Hello,
So, today I had a dog-on-dog encounter and wanted to know who is liable.
When I was walking my two dogs ON LEASH, we came across another dog ON LEASH.
Unaware there was another dog, I guess my grip was loose on the leash; So, when one of my dogs lunged toward the other dog, my hold on the leash came off and my dog bolted toward the other dog. My dog doesn't bite, but crazily barks at the other dogs at close vicinity. Trying not to get my other dog (still on leash) involved, I frantically ran after my psychotic dog who was still barking at the other dog. In amazement, I saw the bigger dog lunge toward my dog as he was trying to get away, and lift up my dog by the neck and kind of thrash him a little bit. I immediately grabbed my dog's leash back and pulled him out of the other dog's mouth.
At this point, I wasn't sure whose fault it was. The dog that bit my dog (or is it considered a bite if no blood was seen)? or Me, who accidentally let go of the dog leash.
Thankfully, my dog is unharmed and no superficial wound was found, but I was wondering in this scenario, where my dog still had his leash on (so clearly I didn't purposefully let him loose) and the other dog (who was still on leash also, (although the owner in frantic couldn't control her extendable leash well) bit my dog, who is liable?
