Dog attacked by another dog - advice please

[darkyoung1000]

Dear PH,

My girlfriend was out running this morning with her border collie, and while on the way back, running along the pavement on a public road, heard a dog barking while passing a house and upon turning around a little while later found that she was being pursued by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

The collie was on a lead and the Staffie had escaped from its garden/house.

The Staffie then attacked the collie, biting its ear and worrying it - a situation which continued until the person living in the same house as the Staffie arrived after about half a minute and got the dog to release its grip by applying boot to head.

The vet's bill is about £200.

The person living in the house with the Staffie was extremely apologetic, claimed the dog was his Aunt's and said (before any cost was mentioned) that they/she would pay the bill. He put my G/F in touch with his Aunt, who claimed, that she's not his aunt, the dog has never done anything like this before, doesn't have the money among a number of other things that makes my worry that the money will never be forthcoming.

The Vet suggested reporting this to the Council (open again on Monday) as the police will only be interested if the dog has bitten a person.

Any suggestions about possible recourse/next courses of action gratefully received.

Many thanks,

Tom

[darkyoung1000]

Correct on both counts unfortunately - there is a fund put aside for such eventualities from which the vet's bill has been paid.

Thanks,
Tom

[darkyoung1000]

Thanks for the helpful advice so far, we'll see what the council do (I suspect based upon a single account, nothing, however it's good to log the matter).

The possible nephew (!) has been in touch and is most insistent that he will do everything he can to ensure that his aunt pays up. Both the GF and I have sympathy for the dog itself, as it will no doubt bear the brunt of the owner's displeasure.

Cheers,
Tom

[darkyoung1000]

Dear all,

Thanks for your assistance so far - just an update.

The nephew has proved himself to be an upstanding citizen, chasing his aunt and obtaining half the of the vet's bill for us.

It turns out from further conversations with people, the Aunt is a relatively unsavoury character with time spend behind bars for physical violence (allegedly glassing).

The dog sounds like an unwanted burden, and has been moved across town to someone else to look after (a great shame - it sounds like it could do with more training and a better owner). Perhaps the warden will take care of this.

Cheers,
Tom