Canada: After their dog attacked another dog, owners refuse to pay $2,000 vet bill

CANADA -- These types of campaigns frustrate me. Animal is mauled, owner of vicious dog won't pay up so a campaign is started asking for donations. Yet, no where in the narrative below do I see where they called animal control or the police. Nowhere do I see that they filed a report to get the dog declared vicious (if they have those types of laws where they live). 

When you don't report the attack, in a legal sense it never happened. So, when the dog does this again - maybe killing the next pet or mauling a child's face off - the police will say they have no history of aggressive behavior by this dog. 

Most times when the owners are cited to court, you can attach your vet bills as part of the restitution - and the judge can order that they pay the bill. And shouldn't they - the owners of the vicious dog - really be the one to pay this bill?

Even if animal control doesn't cite the owners, at least you've reported it. Good luck trying to sue them in civil court if you don't. The first thing the judge is going to ask is, "Did you file a report?" 

Maybe they did call animal control and reported it - and just didn't bother to mention it?

Vet bill from dog being attacked
Created March 26, 2017
Nicole Cable Powney
  Animals
  Cobourg, ON

My son and his girlfriend were taking our dogs for a walk on a nice Sunday afternoon. Suddenly a dog came running out of a house they were walking by.

This other dog threw our 9 month old puppy in the air. Sam ( 7 years old) our other dog (the puppy's mother) then got viciously attacked.

After my son and his girlfriend made several attempts to separate the two dogs and get the owner( who stood on the porch and watched) to help. The other dog finally let go.  Sam being scared and not knowing what to do ran home.( we picked her up in the car on the way to the kids).

My son then called me and we went to get them all. We spoke to the owner and his roommate. We were told by them that they would pay for the Vet bill and how sorry they were about the whole ordeal.

Monday after we got back from the Vet's,( one and a half hours of surgery and 52 stitches later) we went straight to the guy's house to give him the bill and to show him how bad the attack really was. ( we still had Sam in the car).

We got the run around all week from the roommate. Now they have decided that they do not want to pay the bill. They thought it was going to be a couple hundred dollars when in fact is was almost $2,000.00.

We are only asking for enough funds to cover the vet bills. We are hoping that there is no further infections.

We have had Sam since she was a small puppy. Sam is one of the best dogs we have ever had. She is a big suck of a dog, that sleeps in our room and is in any room I am in. Sam has been a big part of our children's life's  they are 12 and 15 years old and Sam is 7 almost 8 years old. Both of our children have been able to walk her and never had any problems before.

Any help to go towards the Vet's bills would be greatly appreciated.