Dog bites happen with such frequency that any story about them
is unlikely to make the front page of the Toronto Star
unless it was serious. But while they might not be worthy
of a news story, they could be worthy of legal action. In this blog
post I discuss the legal consequences when "man's best
friend" acts in a decidedly unfriendly matter or when their
over exuberance could cost you.
Recent headlines have brought to light the sad case of a Toronto
dog that was killed by a neighbour's dog. The owners of the
deceased dog are suing the owners and the rescue where the newly
adopted dog came from. The claim is not only for the costs of
cremation but also for the psychological damage done when they
witnessed their pet being killed. Cases like this, while not
common, have successfully gone through the court system. The
unusual twist in this case is the rescue is also being sued for
adopting out a banned breed in Ontario. This should serve as a
wake-up call to rescues
