Dog bite.. Moral question

Ruffer

Hi all, interested in your opinion on what morally you would do in this situation.
I was walking my dog on pavement past a neighbours house. Their dog came running out and attacked my dog. In trying to separate I got bit by their dog too. Bringing her home she was clearly traumatised. As treatment for bites is cleaning wound, antibiotics and anti inflammatories which she was already on for unrelated issue did not take to vets.  
A few days later while out walking dog in nearby woods she saw said dog (she wasn't on lead) and got into a fight with him. Dog was bitten and owner has presented us with a £350 vet bill for treatment. Their dog had superficial bite wound, and the charge was £50 for drugs and consultation, plus remainder on out of hours service and an overnight stay. 
When neighbour came to drop  off bill our dog heard /smelt him and wet herself, she was shaking. 
As they live on our street I cannot risk anything like this happening again so am looking to get a dog behaviourist to work with both dogs which I'll pay for. I'm concerned this trauma will carry with her. She is a rescue dog and this is the second time she's been attacked by simply walking past another dogs house. 
My question is what would you do regarding paying their vet bill. Would you pay all /half/none? 

cannugec5

Are both/ either dogs insured? 

Surely it would be appropriate to let insurance companies take over the decision as to liability. 

I think it is more than reasonable that you would pay for a dog behaviourist to work with both dogs, but do you think that the neighbour will actually engage and work with the behaviourist? 

At the very least the neighbours dog needs to be restrained in such a way it cannot escape the garden to traumatise passing dogs. 

Ruffer

Thanks for reply. Ours isn't, unsure on neighbours.
Yes we think they would be up for future training of dogs together too prevent any more incidents. We are on good terms. 
Regarding legal liability: first attack was their fault. If I had pursued with police could of meant their dog destoyed/ being made to wear a muzzle. (I appreciated dog was acting territorial and seemed an unfair punishment on dog for owners fault) I was treated on NHS so no monetary cost to me. Dog was self treated /already on medication so monantary cost minimal. However moving forward emotionally her cost is going to be ongoing as I pay for behaviourist.
The second incident, if was totally isolated would say we are liable, but I have no doubt a reaction, a direct response to the first attack she had undergone. The vet bill is £270 higher due to neighbour going out of hours for injuries that were actually superficial and could of been treated at home with vet visit next day for antibiotics.
Liability could be argued on many aspects in different ways hence why I'm interested in morally what is best. My aims are to move on from this in the best way for both our dogs to ensure no more future incidents. 

Ruffer

I should perhaps add when owner originally brought around vet bill he hasn't realised our dog was the one his had previously attacked, nor that I had been bitten. (had to leave in a hurry as dogs so upset).
He was surprised to find out and left as wanted to consider. 

elsien

I can see that a good behaviourist would help with your dogs anxiety after these attacks.
I’m not sure how realistic it is to expect to work with the two dogs together. If you’d been attacked, would you want to be in close proximity to whatever had attacked you, for any reason? I’m not sure it’s fair to put either of your dogs in that position unless done very very slowly and carefully, given how scared yours was. 
You also need to consider that your dog may generalise to others that look similar to your neighbours dog - it does happen.
On that basis, as yours is the only dog you have any control over, I’d be keeping it on the lead for now to prevent any further incidents. And make it clear to your neighbour that if he doesn’t prevent his from escaping/attacking other dogs you will take it further if it ever happens again. 

Ruffer

Yes, agree and while don't want to 'force' dogs together my thoughts were purely that we walk past each others houses 2-4 times a day and so wanted to try and make it as easy for each other. Perhaps it may be too late for this now, but will use behaviourist to guide on this. 

sheramber

Make sure the behaviourist uses only positive reward methods. NO punishment.

TBagpuss

I think that it's reasonable to pay as your dog did attach and injure his on the second occasion, and while it was no doubt due to the previous incident, it was also in part because yours was off lead and you weren't able to stop her.

That said, it would equally be acceptable for you to ask for compensation for your own injuries, and for the cost of treatment for your dog's trauma. (I presume that you have now spoken to your vet, even if you didn't for the first bite) 

If you are prepared to cover some of the costs for a behaviorist for his dog as well as yours then make it clear that this is on the basis that he does not seek to claim any costs from you for the vet bill, and get that in writing.

Finally, I would seriously consider reporting the original attack - I agree that it is potentially unfair to the dog but the reality is that if it happens again, it could have serious consequences to the victim - for instance, if it attacked a guide dog or other service dog, of it an owner protecting their dog had other underlying issues which meant they didn't heal well.

It's unlikely that a court would order a dog destroyed for a first offence unless it was very serious, 

aspil

i can relate somehow, our dogs attack a cat and that cat almost died. i felt bad for the cat. 

MalMonroe

aspil said:

i can relate somehow, our dogs attack a cat and that cat almost died. i felt bad for the cat. 

That's nothing like the OP's situation. And as a cat owner, I have to say I hope you paid for all of the cat's treatment. No good feeling bad for the cat when there's something you can actually do.

I also hope that your dogs are now always on leads. 

MalMonroe

sheramber said:

Make sure the behaviourist uses only positive reward methods. NO punishment.

Properly trained and qualified animal behaviourists never use punishment. That's something they learn during their own training. My niece is one.