Dog bites cat questions

I haven't been able to find the answer looking at the animal control and negligence laws, but was wondering what experience/knowledge readers of this forum might be able to offer.

If a dog is under control on a short leash, to what extent is the dog owner responsible if it bites a cat when the cat is not on the owner's property?

Thanks any and all,
3fur

IMO the owner is resposible ´cause they lead at the Dog.... (just IMO! )

Thanks for asking -- she's fine. Maybe "bites" was too harsh a word. The dog picked her up in his mouth (much to her displeasure). The skin wasn't broken.

The incident just made me wonder what the legal implications were.

Originally Posted by 3fur

Thanks for asking -- she's fine. Maybe "bites" was too harsh a word. The dog picked her up in his mouth (much to her displeasure). The skin wasn't broken.

The incident just made me wonder what the legal implications were.

Click to expand...

I´m so sorry to heard that... is fine now the kittie? Do you take it to the vet? my best wishes for him...

Not to minimize the situation, because I understand it was upsetting, but do you think the dog was trying to mother your kitty or something like that? Cats are the size of many puppies, and the dog didn't hurt your cat...

Thanks all for your concern. This situation was relatively benign. I guess the legal angles vary by jurisdiction.

I think it does vary by jurisdiction. Depending on the dog breed, could read a lot into it. Some dogs won't bite their prey, they simply pick it up and shake it to break their spine. I used to volunteer for a greyhound rescue group and one of the adopted dogs picked up a small dog once, shook it and killed it. The greyhound owner was held responsible and they had to put down the poor greyhound. It was sad as there was 1000 years of breeding into that dog to do just what it did.

well i have both a cat and dog, and although they get extremely well, i still always keep a close eye on them when theyre playing.

Glad the kitty wasn't hurt!

I know that if one of my dogs tried to hurt someones cat I would accept full responsibility.

I used to have a dog, and he was smothered with all of my kitties, he accepted the babies catching his tail tigging their nails into him biting his hair, he never hurt them. But he did get very territorial about other cats that didnt belong in our backyard. he would bark them away.
I have never seen him hurt another cat.
THen again i think its the breed of dog youre talking about.
THe owner takes full responsability if she has the dog on her leash or even if she let it off her leash, but if a cat went into the dogs backyard and the owner wasnt there to watch it can it be the owners fault?

I wonder if the animal control guy couldnt help... I think the legality is on the side of the dog owner since the cat was not at home and under there owners control... at least in the area I live ... Glad kitty is okay