Should my friend contribute to vet fees?

purpleweasel

happyinflorida wrote: »

You horrible person - I hope you have not got a dog and you never get one.

It's amazing how many people's sense of humour gets bypassed as soon as people start "having a go" at pets! Or is this a bit close to the knuckle for your political sensibilities?

I'm sure the friend feels awful but your dog is your responsibility, morally and legally, and even if the dog is as thick as two short planks (which some of the nicest are!). If she had been a professional dog-walker it would have been a different matter entirely

stmartinsdiver

No way should you accept the offer - just think your self lucky you've got a good friend. Dogs are a liability at the best of times and can get into all sorts of scrapes which would happen no matter who is in charge of them and they will occasionally get hurt or eat something that does them harm - they're the risks you have to accept if you own a dog but at least the financial pain can be minimised by getting some good pet insurance.

eilbrohob

No, a true friend would never accept this money, it was a pure accident. Also a responsible dog owner would have had the dog insured in the first place.

Johnny_Dangerously

eilbrohob wrote: »

No, a true friend would never accept this money, it was a pure accident. Also a responsible dog owner would have had the dog insured in the first place.

So insurance is a sign of responsibility? I thought it was a financial protection product. I would have thought a responsible owner would make sure the dog has medical treatment, regardless of the method they use to pay for it.

davegclark

Have always looked after my Sister's dogs when they go on their sometimes lengthy hols. Like your friend, I would be mortified if something were to happen to one of them whilst in my care and to be honest, would do exactly the same thing of offering re the vet's bill. On the other side of the coin, no longer have one but as a former dog owner, would really appreciate a friend who seem's so caring. I'm not flushed myself but still in your situation, I definitely wouldn't accept any contribution and if finances permit, would actually treat your friend in some way as may be still feeling a bit gutted over the incident. Much as we love them, dogs are dogs and if distracted, aren't going to worry about a hazardous obstacle to get to their goal - even the best trained ones sometimes have a day off. Regards to you, your friend and Nutmeg.

gloriouslyhappy

My dog is registered with the Dog's Trust, details of membership below plus link: for £25 per year, your dog gets liability insurance which follows the dog, not the owner, so if friends and family are walking the dog, or it gets out on its own, and there's an incident, your dog is covered just as if you were with it, and your friends have peace of mind too.

You also get a 24 hour vet phone line for all your animals, not just the dog, they'll listen to the problem and tell you whether or not you need to see a vet. Plus, your very modest fee of £25, or £12.50 if over 60, you're helping other dogs while being a responsible owner.

Wouldn't have helped in Nutmeg's situation with the barbed wire, poor old thing, but would help in case of a bite or damage caused, eg runs into the road and causes a car crash, always a possibility with even the best trained dog if it gets distracted!

I rely on the goodwill of friends to walk my dog when I can't, and wouldn't dream of taking money from them if something happened, but as others have said, I'd accept a toy or treat on Maxie's behalf as I know my friends would be desperate to do something to say sorry she'd been hurt.

Dogs Trust membership details:

Join today for only £25 a year (or £12.50 if you're over 60) and get lots of benefits for you and your dog! With membership of the UK's largest dog welfare charity you'll get such a lot for your money:

Unlimited access to VetfoneTM – a 24 hour emergency advice service from veterinary professionals.*
3rd party public liability insurance for your dog – up to £1,000,000 per claim if your dog causes damage or injury to another person, their property or pets (an excess of £200 applies for the UK and £500 in the Republic of Ireland).
Peace of mind with our free Canine Care Card. The guarantee that Dogs Trust will take care of your dog should you pass away.
Wag! Magazine three times a year – packed full of doggy news, stories and tips.
Plus you'll be helping Dogs Trust give a second chance of happiness to around 16,000 dogs a year!

*Calls are charged at 5p/minute from a UK landline. The cost of calls from mobiles varies, please check with your service provider.

To find out more about Dogs Trust membership, please visit our membership FAQs page.

https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/get-involved/membership/

tallgirld

Does your husband think she pushed the dog into the barbed wire or something?

I wouldn't accept the offer. It's not your friends fault.

Tell the dog to pay half :-)

lean&mean

What a lovely friend to offer to pay half. And she walks your dog for you! Don't accept any money. Hopefully she'll feel okay about walking your dog again. Hope Nutmeg recovers soon.

meknowalot-51

Refuse the offer as it was clearly the dogs fault for being careless.Next time your out walking the dog try and explain to the dog about the dangers out there.If you feel it's not getting through then i suggest your husband should give it a go as he could have a much better understanding of all that needs to be said.

essexfan_2

Well said Johnny Dangerously