Q: My dog ran away and after a month there was a bite report filed. am I legally obligated to pay damages?
I filed a missing animal report the day the dog went missing. the bite report was over a month after. they are now trying to sue me for damages.
the bite report even says that the dog was provoked. do you think think they actually have a case? at what point does a dog (that goes missing) stop being my responsibility?
A: You may have a good defense, especially if someone else had taken in the dog. Doesn't seem likely that it lived on its own for a month.
A: Notify your homme owners insurer. It should defend you from any claim, unless your breed of dog is excluded.
A: I would concur with Mr. Light's comments. Hopefully you have some way of verifying that your dog was actually missing for that long of a period. If you have homeowners insurance you should submit it to them and if not you should consult with a local attorney to establish a defense.
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