[kattygirl]

I live in Oregon in an apartment complex. My husband took our dog out for a walk and the neighbors big rotweiller bit him in the foot. My dog had to go to the vet for stitches and have a toe nail removed. We want the dog gone. Can we force the other renter to pay for the vet bill and to get rid of his dog. My husband is so mad he wants it dead. I just want it gone so that this won't happen again. This is the fourth time the owner has let the dog run around the complex without a leash and he has come for Zeus. Normally my husband sees him in enough time to keep him from getting hurt. What rights do I have?

[labman]

This is more of a legal problem than a dog problem. There are some things to look at, local leash laws, provisions in your lease regarding pets, etc. Certainly you can sue for expenses caused by your neighbor's negligence. Of course, he could stonewall it and make it more bother than it was worth.

You could talk to the other tenants. If your dog isn't safe around the menace, how about children? Delivery people?

Perhaps you need to repost in the legal forum.

[Dr D]

First tell your dear husband not to do something stupid, even though he has every right to be angry. Call your local animal control and file a report; contact the apartment manager and file a complaint, and present the vet bill to the neighbor with a request for payment. Do all of this in writing so that you can show the paper trail at a later time (court). Then see what happens. If those parties take actions that satisfy you, all is good. If not, you will probably have to sue the dog owner in small claims court, perhaps even the apartment complex for failing to provide a safe environment. If the apartment complex fails to correct the dangerous situation, you should have grounds to break your lease. Don't let your husband take matters to a higher level. Good luck

[landlord advocate]

Talk to your landlord. Some landlords don't know: there are 4 breeds of dogs, which, if the landlord rents property to owners of the 4 breeds... their insurance company will cancel their policy. Rotweiller happens to be one of them. The landlord should be made aware of the potential for bodily harm of other tenants. Let's face it, if the dog bites another tenant, that tenant is going to sue the person with the deepest pockets... the landlord.

If you are going to sue in small claims for the damage done by the dog, I would be adding the landlord to the suit. The case will be settled before it ever gets into court.

[Jessyfay]

FIRST, talk to the dog owner and asked to resolve this in private and that they pay for the vet bill and that the dog stays leashed around the apartment complex.
IF they disagree with you and will not pay the vet bill than go to the landlord and file a complaint and file a complaint with your local spca, if that doesn't sound the alarms I would go as far as posting up warnings of the violent dog in your apartment complex.

[kattygirl]

I contacted the police but we have a one bite clause here in Oregon. I also spoke to the owner about the bill for Zeus and he said he would not pay it so we are filing with small claims.

[labman]

Good luck. At least you have documented the first bite.