Mums dog just killed neighbors pet rabbit....

Things change I've changed · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:48

Mum just rang me very upset as her Jack Russell dog has just killed a neighbours pet rabbit that I know they we're very fond of, What are the legalities here?, can she be prosecuted?

just on my way up there now, some quick advice would be much appreciated.

Edrof · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:50

More details are necessary. Whose property did this callous slaying take place on, for starters? Does the dog have any prior criminal convictions, and so on.

Zethor · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:52

Jack Russell's are awesome. Vermin are vermin.

Dis86 · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:52

Shock as animal bred for killing small furry things kills small furry thing!

Things change I've changed · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:53

Edrof said:
More details are necessary. Whose property did this callous slaying take place on, for starters? Does the dog have any prior criminal convictions, and so on.

A few doors up from my mum, the dog is 14 months old from a dog's home, it's has not done this before.

Skillmister · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:54

RIP to both I'm afraid.

"Just imagine if that was a child" etc etc..

Dis86 · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:54

you're still not being clear. Was the dog a few doors Up? As in had it been let out or escaped?

Captain · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:54

lowrider007 said:
A few doors up from my mum, the dog is 14 months old from a dog's home, it's has not done this before.

Did the rabbit come into the garden? Or did the dog get out?

setter · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:55

Dis86 said:
Shock as animal bred for killing small furry things kills small furry thing!

This tbh, it's what jacks excel at, rats are another thing they will go after like a bat out of hell. @op, is there maybe a possibility that the dogs original owner may have been into hunting/ratting.

cheesyboy · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:56

Whilst I hated owning rabbits when we did, and was pleased when they died, I would not have been at all happy about a neighbour's dog chewing one of them to death.

I have a sad feeling that there is not going to be any legal protection for this sort of thing, or any particular comeuppance for the dog, but that's pretty irresponsible dog ownership to let that happen.

Terminal_Boy · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:57

Bunny in your mum's garden = no worries.

Bunny in bunny owner's garden = trouble.

cheesyboy · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:58

Terminal_Boy said:
Bunny in your mum's garden = no worries.

Bunny in bunny owner's garden = trouble.

It didn't harm a person, just a pet - is there legal provision for that?

arknor · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:59

sued for post traumatic stress disorder no doubt maybe a whiplash claim as well from the speed the woman leaped out her chair to see what all the fuss was about

not all is lost

Edrof · 5 Feb 2015 at 17:59

lowrider007 said:
A few doors up from my mum, the dog is 14 months old from a dog's home, it's has not done this before.

I'm afraid if the dog was allowed to roam 'a few doors' either side of its home and it killed a much loved pet belonging to someone else your mum, rather like the unfortunate fluffy bunnykins in question, doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Mynight · 5 Feb 2015 at 18:02

Do the rabbit owners know?

Xordium · 5 Feb 2015 at 18:02

I think what will happen will really depend on the owners of the rabbit. They will be well within their rights to demand and take action. There are times in life where you have to hold up your hands and accept that you are totally in the wrong. Also you have to consider how well the dog was being supervised and potentially what else it may do.

Jokester · 5 Feb 2015 at 18:03

cheesyboy said:
It didn't harm a person, just a pet - is there legal provision for that?

Worst case is upto £20k fine and/or 6months in prison. It's unlikely though.

Skillmister · 5 Feb 2015 at 18:04

1. Overview
It’s against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere, eg:

in a public place
in a private place (eg a neighbour’s house or garden)
in the owner’s home
The law applies to all dogs.

Some types of dogs are banned.

Out of control
Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:

injures someone
makes someone worried that it might injure them
A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if:

it injures someone’s animal
the owner of the animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal
A farmer is allowed to kill your dog if it’s worrying their livestock.

Penalties
You can be fined up to £20,000 or sent to prison for up to 6 months (or both) if your dog is dangerously out of control. You may not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog may be destroyed.

If you let your dog injure someone you can be sent to prison for up to 5 years or fined (or both). If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with ‘malicious wounding’.

If you allow your dog to kill someone you can be sent to prison for up to 14 years or get an unlimited fine (or both).

If you allow your dog to injure a guide dog you can be sent to prison for up to 3 years or fined (or both).

antijoke · 5 Feb 2015 at 18:06

Oh dear.

I'd suit up.

Are the rabbit owners friends?

Things change I've changed · 5 Feb 2015 at 18:07

Right, just got to my mums, here's the story, dog had lead on, mum was standing outside her house, was doing her jacket up and at same time the dog saw a cat and ran off and my mum accidentally let go of the lead and the dog chased the cat into a back garden a few houses up where there was a rabbit loose and he killed it, mum scaled the fence to get in and found him with the rabbit dead, she tried ringing the bell but nobody is home, I'm here now to try and sort this out, on a phone so please excuse typos.