AlexInBC

Thanks Rete,

Yes, as I stated in the first post, we've reported the attack.

Yes, our son was treated at the ER.

Thankfully all that we have to pay for his treatment is $19 for his antibiotics.

The dog has not been quarantined and it is NOT vaccinated against rabies, but after much deliberation, and under the advice of our doctors, we didn't pursue the vaccination schedule/precautionary treatment for rabies (for our son.) The dog is not showing any symptoms and there've been no reported cases of rabies in a pet dog here (BC) in 30 years.

It's basically case of an attack by a typically healthy, aggressive, UN-NEUTERED male "teen" (i.e. 2yrs old) dog.

AlexInBC

Thanks Sarah

Almost Canadian

As a long term dog owner, I can't agree with this. It would be an exceptionally well behaved dog that would allow strangers to remove food from it. IMHO you are setting the standard way too high.

AlexInBC

Even if rae didn't need it re-explaining, I did, so many thanks

I really do appreciate you going to such lengths to explain things and no, it doesn't sound promising that we would have a case.

To be honest, I wouldn't want to sue, even if we stood a chance. Money is not an issue - it's the fact that I don't believe they're taking things seriously and I worry it could happen again. I know a law suit is one way to "make them think"...but it really shouldn't be necessary. How anyone can believe that such an incident is no big deal is just incomprehensible to me. :curse:

And if nothing else, the friends whose property they were all playing at had responsibility for our son at the time of the attack, and they are extremely apologetic and good, close friends. The last thing I'd want is to end up with them being blamed!

AlexInBC

Maybe so, but I'm also a long term dog owner and the "worst" of our dogs would certainly not have taken kindly to a stranger taking its food, I'll admit, but would have issued a warning growl, rather than immediate attack... All our others (double figures in total, since I'm recalling all the way back to my childhood and my parents' dogs) would have allowed this.

IF my son had been attempting to take its bone, I would have had the utmost sympathy for him, obviously, but I would also have thought it was in part, his own fault... However, he was actually running past at a distance of 2 or 3m away from where the dog (and its bone) were laying...it was on a very long line...

I do believe it was all an accident. I don't think that the owners were grossly negligent or anything. But I do think they're ignorant, heartless w@nkers who aren't taking this seriously enough for me to feel happy it won't happen again, with a potentially much more serious outcome

destinationnovascotia

Terrible thing to happen and you have already had loads of advice so I won't add to what has already been said about responsibility and litigation.

Another thought though. Has the dog had all it's immunisations? Has your son been given a precautionary course of antibiotics as dog bites almost always get infected?

I hope the little lad is fully recovered soon.

AlexInBC

Thanks!

Immunisations - nope, not a one The owner is a homoeopath...nuff said...

Yes, he's being dosed up with amoxicillin 3x a day and the wound is healing well with no sign of infection, thank goodness.

Yoong

My best wishes to your son and is good to hear that he is recovering well.

AlexInBC

Thanks Yoong!

The4BellsLondon

A good strong does of anti biotics should keep the wound clear!
I got bitten by my own dog - Scoobs - by accident!! He got run over - I bent down to see if he was hurt and some how my wrist was in his mouth as he was yelping and snapping!! Not too bad - no stitches required although we were all looking on Scoobs for where he had been hurt - took a while to realise it was me that was bleeding!

I cleaned it up at the vets while he was being checked over but it was the vets that made me got to hospital for the drugs - so I didnt get Septicaemia a week later!

note to self - let dog stop yelping etc when injured, then try to administer , first aid etc. . .

Any ways - glad yr lad is doing ok

big hugs x x x

newshoney

Having read the thread with interest it occurs to me that if the dog owners are 'paying guests' then it might be useful to send a solicitor's letter both to them and their host warning that the incident, even it is a first offence, has now been recorded by the RCMP and failure to control the animal in future (e.g. use of a muzzle when outdoors) will result in the destruction of their animal and a lawsuit for considerable damages.

I would get the solicitor to note in the letter that the owners failed to apologise and failed to show concern for the injured child and that such an absence of remorse has been noted by the authorities. I know it's hot air, but it's surprising how often an 'official' letter from a third party can make people think again.

BTW my daughter was bitten in the face by a 'friendly' dog some years ago when she was 9... he was an arthritic Golden Retriever and she was trying to give him a hug and he snapped in the direction of her face and his teeth met just under her eye. I freaked. But the owners were very apologetic, drove us to hospital for a tetanus jab, then took us to a private doctor who closed the puncture mark with strips to avoid scarring. It left no lasting scars, internally or externally and my daughter understood that an animal will always be unpredictable and is not 'at fault'.

TheGrizzlyHattons

Ah poor guy! I hope his wound is healing quickly. It is great that he is not at all bothered about new dogs, that would be a shame if that happened. Wow I do not know how the owners could be so heartless, I would be mortified if our dog hurt any person especially a child. Feel sorry for the dog to have owners who don't even bother to give him immunisation jabs. Clearly the dog has never been taught bite inhibition. Hope you can get something sorted or at least get peace of mind somehow.

immichaelcaine

I lived in Gauteng region of South Africa for eight months a few years back, and a similar thing happened to my fellow lodger's 7 y/o daughter. The SA dog laws were totally blase and couldn't-be-arsed; this sounds like sounds like your AB situation. Of course the police force were more concerned with the blasted paperwork, and the owners of the dog were totally ignorant and didn't apologise to Geoff or his spawn either. We all suggested a civil lawsuit to him, but found out that it would be costly and long-winded. What Geoff finally did was he had a friendy pub chat with some locals, who put him on to a local worzel to bait the dog - I think the culchie used engine coolant or baker's chocolate (!). Needless to say there soon was one ex-dog, one unhappy owner, and the police didn't look further than the other side of the station desk. Geoff had some level of gratification as in the boonies animal life is dirt cheap.

Rete

I know that laws vary from province to province, however, are you saying that there is no law that mandates that all dogs must have approved vaccinations for rabies, distemper, etc.?

I further understand your reluctance to involve a lawyer in this matter. Might I suggest that you call ahead and advise them that you would be paying them a visit on xx/xx at x:xx to talk with both them and their guests about the insistence.

It is you son and the owners of the house and the owners of the animal had the obligation at least on a moral level to call and inquire about the outcome of the child's visit to the ER and to get on his progress. Make that the basis of your talk with them to express your disappointment in their apparent lack of concern about the health of your son who has placed in jeopardy by the action of an animal on their property.

You won't feel better until you've had the opportunity to confront both parties and have your say. It doesn't mean the friendship has to end for either the adults or the children. Keep your cool, as you have been, and get it off your chest.

AlexInBC

I've just come up from working down in the basement to find a card shoved under the door that attempts an apology (6 days after the event, and strangely enough, the same day that the RCMP constable said he'd be speaking to the owner ) but the card refers to the attack as "a cowardly nip"...

I'm just fuming. Not sure if I'm over-reacting, but that wording just rubbed me up the wrong way. In my opinion, an unprovoked attack on an oblivious 6 year old, requiring 6 stitches, from a "teen" (just under 2 yrs) un-neutered, un-vaccinated (yup - no rabies shots!) dog the size of a Pyranean Mountain Dog, isn't a "nip"...

Grrr... Probably a good job I didn't hear the door, the heartless, silly b**ch - 'scuse the language!!!