked? Did you ask them to look after dog or did they ask to do it?

If you asked then you had an obligation to warn them that the dog hates fireworks. The dog having to be kept in a cage should have given them some idea though.

A,mazed neither insurance covers this - you both need to change your insurers PetPlan would cover this for the dog.

Industry_Observer

Sorry meant to add yes good quality curtains are expensive. My missus is onto me to replace really nice lounge curtains we had made up, by a friend but professional seamsrress 10 years ago. One pair of long patio door ones and two pairs or 'normal' loung=e window ones. They cost £800 - and what was in 2001 so yes good ones are easily that much.

baazii

My only thought on reading this was: what kind of dog has to be kept in a cage indoors??? Just as well the neighbours didn't leave their child nearby perhaps.

Sooler

The dog dragged the curtain into the cage, he could have done this anytime – not just because of the fireworks. You chose to leave your dog with inexperienced people – you would not have just let them take the dog to see what is was like without advising them to ensure you were happy for the care of your dog, you’d have checked to see where they positioned the cage, you’re responsible – pay up.

spursliz

You don't give the exact circumstances of how it came about that these neighbours took the dog - nor where you would have left him if they hadn't got him - but I expect it was them offering, casually saying that they might like a dog themselves and it would be good practice for them. Anyway, you should certainly have asked them what they were doing on bonfire night and warned them if they were going out to make sure that the dog was safely in the kitchen. It is really unkind of you to refuse to make good the physical damage your dog has caused They also had the mental stress of having to look after him when he had ruined their curtains and worrying about how to tell you when you got home. Curtains are expensive, £1,000 is not a huge sum for professionally handmade curtains. I hope you resolve this without further loss to them.

ShowmetheMoney

To be £1000 the curtains must be pretty heavy and quite big. My children who are well equipped with 2 hands each, long arms and quite a bit of imagination have not come anywhere near to tearing curtains down. So how on earth does a dog (granted they have strong claws and teeth) in a cage, manage to pull a pair of curtains down and then destroy them?! I would question the cause/extent of the damage - have they shown them to you?
You cannot be held responsible for the actions of your neighbour - positioning your dog near a window on bonfire night. Your dog had no choice in the matter and I fail to see how you can be held responsible when the dog was in their care. If they offered to look after your dog, they must accept the responsibility that comes with it.
I would however offer some money as a goodwill gesture but nowhere near what they are suggesting. You are not their insurance policy and should maybe give half of what their used curtains would have been worth.

JRsrule

Well, they wanted to see what owning a dog is like. From experience I can definitely say that owning a dog usually involves having to stay in on 5th November (and a few nights before/after, depending on what night of the week the 5th falls on) and looking after your dog, who will usually be terrified by loud bangs that he/she doesn't understand.

However, I do wonder if they are telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about the curtains costing £1,000...you can put curtains at every window in a house for less!

I'd offer to take the curtains to an experienced curtain maker or repair company to see if they can be repaired. If not, seek a price for a suitable replacement then make an appropriate offer.