Dear Queenie,
Our son and his wife and their dog live with us on a street with a lot of traffic. We have a fenced-in yard and when one of us takes a dog out for a walk we keep it on a leash, but sometimes the dog gets out of the yard over or under the fence and runs around loose until we realize what has happened and bring it back into the yard and sometimes when we are out walking the dog someone tries to pet it.
Queenie, what if the dog gets hit by a car or causes an accident when it is running around loose? Who is responsible for the vet bill? And who is responsible if it bites someone who tries to pet it?—Concerned parents
Dear Parents,
Your insurance company can explain to you how much of your dog’s activity is covered by your homeowner’s insurance (assuming you have such insurance, which you should). And a lawyer can explain your legal position regarding the dog’s activities.
