Alaska Darin Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 Your dog's name is Rocco and he got beaten up? 221046[/snapback] Obviously the rest of his name wasn't "Francis Marchegiano." No way he'd lose a fight if that were the case.
Fezmid Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 If you want to, you might give the guy a deadline to pay your vet bill. In the meantime, I'd head straight to a lawyer who will give a free consultation. The only thing I wonder about a lawsuit is how courts look a pain and suffering of pets. No lawyer is going to bother with a few hundred dollars for a vet bill. The question is whether courts would award the kind of big bucks that would interest an attorney for pain and suffering for you as a pet owner orfor your pet. I don't know much about law in general, and about the status of pets in a court of law I know absolutely nithing. 221040[/snapback] You don't need a laywer for this - if you went to court, it'd be a civil case (think Judge Judy or People's Court), and neither side would be allowed a lawyer. The apartment's insurance may be liable, but I'm not sure. I'd have the guy pay (who cares if you know him? He screwed up), and if he doesn't, go downtown and file a civil suit against him. It's really easy; I had to sue my landlord because he tried CHARGING us $1,000 (on top of our security deposit of $500) when we moved out to do things like paint, put new carpet and miniblinds, caulk the bathtub, and other normal wear and tear stuff. I read all about tenant/landlord laws and found that he was being a bafoon. Went to court and ended up getting ~$700 (ie: he would've been better off returning our entire security deposit). It was a fun story, I should recap it here sometime. CW
Oneida Lake Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 Obviously the rest of his name wasn't "Francis Marchegiano." No way he'd lose a fight if that were the case. 221048[/snapback] Born about a 1/2 mile from where I currently live.
Alaska Darin Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 Born about a 1/2 mile from where I currently live. 221052[/snapback] Glad somebody got the reference. You in Brockton? (I've never been but in my younger days I read alot about the great boxers throughout history. One of my favorite books of all time was about the real "Sugar Ray," Ray Robinson - Walker Smith, Jr.). He and Joe Louis were my idols - and I wasn't born before they retired.
mead107 Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 base ball batt works well, one shot to the head
DC Tom Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 Has anyone pointed out that an aggressive dog like this just might be a threat to people, too? Not necessarily, of course...it might just not like other dogs. But still...aggression and territoriality aren't always species-dependent. And, of course, your dog must have provoked the German Shepherd, because Ed lives in New Jersey...
SDS Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 base ball batt 221071[/snapback] I've seen some hacked up english before, but geesh....
Oneida Lake Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 Glad somebody got the reference. You in Brockton? (I've never been but in my younger days I read alot about the great boxers throughout history. One of my favorite books of all time was about the real "Sugar Ray," Ray Robinson - Walker Smith, Jr.). He and Joe Louis were my idols - and I wasn't born before they retired. 221058[/snapback] Came to Boston for college, started a business and met a gal from Brockton. Marvin Hagler is from here, also. I still am ticked off about that Sugar Ray Leonard fight.
erynthered Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 sorry, the wine did it 221093[/snapback] Ya think?
Simon Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 I need advice, My dog was attacked by another dog That's an easy one. You need a couple more dogs.....
jarthur31 Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 I was walking my dog in my apartment complex today and a BIG German Sheppard attacked my dog. He got a couple of bites in before I was able to separate them. Rocco, my dog, has several 3-4 inch lacerations, one of which is 2 inches deep. They had to operate on him, but he should be ok in time, but I'm going to have a BIG vet bill($5-7 hundred). The dog that attacked Rocco has done this twice before to other dogs in the complex. The owner lets his dog walk around with out a leash, and several people including myself have told him that he needs to keep his dog leashed, but he has brushed off the suggestions saying we worry too much. The owner of the dog, who I know, said he'll pay the vet bill. The problem is that I know he is currently unemployed and was evicted from this complex at the beginning of December, and has since moved into another person’s apartment in this complex. I'm sure that he will have a hard time coming up with any money. One of my neighbors said that perhaps my apartment complex could be held liable because they knew he was still living here without being on a lease. Does anyone know if that is true? I'm going to call the police or animal control to document the incident, does anyone have any other suggestions for me? The kicker is that I know this guy, but he isn't a close friend. I wanted to bash him upside the head with a baseball bat because it was his stupidity that did this to my dog, but he's a big guy (in fact he played for the Bills and several other football teams a few years ago). 220975[/snapback] Poison his dog! That'll learn him. Sounds like he could care less about the welfare of his pet. Do you they he would shed a tear if his suddenly died by your hand or any others? Damn, he never was a Bill then. At heart, at least.
TigerJ Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 I agree if all you're asking is reimbursement for vet bills. I'm pretty sure that's all you could ask for in small claims court. I guess the point of trying to get more is to force the apartment owner to take action. A few hundred dollars might not do it, especially if he's got insurance to cover it. If you could get say $10,000, no way does he let this deadbeat ex-football player hang around. It sounds like getting money out of the deadbeat is going to be like getting blood from a turnip, even if he says he'll pay. Besides, he's still there with his unchained German Shepherd. It will happen again with either the same dog or another one.
BB27 Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 I used to live in an apartment complex where a dog was always harrassing people and their pets. I used to spray the dog with mace, right in the eyes. I started to get worried that someone would figure out it was me doing it, because whenever I would be around, the dog would cry and go hide. It worked awesome! It was a big dog too. Not "snowball".
aussiew Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 So sorry to hear about your little one. I'm not an attorney but it seems to me that if your dog was leashed you would have the law on your side. You should definitely file a police report. Then file a report with the apartment complex's insurance carrier to recover your vet bills. Wouldn't their liability insurance cover it? You could try the small claims route also but if the guy has no job it would br worthless for you.
Hardy Pyle Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 Document Everything. Pictures, receipts, written records of conversations. Get witnesses, etc. Sounds like you won't get paid. You will have to go to small claims court and obtain a judgement against him. And you will get a judgement, but it will be a hollow victory. (no need for lawyer, do it yourself). Then the fun begins, collecting on your judgement. You can either garnish his bank account with the judgement or use something similiar to a civil enforcement act to have a baliff seize his property. Does he have a vehicle or anything like that? Have fun. He holds alot of the cards. If he wants to not pay, he'll not pay and let it drag or make you jump through all kinds of hoops and make a deal to pay 25% or 50% of the costs. Because it will be difficult for you to get 100%. But it can be done. PS. IF he really loves his dog, you can threaten him by saying that if he doesn't pay you will call the Animal Control society and his dog will be put down. That's the approach I would take. And even if he can't pay it all at once, I would try to at least get the first $100 or so and see if he's gonna play ball, or he's just yanking your chain.
Fartacus Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 Forget about the money, you aint gettin it if he doesnt have it. Thing to do is contact animal control and the police to document the attack and let them know that this dog owner is violating the leash laws with a potentially aggressive dog. Also alert the landlord so that if no action is taken and the dog does indeed attack another dog or a person, there will be evidence of negligence if nothing had been done. Outside of that, get a Pit Bull or Rottie and let it exact some revenge.
ch19079 Posted January 28, 2005 Posted January 28, 2005 i would think after the first time the dog attacked another animal the owner would use a leash. if he still refuses to put his dog on a leash, and it continues to attack dogs.. than thats what they have animal control for. they can show up, and say, "if it happens again we are taking the dog". also, if i was walking my dog and another, unleashed, dog attacked my sparky, i would punt the sh-- out of him. ill be damned if another dog is gunna attack him. 700 bucks is ALOT of money. but i would be more concerned that he could have killed my dog. thats like someone attacking my little brother or something.
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