Dog bite need advice

[yerboy]

Few hours ago someone knocks on my dog with their dog in hand asking me if the 2 pit bulls behind my house belong to me. I say yes they do and he tells me they bit his dog. My first question is if his dog is ok his reply "we'll we will find out" and my second question was if my dogs had gotten off there chains. No they had not gotten off, his dog had run through my neighbor’s yard and into mine and allegedly gotten bitten by one of my dogs.
He then asks me if I’m moving soon because I have a SOLD sign out front and when I tell him yes he starts to walk away and says "Pits bulls c-mon man" my reply was that it was his responsibility to ensure the safety of his dog and he should have kept it on a leash. We also have a leash law in my city.
I have spoken with my neighbor and asked if he seen anything happen because neither myself or my wife heard any barking whelping or yelling and my neighbor also heard nothing. Right when the guy leaves I look out back and one of my dogs is laying in the sun sleeping and the other was sitting by her dog house seemingly very calm, normally after other dogs come into my yard they are both very alert and agitated.
A few hours later the man returns and wants copies of my dogs shot records for his vet. I don’t haven’t any problem providing this information to him other then I don’t want it to look like I’m admitting that I’m somehow at fault or that my dogs did in fact bit his. I don’t know if they did or not as I didn’t see or hear anything, but normally when dogs do venture into my yard my dogs make it very obvious something is wrong.
I looked for my shot records but like i said earlier we just sold our house and we have lots of things packed away and my vets office will not be open untill monday so i cant give him anything untill then.
I'm just not sure what i should do at this point... any advise?

 

[dragonzim]

I wouldnt do anything unless he can prove that his dog was in your yard to begin with.

 

[reefraff]

He's gonna try to scam you. Make sure your neighbor saw your dogs leashed and don't give this idiot a damned thing. If his dog is current on it's shots it doesn't make a difference if yours are or not. If you have a leash law he has already admitted to breaking it so he is at fault anyway, just make sure you have witnesses that your dogs were under control

 

[yerboy]

Tennessee State Law (TCA) 44-8-408: it shall be unlawful for any person to allow an animal in the person's custody or a dog belonging ot or under the control of such person, or may be habitually found on premises occupied by that person, to go upon the premises of another or upon a publick road or street. Montgomery County Resolution (MCR) and Clarksville City Statute Section 3-203: Running at Large Prohibited: It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any dog or animal owned by him or under his control to run at large.
and my countys definition of At Large
At large means that an animal is off the premises of the owner, and not on a leash or otherwise under the immediate control of a person physically capable of restraining the animal.
here are the beast

 

[reefraff]

If the guy comes back asking for records I would ask if his dog has shots and if it does what is he worrying about yours for. With that I would tell him not to worry, your dogs don't appear to be injured by his dog's trespass so you don't contemplate taking any legal action against him.

 

[yerboy]

He did just come back with his 13 to 15 year old daughter and she had to tell me exactly how pissed she was about this. He said his dog is up to date. I asked him who his vet was and told him i would just take my records to his vet on monday. Atleast i should find out if his dog had actually gotten bitten. The dog didnt look hurt when he showed up at my door the first time yet he did had what looked like blood on his shirt the second time he came. I dunno maybe my dog did bite his, cant say it isnt possible but there are allot of other dogs who for some reason run loose in my neiborhood who have not been bittten by my dogs. Some of them actually play with my dogs on occasion.

 

[katsafados]

Sounds like a scam to me also!
Its his problem in my opinion. No dog should be left off its leesh at any time, there animals and unpredictable (nice or not). For his dogs safty (not getting hit by a car ect) hes an idiot for letting it roam without a leesh! I say dont give him a dman thing and, make sure your neighbour has your back as a witness.

 

[meowzer]

I bet it was the little black one....LOL...the little ones are always the ones to watch out for HAHAHHA
I don;t get it...the dogs were CHAINED in YOUR yard....his dog...trespassed into YOUR yard....hmmm

 

[yerboy]

he is lucky it wasnt the little black one... that one is the devil!

 

[yerboy]

Also he was walking his dog on the street when it ran to my yard and was bitten so he says.

 

[dragonzim]

Either way, if his dog was off leash and ran into your yard you should have nothing to worry about legally.

 

[oscardeuce]

Originally Posted by DragonZim
http:///forum/post/3200564
Either way, if his dog was off leash and ran into your yard you should have nothing to worry about legally.
Someone's living in Utopia again.
Get ready to lawyer up.
Your homeowners' insurance should pay for the defense, but I would call your agent ASAP.

 

[reefraff]

If I were you I would not go to his vet. I would call and tell them you understand so and so had taken his dog in after it attacked your dogs and they needed to know what shots your dogs had. Just give them the info over the phone and be sure to ask them if you need to be concerned about any lapses in that guys dog's vaccinations.
There is no reason why that guy or his vet needs to have your dogs records other than to try to shake you down for the bill.
You might also want to take some pictures demonstrating the distance your dogs can travel towards the property line. As long as they were on your property you should be safe but this may be one of those morons who make a living filing small claims cases against people

 

[yerboy]

Originally Posted by reefraff
http:///forum/post/3200578
If I were you I would not go to his vet. I would call and tell them you understand so and so had taken his dog in after it attacked your dogs and they needed to know what shots your dogs had. Just give them the info over the phone and be sure to ask them if you need to be concerned about any lapses in that guys dog's vaccinations.
There is no reason why that guy or his vet needs to have your dogs records other than to try to shake you down for the bill.
You might also want to take some pictures demonstrating the distance your dogs can travel towards the property line. As long as they were on your property you should be safe but this may be one of those morons who make a living filing small claims cases against people
thats a pretty good idea. i will do that.
I'm not sure what this guy is after, i asked him more then once if his dog was ok and he will not tell me. I dont even know the guys name or where he lives.

 

[crypt keeper]

Im a pit owner as well. That is almost strike one against you. Like stated you will need your neighbor to vouch for you. I would give your lawyer a call. Maybe he can print outs ome paperwork about harassment and scare this guy off. Anyway possible to slap up some no trespassing signs for the future? I have them on my house. By law if the sign is posted and they trespass they are at fault regardless of what happens in my county.
.

 

[beth]

I'm assuming that you don't have a fenced yard?
Unless the police were called out at the time, don't see that any kind of lawsuit would hold. At this point, its his word and no witnesses to anything. Have you even seen the injured dog?
Why didn't they come up to your door when it happened? Hmm.
What is your city's laws on having pitt bulls?
I'd suggest you'd keep your dogs in your house, or on a leash in your presence outdoors until you can get moved.

 

[mjm889]

hey beth maybe i can help, i am a law enforcement officer in wisconsin, also a canine officer, in our state all dogs have to be on a leash, if dog runs into another its consider dogs running at large which is a fine. if i was you i would call your local law enforcement, we deal with these kind of calls all the time, if your dogs were in your yard minding there own business and this guy dog comes running in the yard and an incident occurs, its this guys fault, dont let him bully you. call and report it he is the one thats in the wrong. dont think your wasting our time this is what we do protect and serve- mike

 

[reefraff]

If you and the neighbor are cool you might want to have him type up an affidavit saying that on the day in question your dogs were on the leashes or whatever and anything he knows about the specifics like if he saw that guy's dog running loose. Do it while it is fresh in his mind and then at his convenience have it notarized. Important thing is to get him to write it down now so he wont be hesitant due to not remembering. Having it notarized only costs a few bucks at the bank and might even be free at his own bank. If the goober drug you into small claims or tried to file a claim against your insurance it might come in handy. Don't underestimate the possibility of your insurance co just paying the bill because it would be cheaper than having a lawyer deal with it. Don't give him the name of your insurance co either.

 

[yerboy]

Originally Posted by Beth
http:///forum/post/3200659
I'm assuming that you don't have a fenced yard?
Unless the police were called out at the time, don't see that any kind of lawsuit would hold. At this point, its his word and no witnesses to anything. Have you even seen the injured dog?
Why didn't they come up to your door when it happened? Hmm.
What is your city's laws on having pitt bulls?
I'd suggest you'd keep your dogs in your house, or on a leash in your presence outdoors until you can get moved.
No i dont have a fenced in yard, my back yard is about 3/4 acre and i have both dogs chained up. The only time i seen the dog was when he came to my door holding it, dog looked fine to me i asked if it was ok and his only reply was "we will find out" he didnt show me any wounds or injuries the dog may of had.
Im assuming it happend right then but the guy didnt say if it had just happend or happend an hours ago.
I asked if my dogs had gotten off there chains and he said " no, i was walking my dog on the road over there..." he didnt finish his statement but it was apparent his dog wasnt on the road when it was bitten some 200+ feet from my dogs.
There is no law against the ownership of pitbulls in my county. They are actually a very popular breed here.

 

[mjm889]

sorry yerboy the message was for not beth, i dont know why i started it out hey beth,