May 28, 2010
-
Dog Hit By Car
A person hit and killed a family dog in Canada and now he wants the family to repair his broken bumper.
A man was driving and he hit the dog. The dog died in its owner’s arms.
The bill to fix the car is $1648.95. According to State Farm “They could have made sure their dog wasn’t free on the roadway.” The law in that area requires “pets to be on a leash when off the owner’s property.” Here is the link: Link
Should the owner of the dead dog have to pay for the damage to the car?
Comments (181)
Shoot the guy who hit the dog. He’ll be too dead to worry about his bumper. Problem solved.
One the one hand, that’s pretty messed up, having to pay for the bumper. On the other hand… keep your damn dog on a leash, next time. Nobody wants your mutt roaming the neighbourhood at will.
Yes, he should, if you let your animals run free you have to be responsible for the damage they do even when they don’t do it on purpose.
I’d cram the bumper right up the owners ass that killed my dog and wanted me to repair his car.
That guy is cruel.
Accidents happen.
I feel terrible for the family…dogs are like family!
My friends dog was hit by a car, and the guy drove off, while her 5 year old sister stood their and watched then entire thing happen.
I think they should pay, just for the sake of keeping the leash law intact.
To be honest, if they didn’t have the dog on the leash then yea, they should pay for the bumper. Unless the driver was speeding or something.
It’s sad but fair. I mean, if I was the driver I wouldn’t ask. It’s kinda tactless. But I guess the driver doesnt care.
Was the dog just not on a leash or did it run away? I didn’t read the article, but my dogs used to escape from the yard when stupid kids left the gate open…
I handed insurance claims in which our driver hit a cow in the road. We went after the farmer.
That’s so fucked, but he’s still responsible for him not being on the leash… :/
If by dog you mean son, and by accidentally you mean repeatedly, then no.
Well crap, was this Godzilla dog.I mean come on,I can see a horse or a cow doing damage like that.Somebody is trying to suck money from a turnip.I think the owners of the dog should pay to have damages fixed….but something tells me that bumber was PROBABLY already damaged.Was this car a Yugo LOL
I can’t stand this. Sweet little dogs don’t deserve to suffer so. That’s the tragedy and who cares about the insurance bill?
Hell no. What a class-A douche.
I hate dogs but I don’t want them to get hit by cars. People tend to be irresponsible with their dogs and dog owners do need to do better about managing them. I wonder if he hit their kid if the insurance company would try to collect for the bumper claiming parental negligence.
Broke the bumper?! How big was the dog? Yeah, if it wasn’t on a leash then yeah he would have to pay. If I were the driver I would be somewhat compassionate and give him a year to pay maybe half of it off, yet if I had the resources to take care of the damage myself without financial strain then I wouldn’t make an insurance claim and just leave it be.
That’s just plain mean, and really kind of heartless to blame the dog’s owners. I have two dogs, and I do everything I can to keep them confined to the yard – I don’t want them out running around, getting lost, or hit by a car. I have one who has seizures and needs twice daily medication – it has been horrible, worrying about her and looking for her the couple of times she’s escaped. But that’s the reality…sometimes the dogs are determined, and smarter than the fence…they dig,they chew. they find a small hole in the fence that you haven’t noticed yet and tear away at it while you’re not looking…and sometimes careless neighbor kids have left the gate open. If these dog owners were actually LETTING their dog run loose, not caring, that’s one thing. But hopefully most of us are responsible dog owners and lovers who do everything we can to keep them safe and from bothering other people. Kids are the same way – sometimes they get out and do stupid things! Do we charge the parents when a car hits a kid on a bike, because the kid was careless? Accidents happen. That’s what insurance is for. At least, it used to be that way.
maybe by law they have to pay, but the person driving the car shouldn’t be such a jackass about it
Of course not…animals get loose sometimes. It’s not exactly the owners’ fault. My dog has slipped a few times, right between my legs…the sneaky little devil she is.
The dog should have been leashed. Ok. Maybe the driver of the car should have watched where the hell he was going. Damage that costs that much wasn’t caused by a chihuahua. Note to driver: break when you see something in the middle of the road.
Wow… this one’s interesting.
People are just stupid! This proves my point
thats a horrible picture. =(
sad story. =[
State Farm should just suck it up and pay for the repairs.
Yes. Absolutely.
Whether people think this is fair or mean has nothing to do with it. The dog shouldn’t have been loose. I love dogs, have had many but know you have to be responsible for what they do. What if a loose dog bit a kid? Do people that own that dog get off the hook? Of course not. What if there was an accident and someone would have been killed because the dog running out in traffic? Too bad the pooch got loose and was killed but shit happens.
kind of a heartless thing to do, but yes, the owners are still responsible.
you are responsible as pet owners.
though it sucks to lose a beloved pet, the driver did not mean to hit the dog, and it really isn’t their fault so why should they pay for the damages? everyone who says that the owners shouldn’t have to pay is speaking out of pity and emotions. if i hit a dog by accident, that would suck for me too…i don’t have $1700 lying around for my car!
and let’s not say “oh the insurance company can suck it up” because there could be deductibles or higher premiums in the future, etc etc. it isn’t the insurance company’s fault either. people need to be mindful and careful of their actions.
what if this dog caused the an accident so big that the driver died? the owner could possibly be charged for negligence!
The article says that the woman let the dog out. Letting the dog run free, you have to expect that something like this might happen. If you don’t have the time to take your dog for a walk, then maybe you should not have gotten a dog in the first place. In my opinion, the owner of the dog should have to pay for the damages. She did, after all, set the entire series of events into motion by disobeying the leash law.
Fact of life; if you own it, and it causes damage, you’re responsible. Animate or inanimate, makes no difference. If you let your car roll out of your driveway because it wasn’t secured properly, and someone fails to avoid it (hits it), guess what! YOU’RE responsible for the damage to both cars. Insurance companies offer coverage for this kind of situation.
One of my dogs got loose. Ran down the main road and got hit. Yes, I was sorry to lose the dog. I was also grateful the driver wasn’t injured, and his car wasn’t damaged, because I knew I’d be on the hook for anything that had gone wrong. I was also glad we’d decided to get the big bucks insurance policy when we decided we were going to have pets that close to a main road.
It’s really debatable.
On one hand, no, the driver should have “seen” the dog and slowed / avoid it (unless we’re talking about a freeway)But freeways are huge.. kind of hard to miss a dog? What if it was a kid? Or somebody chasing after the runaway ball.
The driver should always be prepared (or at least we try to anyways). With that said, this can happen with anyone in almost any road.
On the other hand, if the state law requires it then well, kinda hard to escape that one even if the insurance company wanted to.As some have said, the hardest part about driving is avoiding what can happen.More information (in my opinion) is required for my opinion.Speed of the driver, traffic of the road, etc.Honestly, if the driver is going at 30 and still hit the dog. The driver should be paying for the repairs.If any higher than 50. Still driver should be paying for the repairs (shouldn’t be going that fast through a “quiet neighborhood roadway”Driver should pay for the repairs.
Keep your pets under control. Yes, he should pay.
If there is a leash law and the dog was running free, yes they should pay, and be fined by the city.
That’s absolutely horrible!
Poor puppy, but dogs can’t roam freely because they get hit by cars. It’s bittersweet; the dog gets hit and dies but the owner can get his car repaired? Now, they can argue if the driver was going above the speed limit.
I love the people who think it’s alright to shirk responsibility for pets. For all the “dogs inevitably escape” people out there, don’t buy dogs if you can’t be responsible for their actions.
i think the owner of the dog should pay half but not all of the cost. that is of course depending on the fact that his neglect caused the accident. still, i am not the judge in this matter and as a private citizen owning that dog i would NOT pay a dime. <— double standard, i know.
I guess so, but that’s a toughie. I don’t know for sure.
(also, that picture is so sad!)
I was talking to my mother about this. The same thing happened to her; the family dog got out, got hit and then she got a letter from the man’s lawyer threatening to sue if they didn’t pay up. They sent a letter back and got out of it, but the insensitivity of it is what pains me most.
A dog is of course, you’re responsibility. But safe driving is the responsibility of the driver. Both at fault, so I can see where the insurance company is coming from.
If I hit someones dog, I sure as hell wouldn’t be asking them for moneyz.
And, I want to give those puppies in the photo a big cuddle and nurture them back to health, poor little things
I’m crying look at it, waaaay too soft.
Once again laws are in the way of what is ethically right.
Well, while it is cruel and while I’d personally go to jail before I’d pay a cent to someone like that, it does make sense that the owners should have kept their dog leashed or inside the house.
But then I wonder: this douche must have seen the dog for him to hit it straight on. It wasn’t like, under the wheel or nothing. If it damaged the bumper, it was instant, as if he was speeding or didn’t give two shits and sped up to kill the dog because it was in his ‘way’.
The law may require that the dog owners have to pay, it’s obvious that guy is a heartless bastard: who’d demand money after killing someone’s pet? :/
that’s so fucking sad…. that picture is REALLY sad too… with the other puppy’s paw on there…….
No the idiot driving the car who killed the family dog needs to pay for his own repairs.
what a jerk
Oh no.. That’s so sad..
hate to say it but, yes. And I really don’t like state farm.
if i had a dog,,, id make it carry its leach at all times…
is that other dog the dogs owner,,, and where is its leach???
i was curious,,, so i did check the link,,, the link didnt say anything about leach,,, a leash was mentioned…
but still,, something is really wrong with that story. if we admit guilt and insurance we have purchased is involved,,, we all know what happens,,, dont we,,,, we lose our insurance.
paying would be an admission of guilt wouldnt it??
i believe the story is a fake… just because you saw it in the media dont make it so,,, hahahahahaha,,, we havent learned that by now?
absolutely no. period.
@ShimmerBodyCream - I love you.
that is fucked
Welcome to visit christianlouboutinsandalssale.com, where you will find kinds of Christian Louboutin Shoes offered at incredible wholesale prices. All the peep toe are made crafted and finished by hand. Materials are selected carefully. Every elegant peep toe shoes such as red peep toe pumps is one of masterpiece from peep toe pumps. Red peep toe high heels are stylish enough to catch any lady’s eyes. In many fashion events christian louboutin peep toe, christian louboutin peep toe pumps patent leather, christian louboutin peep toe pumps patent leather manolo blahnik shoes, christian louboutin peep toe pumps sandals, peep toe pumps sandals discount christian louboutin, peep toe pumps sandals discount christian louboutin patent leatherand peep toe pumps sandals discount patent leather christian louboutin very privehave been noticed in the christian louboutin peep toe pumps. Here you can freely choose the trendiest, hottest, high heel pumps shoes and high heels shoes. Welcome to order peep toe high heels and red peep toe high heels patent leather, free shipping!
By law, yes. But the law is screwed up, so in my eyes, no.
@PseudoEuphoric - It says right in the article that the dog was accustomed to roaming the roads, which implies that she freely let him wander around without a leash. The law states that if the dog is off property, it must be on a leash.
It’s tragic that the dog died, but the owner was careless, and thus must pay up.
However, the amount seems fishy to me… $1000+?! I probably couldn’t cause that much damage to a bumper even if I tried.
FUCK that guy and his bumper. Prick. I would stab that fucker in the tthroat and throw his body in a silt pond.
jordan fusions 12-13 us shoes Jordan free Shippingjordan obama fusion .new jordansnew jordan releases ,Jordan shoes sale jordan retro 8 jordan 23 shoes. jordan fusions jordan fusions free shipping michael jordan shoes,air jordans12-13 us shoes Men Jordan 23 Shoes,jordan 21Jordan cheap running shoes jordan tennis shoesair jordan 25 af1 fus air jordan 895203. jordan shoes for sale.nike lunar glide Wholesale Jordan womens jordan 13michael jordan basketball shoes jordan 4 air jordan shoes jordan retro 1 replica valen tino Jordan verti go flying – gold mens shoes modelsmen’s air jordan gold fusion shoes mode air jordan free shipping jordan basketball shoes jordan shoes models12-13 us shoes 12-13 us shoes secure save on airtypes of jordan sneakersjordan 5 shoes new jordansJordan woman air jordan 17 for salmens shoes models jordan 4 nike acg takos Jordan jordan 14 jordan 4 jordan basketball shoes jordan shoe jordan retro 8jordan shoes with Jordan Hill jordan obama fusion shose model Free shopping running shoes nike zoom aspiration nba playerair jordan womens jordan 24 Jordan 2010 cheap jordansjordan 12 and 11 fusion free shipping jordans aj 2010 shoe sale brown jordan jordan 6 rings shoe brand Wholesale Jordanrunning wallet belt jordan xx3new woman jordan 45 free shipping jordans jordan 6 rings jordan xx3 jordan11 11.5 nike zoom mvp x run big jordan xx3Free shopping air jordan 25 and 6 jordan retro 8 jordan 10 jordans three mixed12-13 us shoes jordan-jordan mixed-6 jordans Air Jordan 1 Shoes Jordanjordans for sale On-line jordan boots for women jordan 6 jordan fusions jordan 8Jordan running shoe brand eto jordan 12 womens jordan 24airjordan 6 mens shoe jordan 7 air jordan 25 af1 fusion new model f1 shoes jordan fusions jordan 9.5 fusion shose model jordan 7 men’s air jordan gold fusion shoes modejordan 15 jordan 5air jordan 25 af1 fus Jordan 89203 7shose model michael jordan tennis shoesjordan 13 fusion mens air jordan 11 23 fusion shoesjordans mixed in six jordan fusions jordan 6 jordan fusions Jordan 892037 jordan xx3 air jordan 10 45 stit bryce jordan centerbryce jordan center 17 mens air jordan 4 mens air jordan 11 23 fushion shoesjordan shoe jordan fusions jordon 11 shoes jordan 8 cheap jordan shoes jordan shoes models jordan fusions jordan 6air Jordan cheapest authentic jordan jordan 6michael jordan tennis shoes mens air jordan 4discount mens 5 air jordan shoesjordan 2.5 size 15 jordan 8all models jordan box jordan kicks air jordan box jordan kicks Men’s Air Jordan 22+8 Shoes Model:891031jordan 6 rings michael jordan tennis shoes
The law is the law and the government won’t factor in human emotion. :/
let me go run him over and make his family members pay for my bumpers
beast like that shouldnt be off leash when he’s not at home
Imagine your son or daughter was killed in an accident and the driver asked your family to pay for his damaged bumper >_<
What the…
No.
@Brilliant_Innocence - agreed.
on one hand i can understand the grieving the family might be going through with losing there dog in a car accident but on the other hand, if its the law for your dog to be on a leash and your dog is out all willy nilly in the road and gets hit by a car and dies, theres noone to blame but yourself and if damages are done to the car by the dog, as painful of a time that your going through, your gonna need to pay those charges. i mean, seriously, its a dog, not a child, 2 completely different feelings, pay for the bumper and lets this be a lesson to you to keep your dog on leash now…
I am a HUGE dog lover and I am extremely sorry that this happened to the dogs family. I can only imagine the pain they are in. But at the same time, the dog was their responsibility. The owners of the car should not just be expected to shell out the money, especially if they have the insurance. That is why insurance is paid for- to fix damages and provide coverage. It is unfortunate that it comes to this, and I wish that State Farm would just cover it and be done with it, but that’s an insurance company for you.
Any compassionate human being would tell the dude with the bumper problem to go fuck himself.
It is the law, however, compassion & understanding > insurance
Looks like there may have been a statutory duty for the family to keep that dog on a leash instead of letting it wander around outside. If that was my dog I would probably counterclaim the shit out of that, but I’d expect to be compelled to pay something. IMO
never.
a super-d*ck move by the driver, if you ask me, and one little dog causing that much damage? was it a moose named dog? i think, in this case, the driver should care more about his integrity than his damn car. it is the law, so in that aspect, yes, the people should pay, but perhaps after they take out the cost of the dog. Which, besides the actual cost of the dog and shots and all that, includes all of the love that was given and received by the animal. Which you can’t replace, which just goes to show that being a d*ck gets you nowhere.
Yes. While it’s sad that their dog died, they were the ones who violated the law and thus negligently caused a road hazard. I feel sorry for them, but if they had been responsible pet owners their dog would still be alive.
To the people here who think compassion is greater than the law, just remember that the law is there to protect your yapping little flea bitten smelly dogs. Grow up and try to THINK a little. If it weren’t for these laws, mutts would be causing accidents all over the place, why do you think the law is there in the first place. Here’s a rag for your bleeding heart.
Absolutely not! The owner should NOT have to pay for the damage of the car. The idiot who hit the dog should’ve been paying closer attention!
@ShimmerBodyCream - I love the way you think.
NO!, fucking asshole.
Oh, god no! Sometimes you can’t control when your dog escapes. What if he had hit a child? Would he make the same argument?
I’m siding with the driver on this one. Something simular happened to my dog years ago.
Since our house is pretty deep in the woods, we used to let our dog roam where ever she wanted. Then one day she got her leg caught in a fox trap, out near our neighbors chicken coop. Thankfully it was only a flesh wound, but it was still our fault for giving our dog that much freedom.
Long story short: If you don’t want to see your dog hurt, then don’t let them off your property to begin with.
If I hit someone’s family pet, I’d never dream of having them pay for the damages to my car.
Uhm…how can one dog do such damage?
I think that they should since the law was dogs on leash and obviously they broke it. But on the other hand, their dog died so…
I don’t know. I wonder what the law says in Canada about this kind of accident.
:’(
Holy crap. WTF is up that driver’s ass?
Our cat got hit by a reckless driver and he just left it. Didn’t stop or anything.
If my dog was hit by a car, DIED, and the driver wanted me to pay, i’d tell him to shove it up his ass and go find a different insurance company.
God, people today are more heartless than i thought.
Yes. It’s the dog owner’s fault.
Tragic, but the dog owner should pay.
It’s hard to form an opinion when I feel like I’m missing some of information. It’s hard to believe that a yellow lab could cause that much damage to a bumper without the driver being at fault as well (speeding, not paying attention to the road, etc.). Personally, I would be beside myself with grief hitting a family pet, and wouldn’t ask to be compensated for car damage. Even though I know we have a leash requirement in my neighborhood!
They should be equally liable. Yes, pets escape & no, that doesn’t negate the leash law. However, the article doesn’t cover whether the driver was driving responsibly. When driving through a “quiet, residential” area, I try to always drive carefully enough that I would be able to stop if a child darted out into the street. It’s just common sense– you are responsible for your pet, but you are also responsible for controlling if your vehicle hits anything. So they should split the bill.
that’s terrible. what an ass.
We survive without excess bloodshed because we accept to be governed by Law. If the law says dog must be on leash, and was off-property without it, in a public roadway, then the dog was creating a true hazard and the owner of the a-moral dog is legally liable. End of discussion.
In the USA there is “open range” country and “closed range” country, basically divided along the line of Interstate 35. I lived east of I-35 in closed-range country. One of my calves got out of the fence, got hit on the road. Cost me a bundle in vet fees, the calf died, and then I legally needed to pay for the damaged car because my calf was on the road. That’s why I carried liability in the insurance package on the farm.
Man, broken bumpers are freakin’ expensive. How big was the dog that it could do so much damage??
I could fucking punch the driver in his damn jaw and force that bitch to pay his hospital bill himself.
No, wtf, that is just cruel. The owner should not have to pay for the drivers mistake of Hitting & Killing a dog. The driver took a family pet, a loved one away, and all they want is money? Bastard.
agreed with ForeverLove_xx… sometimes dogs find their own way out. My dog would run away if someone that didn’t know better left the gate open. A dog’s death is like family member dying, any dog owner knows that. Would you ever pay for damage to a bumper if your son or daughter got hit and died? No, so leave the family be. People will do anything to get money, it’s sick.
This is absolutely disgusting. You can replace a bumper, but you can’t replace a living being. I think I know which insurance company I WON’T be joining.
Thats a tough one. I live in a small town in Kansas, and it’s hard for me to go for a walk because people don’t chain their dogs. Dogs run up and try to attack me or jump on my daughter. It drives me crazy. There is a leash law for a reason. I think it was pretty irresponsible that the man didn’t chain his dog. His dog is dead now because of that. Honestly tho, there’s no way I would sue someone for that. I would feel to bad for running the dog over.
Yes. People are absolutely responsible for their pets. And that includes keeping them our of the street. They failed miserably in their attempt at pet ownership. Now, I’ll acknowledge that losing a pet is horrible, but the family owed the pet protection, not the driver of the car. This seems very obvious and clear.
What a BASTARD! He should not have made the family pay for his new bumper. He hit the poor animal, so he should have paid for a new pet. The family should make sure it’s the most expensive animal xD revenge is needed!
THAT’S SO FUCKED UP! Poor dog :’(
Off with their heads!
An owner really should know its dog’s whereabouts at all times; even if the dog is kept outside, it still belongs to you, you are still liable to care for it. If the dog escapes and causes damage (however tragic the incident may be) then the responsibility is technically on the owner. It’s just like if a five year-old were to accidentally break something in a store; his parents would be the ones to pay for the broken item because he is their responsibility.
We would also need to know how fast the driver was going. Obviously if this was an area that people were walking their dogs in, the speed limit couldn’t have been over 35mph, but even then, it’s hard to stop when something runs right in front of you.
I personally love dogs and I’d feel too bad about hitting one to ever actually pursue some sort of law suit or insurance claim, but if you’re going to get technical, then the owner of the dog is mostly at fault.
OMG!!! Just when I think people cant stoop any fucking lower! If anything, the family should sue the driver. What if he hit a kid!? I get that not everyone is an animal lover but that doesnt mean you disregard their lives!
I don’t see what the problem is and why everyone thinks the guy is being a jerk… Leash laws are in place for a damned reason, and if you violate them, then you pay the consequences. I know that I sure as hell don’t have $1,648 just lying around to pay for your irresponsibility.
It’s like, I’m sorry your dog died, but… it’s kind of your fault.
@LoBornlytesThoughtPalace - Funny story. Go to the link, and everybody who says about what you did is called a “leftist moron.”
@Shadows27 - I most certainly would pay for damages if my child was the sole cause of an accident, even if that accident resulted my child’s death. I would be morally obligated to do so. I don’t understand how people can be so awful and wish harm on someone for wanting reparations at the expense of the responsible party. Grow up kids.
I hate situations like this. It’s true, the owners should have been watching their dog and making sure the poor thing wasn’t on the road, but that driver should have been paying attention and have been vigilant. That poor dog.
@getyourownsandwich - Don’t fool yourself with higher premiums…the driver will get those anyhow, typically. (Insurance companies love to raise premiums after a collision, regardless of fault. [I say this from experience, when my insurance on a truck I had a few years back went up because somebody hit it while it was parked, even though all my insurance company did was call theirs and say "hey, you owe us money."])
Yes.
The overall truth of this matter is this: Regardless of what actually happened, we have no proof. There is nothing to say that the driver was speeding, whether or not the vehicle was damaged beforehand, whether the dog was standing in the road or darted out, etc. As such, it’s most likely that a court would lean towards the most probably circumstance, that being that an unleashed animal would wander out into a road, add in the physical application that at a proper speed limit of 25mph it takes 40 feet to stop, and conclude that the dog owner is at fault due to negligence. Does it suck? Yeah. Is it right to go after the owner? It depends on unknowns that we cannot know. Is it legal for them to go after the owner? Most likely.
Law is law. Moral and sensitivity is another matter. The law in that area requires “pets to be on a leash when off the owner’s property”. If dog was free on roadway then it’s the owner’s responsibility.
Yeah, they should pay. It sucks, but you need to keep your dog off of the road. Even more the villain, State Farm! Come on, guys! He pays his premiums for a reason.
@GarfieldSandwiches - He is being a douche about it though. I sure as hell would tell him to shove it up his ass. It’s not solely one person’s fault. Hopefully next time that jackass drives, he’ll a be more watchful driver and not kill anyone else’s dog.
I guess what I’m saying is, if I killed someone’s dog, I would feel fucking horrible. Of course, not everyone understands, not everyone likes dogs or values their companionship. And yeah, legally he can go after the owner, but that doesn’t make the guy any less of a dick for caring more about a damn bumper than the fact that they just killed someone’s dog. :/
Then again, I could be biased. I’ve lost a good dog, a good friend, because of some other person’s carelessness.
People need to keep their animals off the road. People need to be better drivers.
No. The damn guy already killed a dog! He should pay for his own damn bumper. But of course, in this day and age, the world is still so very backwards with their justice systems.
It is the insurance company asking for reimbursement, not the guy.
Legally, yes, they should pay. Regardless of their dog’s habit of taking himself for a walk they should have at least walked with him. This probably wouldn’t have happened if they did.
That being said if I was the family I’d tell State Farm where to go and ask them how they feel about the impending publicity they would be receiving from the press. No matter what, a bumper is replaceable, a family pet isn’t. What if this was a child who was riding their bike in the street? Would they be asking for reimbursement then?
Uh. Just want to point out that the driver had to have been going PRETTY fast to have that much damage to his bumper. Seriously, that price tag is indication enough. The dog must have been pretty big too, but there’s no way a dog alone could cause that kind of damage if the driver was traveling at a reasonable speed, like say the kmh equivalent of 30mph.
In my opinion, there should be an investigation into that. I read a story about a similar incident in my area. The police I think conducted it and ended up finding out that the driver was going way over the speed limit. The driver and owners of the dog split the cost of the damages.
What an asshole!
@LoBornlytesThoughtPalace - I am strangely intrigued that we agree on something for once.
I am alittle ashamed that State Farm is my insurance provider now….
yeah, the dog shouldn’t be running in the street. Why should the driver have to dish out $1648.95 because some people are irresponsible with their pets?
It sounds like the owners could and should have had the dog on a leash, so yeah they should pay for it. But if the dog escaped without their knowledge then the car driver just needs to suck it up and pay. If he hit a deer he would have to pay.
I knew a guy whose Belgian Malinois killed a monkey. It was at the park and this leash-less monkey runs up to his Mal, and of course the dog chomped it. The monkey owners got mad at him, but he just pointed out that his dog was on a leash and their monkey wasn’t.
Honestly, it depends what happened here. If you’re mindful of driving you’re probably going to notice a dog running around on the street. And how fast was he going to hit a dog and cause over a thousand dollars worth of damage? The dog wasn’t running on the freeway, right? Something sounds fishy here.
Unfortunately, the owner should pay but that guy is a complete jackass.
But if anyone killed my dog and demanded money for their goddamn bumper, I would tell them to shove it up their ass.
State Farm should probably have given more consideration to how publicity regarding this claim would affect them. I know I’m not interested in a State Farm policy now. Are you?
Let’s change up this scenario a bit, to add perspective:
A man is crossing the street, but not at the crosswalk. He is jaywalking and a car strikes him, killing him instantly. Should his family have to pay for the damages to the car?
Or…
Your five year old is playing Four Square in the driveway with his siblings and a couple of friends. The ball bounces past him and, before anyone can react, he runs into the street after it. He is struck by a car and killed. Should YOU be responsible for the damage done to that vehicle?
Dogs have the mental capacity of a toddler. They can comprehend a verbal vocabulary equivalent to that of a two to three year old child. They are loyal and obedient, but they also display the ability to act with autonomy and exercise free will. Dogs are compassionate and display empathy when a member of their pack is ill or injured. They are protective and loving. They are NOT merely property.
Furthermore, the owner is guilty of violating a city ordinance and should be fined for failure to leash her dog. That is fair and equitable. Why is it that the driver was going so fast in a residential area that she was able to strike a dog running out in front of her with such force that it did major damage to her vehicle? The dog was a yellow lab. Yes, they can be quite large. $1600 in damages? That’s an entirely new bumper AND other damages. That sounds like she was going much faster than the 15-25 mph generally allowed in residential areas. This took place inside a subdivision, after all, where drivers should be wary of small children and animals running into the roadway.
Long comment is long.
State Farm proves that they’re not human beings. Yes, the dog should have been on a leash, but to add salt to the wounds of the family affected is just plain inhumane. That’s just another reason why the human race will most likely obliterate itself eventually. So sad. On a side note, I’d punch the guy in the face if he ever ran over MY pup–pets are family, too!
@Automaton_Emotion - well said! (=
No one cares about dogs. Now if this was a 2-year-old…
stupid fucken driver shoulda had better reaction… he should blame him/herself for lack of driving skills.
It makes sense..but it still sucks.
&& that picture makes me want to cry. )’:
http://retwt.me/1NgTunike wholesale wholesale jordan sneakers cheap wholesale nike air max,wholesale nike shox r3,shox r4,shox r5,shox cheap wholesale bape shoes nike women’s shoes wholesale adidascheap wholesale prada cheap puma wholesale children shoesour price:CA POLO EDHARDY GUCCI T-SHIRT $15;TRUE RELIGION EVISU G-STAR COOGI JEAN $36;AIR MAX NIKE SHOX JORDAN JORDAN FUNSHION JORDAN RING SHOES $35;GUCCI COACH shoes DG shoes $33coach chanel gucci LV handbags $32;edhardy New Era POLO cap $15;coach okely prada nike DG Sunglass $16;
I’d be opening up a can of whoop-ass if someone killed my dog and then sued me for the damage. Jackass.
I wouldn’t mind it if the driver somehow died. I mean, we have enough humans as it is, so why not knock off a few cheap ones who always want to be compensated for everything?
THe same could have happened with a little kid as well.
I find it hard to believe damage is over 1000. How big could the dog have been and how fast was the driver going? Something doesn’t really add up here….
Awe.
that’s horrible.
I would never make someone do that.
That guy can shove it up his ass. Accident’s happen, what if the dog was on a leash and got out? When if the door was left open by accident and the dog ran out? State Farm should pay for it.
what the fuck…
all I have to say.
@ShimmerBodyCream - very well put.
Legally, yeah. It’s this simple. They own the dog. They’re responsible for the dog, and therefore responsible for any damage it causes to other people’s property. It’s a bit of a dick thing to do, to sue the dog’s owners, but then again, $1600 is a lot of money, and should be paid by the responsible party. I’m surprised at how many people here are blaming the driver. Hey, I don’t know that he couldn’t have prevented it by being more careful, either, but were you there? Was the dog out in the open, in the middle of the road, or did it dart out unexpectedly? I really doubt the guy made a conscious decision not to stop and avoid hitting the dog. Sometimes you just don’t have enough time to react. And without having been there, we have no idea how much time he had. But what I do know, is that one should not allow one’s pets to roam unattended outside one’s own property. The article said the dog “was out for his daily stroll around a quiet neighborhood”. And “the Flemmings said Jake had become accustomed to roaming outside the family’s home.” That’s just plain irresponsible. I had a dog die that way. And yeah, it sucks. But guess what? It was my own damn fault, for letting the dog get out of the yard. People need to stop constantly trying to play the victim, and take some responsibility.
What are you doing with all these questions?
Tough one. I mean you can’t hit a pedestrian and be like “pay for my bumper”. But a dog shouldn’t be running without a leash… it was the law… there would need to be more info. Was the car speeding? Did the dog dash out? I mean I am all for animal rights, but stupid owners are stupid owners. You should never let a dog run close to a street where cars are. That’s common sense? I feel horrible for the dog that it’s owners didn’t take responsibility for it by getting a fence or leashing it and for that they should be given responsibility. They lost a dog but they also have to pay for damages.
Well…Does the dog count as a pedestrian? Because pedestrians have the right of way and regardless of rules, if they get hit it’s the driver’s fault…unless the dumbass jumped in front of the car.
That is just fucked up. I’m sorry… but the people who hit the dog should be the ones paying (emotionally).
@SerenaDante - AGREED! AGREED AGREED AGREED AGREED!
Yes, and the government also has to pay for people’s car repairs when they hit wildlife on the road as well.
That guy is an asshole.
@getyourownsandwich - Damn right. And lmao @ your username. x)
Man, it’s amazing to see how many people are complete idiots when it comes to the law. Or just plain idiots.
Wow, that’s crazy too me. Okay so the owner should have had the dog on its leash BUT the driver should’ve also been watching where he was going. I don’t think that the owner should have to pay for his bumper to get fixed, the dog paid with its life.
@Rob_of_the_Sky - lmao lionel hutz!!
Swerve out of the way for an animal, possibly hit another car, cause big accident, kill many,
OR
Keep driving and hit irresponsible owners dog.
I would never let my pet wander about. “Sometimes animals get out” is a bullshit excuse for being irresponsible. It’s your job to either train your pup or make sure it doesn’t happen. It’s like parents who let their little crotch fruit play in the street and do whatever, then when something happens they are on tv crying about it.
Everyone knows you can’t just slam on brakes because Fido decided to cross the street, it’s not safe. I wouldn’t have asked for any money personally, but I can’t blame this guy for doing so $1600 is a lot to some people.
But if a person rear-ends someone else, it is the rear car’s fault. Even if the person in front stops suddenly.
A DRIVER HAS TO ADAPT TO CHANGES IN THE ROAD, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ARE. Just because it’s unfair to him doesn’t mean it’s not his fault. If he’d hit a person, would he say “they shouldn’t have crossed the street”? Would he have stopped?
I doubt they were just letting their dog traipse around without a leash. My dog slips around us when we open the front door. We have an electric fence but their dog could have just run out (I didn’t read the article, I guess I should).
Expecting a person to be able to control another living being’s every move is not entirely reasonable. It’s easy for a dog to escape if it wants to.
We learned in driving school that you’re not supposed to swerve for ANY animal, except for a deer/moose/enormous thing. So if he kept right on moving straight, that’s still his fault. He didn’t necessarily HAVE to hit the dog but he still did, and even people who can’t move in time have sympathy.
Well what is your opinion, Danno?
That’s a sad story, but the owner does really have the obligation to pay for the repairs, especially if the driver didn’t purposely run into the dog.
You gotta look at it from a legal standpoint and put your emotions aside. Was there damage? Yes. Did the owner of the dog break the ordinance and not put the dog on a leash? Yes. Should the owner pay for the damages caused by his own recklessness (even though his dog died)? Yes.
People, if you love your animals, you’ll keep them safe even if they’ve walked the same trail a million times.
Because I live in an area with a lot of idiot pet owners, I have to side with the driver and State Farm on this one. I don’t know what its like there, but here, it gets dark pretty quickly, and there are no street lights. People leave their gates wide open and their (sometimes vicious) dogs often go wandering about without their owners even knowing about it. Its almost impossible to see these dogs at night, and the only reason I even bother to stop any more is because they would do a lot of damage to my car.
As a pet owner myself, I feel bad for the family that lost their dog, I really do. But I make sure my pets are secure, and we forked over the money (as ANY pet owner with an unruly pet should) to send them to obedience school so they know better than to dig under
and/or around the fences that are there to protect them. Its unfortunate that this family lost their dog, but the law is the law. If they had taken the necessary precautions to make sure their pet didn’t get out, then this wouldn’t be a problem, and because of that, they need to be held responsible.
And yes, I am aware obedience school can be expensive. But if you can’t afford to PROPERLY take care of a pet, then maybe you shouldn’t have one. Their lives depend on you being able to properly care for them, even if your not around. You wouldn’t get a dog if you couldn’t afford to feed it, so why would you get a dog if you couldn’t afford to make it as safe as you make the rest of your family? If, as so many people have said, a pet is pretty much a family member, then why wouldn’t you protect it like a family member?
the dog should have been on a leash. so if it was an unavoidable collision, yes, the family should pay for the repairs.
I think they should pay for the bumber than the guy should reimburse (sp?) the owner for the entire lifetime expense of the dog.
that is so sad. how can a dog even mess up a bumper that badly?
Absolutely not. Why is this even a law? I don’t think the poor owner should pay anyway, and be damned with the consequences.
@lizheartshakespeare - Folks, it is a dog, and the dog damaged the bumper. It’s not like it’s the engine or suspension or something! It’s the bumper! Yeah a thousand dollars is a lot of money, but don’t make the poor owner pay all of it! What a ridiculous law.
i’ve been in this situation. my dad hit a dog while i was in the car once. it was about 8pm and rather dark out, we were on a 4-lane road, and he literally just didn’t see it run out in front of the car. it wasn’t a case of him having done anything wrong. it was just a horrible situation. the thing ran out, he didn’t see it until it was too late, it was hit, i called 911, and we waited for the cops to get there as one of the dog’s owners screamed at us from across the road and came over and began assaulting our car. my brother started crying, he was so scared. turns out the owner’s family was out walking on the side of the road with both of their dogs off leashes. i guess the two dogs started playing or something, and one ran out into the street. i love dogs. i’ve always been a dog person and i am the first person to squeal when they see a puppy. i love animals in general. but in this situation, i really have to ask if it was was really solely my dad’s fault? i wouldn’t feel comfortable with the insurance company hitting up the family for money, but i can understand why they’d do it. with something like this, you can’t really blame anyone because no one did something inherently wrong. it sucks that keeping dogs on leashes is a necessity, and it sucks that cars so easily kill. the whole concept of insurance companies having to choose who is at fault makes it seem like there is absolutely singularly one party who can be blamed. that’s not necessarily true in the real world though.
After reading the article, I feel the family SHOULD pay the fees. The owner let the dog out to roam freely, in spite of local leash laws. Her misconduct not only cost the animal his life, but caused extensive vehicular damage to an innocent passerby. Is the death of the dog sad? Yes, but it was because of owner negligence and stupidity that it happened. The family is asking for sympathy, but why should they get it when they didn’t follow the law, and behaved improperly in terms of animal care?
Pay the fine, and learn a lesson.
I feel more sorry for the motorist, and the dog, than I do for those people.
And seriously, I wish more of your commenters would read the actual articles before talking. The dog didn’t get loose, and by law the family IS RESPONSIBLE.
@MickJones33 - It’s not ridiculous to expect pet owners to be responsible and ensure the safety of not only their pet, but the people around them. This instance is a perfect case in point. If you can’t be mature and responsible with the care of an animal, you deserve whatever consequences come of it. Period. They’re not a commodity. They’re living creatures under our care, and we should be exercising common sense to keep them healthy, happy, and safe. The same applies to their interaction with people around us.
its sad but yeah, they should pay. They should have trained the dog to stay on the property. Unless he was going way to fast or doing something illegal, it was not his fault. Not everyone can afford to pay a 1500 $ bill by themselves for someone else’s carelessness.
HELL NO.
No. The family already lost their dog…must have been like a family to them! To make them pay is heartless.
It’s the owner’s responsibility to see about his pet. If a cow got out and someone hit it and the driver died, we’d all be singing a different tune, because cows aren’t cute and cuddly like dogs.
The dog’s owner is liable. Yes, they should pay for the repairs. Next time, try obeying the law if you want to avoid tragedy.
I can’t believe the driver has the audacity to demand they pay for his bumper. What an asshole.
After Reading the Article. And Reading this(A local bylaw requires pets to be on a leash when off the owner’s property) and (“We’ve lost a member of our family but we’re supposed to pay for the damage to her bumper? That’s just wrong,” daughter Katherine Flemming said.) I feel that if youre in Country where you have to keep certain members of your family on leashes you are in the wrong country. Again, if certain members of your family are Running around in the road. I think the wrong Member of the family got ran over…. if one my Family members dented up some car by carelessly being in the middle of the road. That Family member would be beaten. luckily this one died. and didn’t have to face the wrath.
No? I’d blame the driver, it’s his lack of alertness on the road theat caused the death of the animal. Next thing you know State Farm would say you have to get the money from a family member if the driver ran over a person instead. It’s the driver’s fault, he was suppose to stop/avoid the animal. Does anyone know what happens with insurance if someone hits a moose/deer? It happens rather frequently in BC, Canada.
Isn’t it bad enough they lost their dog? It’s not punishing them by making them pay for the asshole’s repairs. State farm just doesn’t want to do it themselves. I mean really, if it was a child, no one would be billing them to pay for the repairs. And yeah, people will say a child’s life and a dog’s life are different, but it’s the same in the sense that the parents/owners are responsible for both.
Also, I’m assuming this happened in a residential area. I sincerely doubt it was entirely the dog’s fault.
@WhenFaithandFearCollide - Not really. It definitely would have been the driver’s fault if he hit a cow. How can you not see a cow?
@SerenaDante - Oh please. If anything, there are a lot of people who are viewing this case irrationally BECAUSE of their love for dogs.
I care about dogs. Immensely. I love them to death.
I still think they have to pay the guy, depending on the factors (i.e. was he speeding?). And also, not that huge $1000+ bill.
@idiotmango@mancouch - Because there could be varying instances in which the driver had no way in knowing a cow would appear on the streets (i.e. the cow decided to wander across the streets right when the car was coming)
@Jessica - My point was that if this happened to be a young child with as little understanding of traffic as a dog, the story would be much different.
@idiotmango@mancouch - It’s still the law. Calves are more commonly hit. Rural roads have a habit of being curvy, I’ve noticed, and at night it’s easy not to see a calf at the end of one of those curves.
Not matter what, owners have a responsibility of keeping their pets contained where they can’t harm anyone, either by keeping it on a leash or maintaining the fence.
by law its the right thing to do. but i have to admit that the driver is a douche.
if one reads the article, it states that the insurance company and not the car owner is demanding payment for the repairs. The owner of the dog admits she let the dog out of the yard alone and not on a leash. It’s harsh, but the owner is liable. If you allow your animals to roam and they cause damage and or injury to other people or other people’s property, you’re liable. Keep ya dog in the yard or walk it on a leash! Sheeze! What kind of owner would just ‘let the dog out’ for a stroll on its own?
@SerenaDante - Hopefully every parent has enough sanity to keep a child from running around loose where vehicles speed by. Can you imagine the amount of guilt and shame that would cover a driver for hitting a child when it isn’t even his fault? A dog or a child — it doesn’t matter. The driver is a victim all the way. The law agrees, in this case.
I don’t really care if the dog was “accustomed” to roaming the neighborhood, and I don’t really care how heartbroken they are. it’s completely the owner’s fault that their dog is dead right now rather than being safely tied up/fenced up at home. it’s really not as easy as people think to avoid hitting animals that run in front of your vehicle, so I don’t blame the driver.
Sure they should pay, they should also pay with being reckless letting their dog run around.
Was the driver breaking any rules of his own? Was he over the speed limit? Did he show the proper signs? Was he in the proper lane? Did he have his seatbelt on? Was he under the influence of any mind-altering substances?
If answers to all of these questions are in favor of the driver then the family has to pay for the damages. Why was the dog not on leash? Who is responsible for maintaining the safety of the dog? Is it the driver or the owner? Not only should the family have to pay for the bumper but they should be held accountable for not fulfilling their responsibility of taking care of their dog. They should have to face some kind of penalty for that.
Well, this one hit close to home. Several years ago I hit a German Shephard that was dumb enough to wander out into my lane and sit down in the road. I was going 55 MPH on a single lane highway, in the dark with no place to swerve to avoid it. While I did manage to slow considerably in the time it took for it to sit in my lane, I did run over it. There was no place to pull over so I didn’t stop to check on the dog or my van. All the homes along that highway are set back from the road and I was alone so I wasn’t about to go knocking door to door (if I could even find the driveways in the darkness), although I wish I had when I saw how much damage had been done to my van. Granted, I felt bad for the dog’s owners, but I felt worse for me because I had damage done I couldn’t afford to repair.
If your kid breaks something in the store, you’re expected to pay for it. If you let your dog out without a leash and it damages something, you should be expected to pay for it.
No! The douche that hit the dog should be happy HE isn’t being sued for negligent driving or something. He deserves it.
Sure they should have to pay under the law, but what does it say about the asshole that ran over the dog? There is no way in hell I’d ever force someone to pay for damages to my car after running over part of their family. That guy is despicable in my mind.