How to handle a dog attack?

[Rob, Stacy, Garmisch & Wembley]

My mom was out walking her 6 pound Yorkiepoo last night and a loose black lab ran across the street and grabbed the yorkie in his mouth and shook him like a rag doll.  My mom is 72 and is not much of a match for a big dog, but she said the owner ran over, got his dog and left.  She ended up taking the pup to the emergency vet to get treated for multiple puncture wounds and had drain tubes installed.

Having never been in this situation I'm wondering what the proper way to handle this is?  Is the owner of the attacking dog responsible for any vet costs?  Should it be reported to Animal Control? 

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

By all means, the owner of the lab is liable for all vet bills! I bet your mother was/is scared to death! I am so sorry this happened! Please keep us posted on Scully's recovery!

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

ABSOLUTELY have your Mom report the incident.  Its obvious that the owner of the big dog is knowling guilty and is worried about being reported because they did not even ask if your dog was ok, that has GUILTY written all over it in my eyes.  I would report the incident to the authorities and seek vet bill reinbursement.  The poor baby I hope she/he is OK, what a horrible expierence.  The owner should not have had his dog off leash !!!!   Good luck and please keep us posted.

[Pam & Trixie]

How terrifying!  I hope Scully will recover good.

My flat coat & I were attacked 6 years ago.  I can picture it clearly.  It was a 100# Pitbull/yellow lab mix & he came at us so fast- (he was loose in his front yard at dusk-hard to see)  we would not have had a chance to do anything to protect us.  he grabbed my Dog by the collar (Luckily she had a Pincher collar on- as I feel it saved her life - he got that instead of her neck). He flung her back & forth in the air- a 65# dog she was.   He then let go & grabbed her hip.  My Husband & I were beating the dog to try to get him to let go of her which he would not do.  Neighbors came out from hearing all the noise.  Finally the owner came & got his dog off her.  We called 911 right then.  The cops came & they had to call an Ambulence as I had a bite on my foot (even though my foot was fine)  The owner did pay the ER bill (our dog had a Big Puncture wound & some smaller ones)  But the dog lived right in the neighborhood & I never felt safe walking our dog again (until they moved with the dog 2 years ago)   The dog attacked other dogs after ours- but they werent reported ; (

I feel the only thing that may have helped was if we had a good spray right in our hand & walked like we were on guard watching for dogs (how fun is that on a walk)  Or a small bat- Sorry- but if it would mean saving my dog...

 

Now I never trust any dog we see on a walk.  I am always watching for other dogs- even ones on leashes.  I will go a different direction if I have to pass a dog I  think may not be friendly.   I also am afraid to go to dog parks.

 

I hope the Cops or Animal Control will help your Mom get her ER vet bill paid.  He does not sound like a person that she should deal with on her own.

[Rob, Stacy, Garmisch & Wembley]

Well the only update I have is that Animal Control was of no help, and it looks like he may have to pay a fine for an unleashed animal, but no further action is being taken at this time.

Sad.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

could she not still take legal action for damages? I guess that would be really complicated.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

also, your mom may now have an anxious dog on her hands. and if that's the case, this owner is responsible for behaviour therapy. There was a little yorkie in my apartment building who had major fear issues with Sophie because he had once been attacked by a bigger black dog. They had to hold him back everytime we came near or else he would react. They were trying really hard to rehabilitate him. not sure what happened in the end as they moved, but I felt so bad for the little guy. Not to scare you, but your mom may need to work with him to get his confidence back or else he may end up becoming an aggressive dog himself out of fear.

[Rob, Stacy, Garmisch & Wembley]

As of now the vet bill is only $500, but she has to go back and get the tube removed and likely again later for stitches.  She doesn't think it's worth it for that kind of money.

[Rob, Stacy, Garmisch & Wembley]

So I just got this from my sister.  It seems that if we can take anything away from this it is to treat a dog attack like a car accident and make sure you get proper documentation...pictures with your phone, names etc.  Even then it doesn't sound like anything would have happened to the irresponsible owner...too bad.  

Ugh!!! Called the police officer to see what follow up was done. 

Apparently nothing is going to happen to these pet owners. Since she cant positively identify which dog it was (they have 2 black labs), they cannot cite the dog. Can't even cite the owners for unleashed dog...since Mom can't positively identify the person who ran over and there are 3 people that live there.

Even if she could, they can't cite the pet owner but since it was dog biting dog, nothing happens, that can happen repeatedly with no consequences. This police officer has dealt with this house before and even when the person can identify the dog....nothing really happens. They can cite them but even if they get 10 citations, no consequences. Another time (there have been lots) the owner claimed it was someone elses dog that did the biting, the victims owner could not positively identify the dog by its collar or anything else (whatever!) So the owner just says it was someone else.

The police officer wasn't even going to go over to the house because Mom said she "just wanted it to be over" but I kindly asked that he needed to go, so he said he would head over there today. At least they will be confronted with it.

[Lindsey & Cocoa]

OMG this makes me so sick.

What if someone was walking with a toddler or infant and this dog came up and attacked the baby?

My yorkie was outside at night going potty last summer and we heard this crazy noise and went running out. The neighbors cat was attacking my dog in MY fenced in yard!  My husband grabbed a full beer can and clocked the cat in the head to get it off. The neighbors were outside while all this happen and just looked over at us.

I mumbled to my husband "I dare them to say a word to me".  I wanted to kill the cat and all it did was bloody my babys nose, but the screams he let out.... I am not sure that man would have his dogs when he came home one day!

 

I hope your moms baby heals fast and is not tramatized to bad from this. I had a 5 pound yorkie and things like this were always on my mind. We have very large hawks that live here and I was always scared they were going to nab him.

 

[Bonnie and Kona]

This whole situation is just clearly wrong. I am so sorry that there are such archaic laws in that town that these dog "owners" are let off free to have it happen over and over again. I am shocked and dismayed to say the least. I am very understanding of your mother just wanting it to be over, she has been through so much, but sadly it is not "over" for the next dog that is attacked and the one after that and the one after that..... 

[Pam & Trixie]

It makes me so angry too.  It is terrible that nothign can be done against the owners & the dogs should not be allowed to continue to do this.

Yes, I always wonder what if it was a small child.

 

There are way to many communities that have 'No' dog laws.  Even when people are attacked & Badly hurt there really arent any consequences to most owners : (

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Just wondering how your mom and Scully are doing? Hoping things have improved for the two of them...