I am very scared right now for my dog. I live in New Orleans and I’m not sure what the regulations are here. But my landlord has a cleaning crew come through for my yard occasionally and they have never entered my yard without notifying me first. It is a very tall fenced yard with a padlocked gate that requires a code to enter.
I let them out to use the bathroom and stepped inside for literally just a few seconds. I walked back out and there was an old man casually blowing leaves with my gate wide open and no sign of the dogs. I yelled at him where are my dogs and he didn’t even talk just shrugged.
I ran outside the gate and found an old couple and the husband started yelling at my that my dog bit his wife. I found one dog in the street and got her back inside and my dog who bit the lady cowering under my vehicle. Thankfully both were okay.
I’m terrified that the couple will file a lawsuit or notify animal control to come take my baby and put him down. It wasn’t my fault I took all steps I could to keep him contained. I’m aware that he will snap at people as he is not a fan of strangers. Should I be preemptive and file a police report or contact a lawyer?
I believe the couple lives 3-4 houses down but had walked away by the time I got my dogs inside. I’m not sure if they are just going to drop it or went to clean up. It looked like she was limping and leaning on her husband. They definitely know where I live. Also, He is a medium sized shepherd mix dog.
I went to find them and found three neighbors outside around the last place I saw them. No one knows anyone living nearby that matches their description. Fairly sure they’d be known if they lived here because the neighborhood is made of old shotgun houses and most people have lived here for a long time or get out for the second lines or to sit on their porches and talk to their neighbors.
It’s possible that they could have been either homeless or an elderly couple who have no car and have to walk long distances to get to places. We get a lot of those passing through my area but I’m trying not to make assumptions. Not sure how to find them at this point unless they come looking for me.
At this point just sit tight. Make sure you have your dog’s rabies certificate easily accessible and make sure your fence remains adequately locked and measures are taken to make sure it is not opened without your knowledge again. If AC comes to your door, being prepared with proper documentation and showing that your dog is adequately contained will show to them that you are a responsible owner and this was an accident rather than negligence.
I live about a mile from the French quarter off a rather busy intersection. I’ve had strangers sit on my porch and claim my packages from Amazon so no stranger to that. But no I didn’t see the bite. The man just said hey your dog bit my wife and by the time I brought my dog inside and came back out they were a good ways down the street. By the time I’d asked the man in my yard who he was and called my property manager they were completely gone.
Did he tell you where the bite was? What lead up to the bite? Was there blood? What did the wife have to say? I think these people are full of shit. Do not communicate with them again, deny ANY involvement with your dog and these people. I doubt they have any proof outside of their own BS statements (if the bite ever even happened, which I’m extremely skeptical about). Never speak to these people again, call the police if they attempt to harass you. Communicating with them does NOTHING except help them build a case against your dog and you
Of course and all the input I’ve gotten from everyone has certainly helped. The possibility that they may not have been truthful did not even occur to me until someone mentioned it (yes, I know I should not be so gullible living close to the French Quarter).
If they are low income or homeless and hurt I definitely want to help, it just becomes complicated when it becomes a legal matter, like I’d be admitting liability by paying for medical.
But if they approach me and it’s valid, I’ll talk to a lawyer as quickly as I can and see if they will let me pay the medical bills. More concerned about my dog than the money involved unless it’s a very substantial amount they are asking for like emotional damages or something.