A girl I've been friends with offered to look after my dogs for me whilst i was going away on a fortnights holiday. She's looked after them before and she said one had bit her little girl ( well she thinks it was one of mine but she wasn't in the same room at the time - she has two dogs as well same breed - chihuahua)
Yesterday she said she's considering legal action as she has said one of my dogs bit her boy now back in the summer ( she couldn't give me a date) even though she has never mentioned it before.
Of course I don't know what happened as she didn't see either incident and I was very sceptical about her having the dogs again but she insisted as she said despite what happened first time around she loved having them and so did her kids.
Now all my dogs (3) are so well behaved and I've never seen any sign of agression from them at all apart from when they playfight each other as most dogs do but that's it. They are fine around my niece and my partners young family, I'm due to give birth soon and would never keep the dogs if I thought there was going to be a problem.
She's gone to one of these no win no fee soliciters. I'm really stressed about the whole situation as I don't want any of my dogs to be destroyed they are all so loving. I'be just noticed on her facebook that she's considering filing a case as she's a bit 'skint' at the moment and could do with some cash! Please help and no abuse please!!!
Thank you everyone it's been really playing on my mind over the past few days and honestly upsetting, especially when you have trust in someone!
No my dogs won't be under her care ever again.
She has now mentioned that her son went to hospital for a cut on his lip and now he has a scar there.
This she has literally just told me.
Also i didn't mention i think the reason that has brought all this around was that the two dogs she has were purchased off of me (from the mum and dad she looked after) one of which payment is still outstanding for which in this last week have asked her to now pay.
Of course I'm not really sure if that has any relevance to a case or not?
Thank you again all for your advice, I was just wanting to see what I was looking at really before approaching a soliciter.
Answer by SoandSo
There is no way this would go anywhere legally. I dont think you have to be a lawyer or a judge to see that there is no basis for her to sue on anything. She willingly watched the dogs - dogs always carry an inherent risk of biting at some point. She has 2 dogs of her own. She didn't see the incident, and didn't inform you of it. And are you saying she's posted on her facebook that she is considering a case because she needs some money??? I would print that out and mail it to her lawyer. That right there should be enough for him to quit the case. No judge in his right mind would award her anything.
Answer by Jessie
I really don't think she's going to get anywhere with this. The dogs were under her care, custody and control at the time these incidents supposedly occurred, making her legally liable for them. She can't sue herself.
It's also suspicious that she only mentioned these incidents months after they occurred, and they apparently were not serious enough to warrant medical attention at the time, so there are no 'damages' to sue for. She also didn't apparently think there was a serious problem if she boarded your dogs after the first alleged incident.
She doesn't have a case.
She could report your dogs to animal control, I suppose, which will be very inconvenient for you, but that's about it.
Those 'no fee' attorneys aren't free. They work on a contingency basis, meaning that the person they are representing pays nothing to the attorney up front, but the attorney gets a large percentage of any damages awarded to their client. Contingency fees are usually at least 20-30% of any award.
Since there is no way to win an award, I highly doubt anyone will take her case.
If she's posting about this on her Facebook, take screenshots of those pages. They will come in handy.
And just stop communicating with this woman--she's not a friend!
Answer by Aranda L
Well, If this is 4 months ago then there's obviously something a bit odd, maybe with the Christmas season she wants to take you to court and get money out of you to make up for it, If she did, I'd tell the lawyer everything you just said and keep track of her facebook and see if she says anything about in need of some cash.. Plus if there was no hospital bills or actual proof I doubt anything could happen, best thing to do is fight the case 100% and print out anything suspicious, keep track of phone calls, conversation, everything!
Good luck!
Answer by Doc Bill
She's trying to scam you. Some friend, eh? Just tell her you're sorry for her misfortune and write her off as a friend - and NEVER allow her access to your dogs from now on.
If she cannot provide specifics, and in addition had dogs of her own, and did not actually see the alleged attack, she's not going to win in court. If her solicitor is so foolish as to attempt further action, you can retain your own solicitor and demand payment from her and her solicitor for frivolous and unjustified action.
Seriously, if all you've said is the truth, no solicitor would be so stupid as to take her case...
Answer by •Poppy•
For starters, don't let her watch your dogs -now-.
I'd say this is a she-said-she-said case. . . where if your dogs are well behaved, and no other complaints have been filed, she won't have a leg to stand on. It happened four months ago; anyone can see that if it were a real issue, she would have filed THEN and not NOW just because she's low on cash. I wouldn't worry - especially if she didn't take her child to the doctor when (if) it happened.
Answer by mongboot
She's taking the p***. If a dog had bit my child i wouldn't wait to take action. Tell her she's talking crap and if she decides to take it further fight it. Those no win no fee things are just for divys who want to make a fast quid xx Good luck xx
Answer by Jayse Ö Think before you breed
Does she have any proof?
Has she got photo's of the bite injury?
Did she get the child examined by a qualified medical professional at the time?
Personally, I don't think she has a leg to stand on, but copy that screen dump on her facebook that says she wants get some cash by filing a claim. Could be evidence if you need it.
Oh, and finally, this is no friend, Ditch her !
Answer by Allen Lamberson
Obviously a scam.
My advice is to not admit anything, act concerned and ask lots of questions.
Such as...I've never seen my dog's be aggressive, usually it is best to work on dog behavior problems right away...why did you wait so long to inform me??
Then..you never let her watch your dogs or kids again. If a lawsuit does come I would recommend at least a phone consult with a lawyer. But basic advice is if it goes to court...take a lawyer and hopefully when you win you can get awarded legal fees from her.
Answer by ladystang
get a lawyer and take your evidence with you
hard to prove anything at this late of date
but no i wouldn't let her near my dogs anymore
Answer by SmilingTears2407
In order for her to actually get anywhere with this, she would have to have proof that YOUR dog bit her child. She can't include a picture of the wound. All that proves is that he was bit, it doesn't show WHICH dog bit him. Since all the dogs are the same breed, and she has a couple of her own, there's no way this will go anywhere.
And, like one poster said, you need to print a screen shot of her facebook status and mail it to her attorney as well as keep a copy for you. In case this manages to get to a court, that will save you if nothing else will.
I honestly don't see this going anywhere. She's a bad friend but she has no case.
What do you think? Answer below!
Orignal From: A 'friend' who looked after my dogs 4 months ago has just claimed that one dog bit her child?
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