location: michigan
so this happened to my friend but i’m going to tell the story in first person just to make it easier to understand.
i was dog sitting for a friend (soon to be ex friend) and while taking the dog to my apartment’s dog park, the dog attacked and bit another dog. the owner of the attacked dog wanted the vet bills paid for which i totally understand. however, my friend made me pay the vet bills since she was out of town. i paid 3 different bills totaling hundreds of dollars. i asked my friend to just venmo me for them and she refused. she thought i “wasn’t keep a close enough eye” on the dog and therefore it was my fault. but she failed to tell me her dog has apparently bit other dogs before. furthermore, since it was my apartment building’s dog park, i was served an eviction notice by my landlord due to having an aggressive dog. i explained it wasn’t my dog and the dog would never be back so they said they wouldn’t evict me but even so much as a noise complaint about me and i’d be gone. sure, i didn’t get evicted but now i have to disclose i have gotten an eviction notice if i try to move and rent somewhere else. could i at least take her to small claims court over the money for the vet bills?
Comments
You were handling a dog that was under your control and it attacked another dog in your apartment’s private dog park. I don’t see why you couldn’t be evicted for this, but consult a local eviction attorney for your options. You can try to file in small claims for the bills you paid, but as the handler it’s uncertain if you will win and then you will have to try to collect.
You will be held responsible for vet bills unless you can 100% prove that the owner of the dog hid the fact that the dog was violent or aggressive….when you assume care for the dog, you take responsibility and it will be considered your fault if you cant control the dog.
In terms of your apartment, you brought an aggressive dog onto the campus that threatens the safety of other tenants and their pets…they are well within their rights to give you a strike so to speak