[DrDoom]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354414,00.html

 

[GSDolch]

UH, if their dog was offleash and in the road, sorry, but its their responsibility, not the drivers.

Why should HE have to pay for THEM to get a new dog when THEIR dog was offleash?

 

[arycrest]

It's sad that a dog was killed, but IMHO the driver should be reimbursed for the damage done when he hit the poor pupper. As far as the owner's counter-suit, how ridiculous, I'm sorry for their loss but they shouldn't be awarded one red cent.

 

[mkennels]

this was an accident and after reading this I believe those pet owners wouldn't have countersuied if that driver wasn't suing them, and my dad owns a body shop/towing/rental car business and he has been at this for over 35 years there is no way a 13 lb dog do that much damage I have to say it is pre existing and they are wanting to get something for nothing is all and suing to replace the dog that is not up to the driver they didn't have to replace the dog they wanted to i am sorry but something don't sound right with this case would love to hear what the outcome is.

 

[GSDolch]

All it said is what breed it was, it didnt say excatly were it hit nor how big the dog actually was, IMO it is possible for that much damage to happen depending on what he hit. Not did it say what kind of car it was, that to can play a factor in it.

My cousin had ALOT of damage done to her car from a flipping RABBIT cause it hit one thing, then that hit something else and it caused a chain reaction that cost her quite a bit of $$$, more than one would think from a rabbit.

 

[DrDoom]

I just thought the whole thing was stupid. How about no one sues anyone and the lawyers go home and cry?

 

[GSDolch]

Im usually one to agree with that statement, but why should he be foot with a bill? any bill because of someone elses fault? Accident or not, this wouldnt have happened if the dog hadnt got out and im sorry the dog died, but what ever happened to taking responsibility for ones actions? (or dogs actions)

It cant be both ways in the world. We cant say "People have to take responsibility for what they do/dont do" and then turn around and say "well, only in certain cases I guess"

If this had been, something like, I dunno, the guy spilling coffee on himself, then ya, id say its stupid to sue (even though that person one

)

Anything a dog does when the owner cannot control (or can control it) it is the owners ultimate responsibility. My dog Buddy sometimes gets loose and we have to go and bring him back cause were still working on the training stuff, but that isnt an excuse..anything he does while under/not under my control is my responsibility. The fact that we are training doesnt matter one lick.

 

[AbbyK9]

Based on the article, I think the whole thing was an accident.

The dog owners didn't intend to let their dog run into the road - the dog slipped out the door and, without a reliable recall, ran into the street. At the same time, he driver didn't intend to hit the dog, but here he is driving along and a dog darts into the road. He probably could have done nothing to avoid hitting the dog.

I don't think the driver should owe the dog owners anything. It was not his fault their dog was running loose, and I bet if he could have done anything to avoid hitting the dog, he probably would have.

I'm also not sure that the dog's owners owe that much money for the repair of the car. Does the driver have insurance? If so, have the insurance pay to get the car repaired and have the dog's owners reimburse the driver the amount of his deductible. They were careless by allowing the dog to slip out the door and not having it trained to come back when called, they should pay some of the costs caused by their dog running into the road - but I don't feel they should pay the whole sum, especially if the driver has gotten money from his insurance company.

 

[GSDolch]

Even if he didnt have his insurance pay it, they usually still require an estimate on the cost to fix.

alot depends on the people fixing stuff too...

I mean jeezeeeeeeee some prices shops charge is crazy!

I do agree that it was a sad accident..I doubt anyone woke up that morning and said "hey lets kill a dog today"

 

[Timber1]

A busy street, this is precisely why I would not allow a good family to adopt a rescue I had. The dog was a runner, and it only takes once.

I now have three GSD's, including two rescues. When we go for a ride in the truck the rescues are leased before we move from the truck to my house. Just one run, at the wrong time would result in one of the dogs been hit by a car.

Keeping the dogs out of the street is my responsibility.

 

[Strana1]

In NH it would be the dog owner's legal responsibility to pay for the damages, no suit would be neccessary. The dog owner however could request a hearing on the amount of the damages if it seemed excessive.

 

[selzer]

Yep, dog owner should pay.

If it was a GSD or a Mastiff, there would be no question, the dog owner would pay. If the owner of the vehicle bothered to stop and make the case.

Just because a dog is only 13 pounds does not mean he isn't a nuisance. If the guy swerved to avoid the dog and hit a mailbox or a ditch, then he would be at fault and liable for the damages to the mailbox or ditch as well as his car.

I feel no sympathy for the min-pin owners. They did not protect their dog. Some poor guy had to watch as his car smooshed it, and now he had to take off work to get his car fixed. It is kind of like the lottery, sometimes a bad thing that is your fault happens and someone says, gee it's ok, don't worry about it. Sometimes someone says the dent left by your dog cost me $1800 to get rid of, pay up. The owner of the dog should be able to have two or three estimates, but ultimately they should pay up.

The dog's owners should be fined for filing the counter-suit.

It is a disgusting way to lose an animal, but suing for lost work, the price of the dog, and the price of a new replacement dog ticks me off. Whatever happened to appologizing and taking responsability. What total zeroes.

 

[Shandril2]

Originally Posted By: HistorianDoes the driver have insurance? If so, have the insurance pay to get the car repaired and have the dog's owners reimburse the driver the amount of his deductible.

If insurance companies know the cause of the damage, they will often go after the responsible party anyway.
Maybe he doesn't have collision?