If someone, say a teenager,

[brenda]

climbs over my 6 foot fence which encloses my garden on all 4 sides, to retrieve a football , and is bitten by my dog who is also in the garden-- what is my legal position? Only asking, many thanks.

[woofgang]

well that would depend. Had the dog bitten anyone before?

[brenda]

wolf gang -- no she has never bitten anyone .

[ummmm]

If it's a guard dog I think you need signs.

[cazzz1975]

a few years ago the attitude would be "tough, you climb into someones garden, whatever happens be it on your head"

nowadays the lad would probably need counselling and compensation

[bigfoot3000]

I would've thought that it was the "Trespassers" fault, just as if a burglar fell on a toy on your stairs and injured his spine, he then couldn't sue you, but then again the law's gone mad in this country and the victims are usually made out to be criminals!

[brenda]

Sorry wolfgang-- should be woofgang-- apologies.

The dog is a domestic pet not a guard dog , and the scenario is a hypothetical one.

[sandyRoe]

If the dog was in a secured garden there's no way you could be held to blame. I don't think the matter would go any further.

[ummmm]

Our guard dog bit someone and nothing happened. I'd taken her out, no lead as she didn't need one, and when I went round the corner my sister was having a fight. She bit his arm and just kept hold of it.

[woofgang]

Wel IMO you should be okay. My dogs treed a teenager quite a few years ago who had climbed over the fence to retrieve his dog and we never heard any more about it. If the dog is previously of good character and not a banned breed BUT these days the law seems to be an ass and dog owners are a soft target.

[brenda]

Thanks everyone.

[thugulike]

I have a sign saying there is a large dog in the house. Apparently that would prevent a burglar being able to sue

[woofgang]

well it might be construed as an admission that your dog is dangerous and therefore make it easier for a burglar to sue!

[horselady]

I used to have a GSD who was very territorial. It always used to worry me that someone would come over our fence and what she would do. We had a small unit in the next street which housed some mentally disturbed men and one day one of them was suddenly in the garden, She sat absolutely still and didn't attempt to touch him in any way, then his carer appeared and she went crazy trying get at him-she most definitely knew that the first young man was vulnerable, I've never forgotten that.