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Post by FlatCoatedLover on Aug 4, 2004 17:00:59 GMT -5
Sorry about the screaming there but I am sooooooooo cheesed off.
I live on a beautiful carribean island but the people here are complete idiots and iresponsible dog owners. It has gotten so bad that I don't think I can even take my dog for walks around our neighborhood anymore, we will have to drive to a natural park to take walks or burn off energy.
Many dogs are what I call "yard dogs" who are normally confined to the yards and are never allowed into the house. They are completely unsocialized and bark visiously at anyone walking by. Most of the others are allowed off leach and the owners have no control. During the last 2 weeks we have been acousted by these off leash dogs everyday with barking and charging. The owners are standing nearby and they have no control over them. Because of this all the work I have done with Lucy to give her more confidence and be less scared has gone out the window. She is backed to having her tail tucked all of the time and freaking out a noises, clothes, the broom and everything else.
To top it all off 2 days ago when we were rushed by a dog growling and snarlig and baring its teeth. I was calling for the owner to come get the dog (he was coming but very slowly). To protect my self and Lucy I kicked the dog in the chest when it jumped at me. It fell back and charged again. By now I had picked up a stick and when it jumped at me again I hit it with the stick. Finally the owner got there and dragged the dog off. So today I received a call from a lawyer and THIS S.O.B. IS SUEING ME FOR HURTING HIS DOG WHEN IT WAS OFF LEASH AND ATTACKING ME!!!!!!!!! I am basicly getting the impression from the lawyer I called that since the dog didn't actually harm me this guy will win if it goes to court. WHAT THE F*** WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO, WAIT UNTIL IT HAD TORN ME OR LUCY APART BEFORE DEFENDING MYSELF!!!!!
Thanks fro listening to my vent. Kela
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Post by Richard on Aug 5, 2004 14:05:46 GMT -5
Kela,
Hi there.
I had to think about how to reply to this so you could use it in your defense. I hope it helps a bit.
First, I know it maybe financially hard, but find yourself a lawyer and fight this idiot....
You did nothing wrong..in fact, you did what I, or anyone else on this board would of done: you protected your dog and yourself. If the knucklehead who owned that dog had tied him up properly, you wouldn't have had to do what you did.
But I'll say it again, I would of done the same thing. In situations like that, my attitude is: I will not let my dog get hurt, I will not let him get in a fight nor will I tolerate a dog charging and blocking my way[/b]. If the owner is too stupid to have some sort of control over his or her dog then I will take control of the situation and do the "live fire" training scenario and show him the results of what happens when a untrained, nasty dog charges me and my dog.
In this scenario, you reacted the way you needed to and took action to protect not only your dog but yourself. The fact that the owner also just took his sweet 'ol time getting over to you is a mitigating factor..if he'd been faster, you wouldn't of had to up the stakes in protecting you and your dog.
Fight this knob in court...if you have to, talk to other people in the neighborhood who've had any negative contact with the owner and his dog. If you have an animal control or something like that, complain to them too.
Keep us posted.
-Richard
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Post by FlatCoatedLover on Aug 5, 2004 16:22:26 GMT -5
Richard,
I only wish it was that easy. I live on the Grand Cayman with a population of only 40,000 people and this guy has connections with in the government and the courts. I have made a couple during my time here but I think it will be a case of since he is a local anything will go in his favor even if I hire a lawyer. To complicate things since I am here on a student visa I can be kicked off the island and not allowed to return so I have to tread carefully if I decide to fight him.
I am not sure what he thinks he can get out of an unemployeed, medical school student. I have no income or assests beyond my loans for school but have found a lawyer who will defend me for free if I choose to proceed.
I have contacted animal control but they are not authorized to do anything until the dog has actually caused damage, unless it is on a specific list of breeds that are supposed to be visious, which this dog is not. So all around it looks like I would have been better off letting him attack me.
This event as also brought out a new problem with Lucy. She now gets barky and her hair stands on end when anyone new (or known people if they have never been let into the house) comes into the yard. She has never displayed any signs of aggression in the past and has never been a barker. In all of the time we have had her as only barked 4 or 5 times and that was to alert when someone was about to ring the bell. I have had to go back to leashing her while in the yard because people here have no respect for fences or property lines and I know I need to be in control. Any ideas on how I can get her to revert to her old ways?
Thanks for all of your advice Kela
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Post by Richard on Aug 6, 2004 22:17:51 GMT -5
Hi Kela,
Ok, that really sucks about buddy and his "connections"...it doesn't seem fair does it?
I'm sure there are a few other things you haven't considered yet. You could contact someone in the press to talk about the event. You may have to play the "wrongfully accused victim" here if that is what is needed (embellishment in this case is allowed..afterall, it is a BS lawsuit he's brought against you isn't it?).
I know I could be way off base here but if you've done nothing wrong why are you being prosecuted and why should one person have that kind of control (or influence) on the government and judicial agencies...?(if that is what living on the Caymans is like, it doesn't sound too tempting to move there - but then again, crap like that happens all over the world...you just don't like to see it in such a beautiful place as the Caymans that's all...).
Sometimes, we think we're happy someplace when in reality, we're not....perhaps this is a sign that it's time to move on? I don't know, if this idiot is willing to drag your a$$ through the courts to prove a point, do you really think you want to stay there, let alone, walk your dog down the street after the court case is done?
It is a slippery sloap you're on right now Kela. If you fight, you may lose everything and get kicked out of the country but if you win, you can feel vindicated but still, was it worth it? We don't have a lot of control over events around us. You happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and now, because of someone elses ignorance and carlessness, you are the one being accused of wrongdoing...and to me, that $ucks royally!!
You've got some tough decisions ahead so make alternate plans and options...if you choose to fight, at least it wont' cost you anything for the lawyer...one less worry. But then think, "what is the worse that can happen?" and go from there. If you're unemployed now, perhaps a change of scenery is due (or country).
As for your dogs change in temperment, you should just continue to keep control of her when people come into the yard. She needs to know how much you will allow her to bark when people go by. She may of been shaken by the stupid dog that charged you, but that is no excuse for her forgetting her manners. You'll just have to be firm again in making sure she listens to you the first time when you say "enough" or whatever word you use when she's alerted you to visitors.
-Richard
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Post by ripley on Aug 6, 2004 22:34:14 GMT -5
If you weren't there on a Visa, I'd say FIGHT it, you're completely in the right! (Well, you still are, but since this guy has his connections, ugh..) You're in a really tough case though... I don't think there is much you can do, but state the facts, which are in your favor. God, what an idiot that guy is, though. I'm not a lawyer, and I'm not sure if I can give you any advice that Richard hasn't already provided. Sorry that you're having to go through this. If people would LEASH their animals, there wouldn't be these problems. Good luck, and keep us posted. If I think of anything that could help you, I'll let you know. PS -- As for Lucy, she just needs to build up her confidence again and have some GOOD experiences with other dogs & strangers. If you can, take her to parks and places like that where t he dogs aren't as territorial and less likely to attack. Another thing you can do is condition her to ignore other dogs, and focus on you. Also, don't intentionally put her in situations that you can't help her overcome her fear in. She'll then learn to look to you, as a sign of whether or not she should be afraid. Once she knows "Mom's watching out for me, I'll be fine", she won't be fear-aggressive with other dogs. Good luck with her.
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Post by FlatCoatedLover on Aug 11, 2004 14:42:09 GMT -5
The guys appears to have run out of steam after a call from my attorney, who was able to pull up 7 past reports of this dog attacking people and dogs. So hopefully this is over. Thanks for all of your great advice and for listening to me vent.
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Post by Nicole on Aug 11, 2004 15:13:39 GMT -5
I am happy for you that this is resolved. You should sue the guy for negligently allowing his dog to cause you extreme fright and emotional trauma and for the cost of a trainer to undo the damage the near attack did to your poor dog.
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Post by sibemom on Aug 11, 2004 17:12:19 GMT -5
I agree with you Nicki. This was a similar situation to what I went through when that dog attacked me. If it would not have been for the fact that the dog was 1/2 wolf and they are illegal in my state these people would have probably tried to sue me, because I kicked that dog right in the chops and I guess he was bleeding as I found out later. I know the law is there to protect but all you need is a conection, and a crooked lawyer and they can make your life HELL. So I am glad he lost steam.
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Post by Richard on Aug 11, 2004 23:12:45 GMT -5
The guys appears to have run out of steam after a call from my attorney, who was able to pull up 7 past reports of this dog attacking people and dogs. So hopefully this is over. Thanks for all of your great advice and for listening to me vent. Well that is good news indeed....I guess buddy didn't think you were going to take a firm stance against his BS lawsuit...probably mostly hot air....what a moron.. I'm glad you got that sorted out...howz your dog doing now a week or so after the incident? -Richard ps...we are the home to common sense advice and the vents are always open!!
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Post by Brooke on Aug 11, 2004 23:28:37 GMT -5
Thank goodness! I'm so glad you had your lawyer check that out. Sounds like you deflated his little balloon. More power to you! Kinda make you wonder if he tries to make this a scam of some kind knowing his dog is like that but allows him to repeatedly be off leash. It would tempt me to press charges somehow or push for something.
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