From the NYTimes Bucks blog - State Farm Insurance says it paid over $109 million in liability claims for about 3,800 dog bite claims nationwide last year. Industry wide the number of claims is estimated at 15,000/16,000 annually. The average cost per claim runs $29,000. If your dog bites someone your premium may go up - or your dog may be excluded from coverage. Behavior classes may be encouraged. Our female Scottish terrier bit everyone she ever met but since most victims were relatives we avoided being sued. One time we considered an experienced dog sitter who bragged that he had handled over 200 dogs. He attempted to pet our Scottie from back to front which was not a good idea. I offered him a band-aid and we never saw him again. There is a saying around Washington, D.C. "If you want a friend, buy a dog.!" - But it could be costly over the long run.
tjs
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From Montana! Read about your blog, and no doubt it is really something.
ReplyDeleteSo,you have a naughty terrier...We too have one. A little Yorkie (12 lbs!), who believes everyone including us at times, is out to get him.
He too has bitten nearly all our friends and family. So far, we haven't been sued. We do warn people, but like the dog sitter you found, people believe they have a special touch...