€260 vet’s bill for dog owner
Ann Donnelly, of St Jude’s, 5 Beechwood Rd, Mahon, Cork, said her cat suffered a torn Achilles tendon in her attempt to get away from the Rottweiler, who had got into her back garden.
Ms Donnelly said Flossie managed to squeeze under a gate to get away from the dog and by the time the owner found the cat she was cowering under a hedge.
The owner recalled yesterday that she was in her pyjamas at the time and had to dress before she could go out. What alerted her was the sound of a thud on her back door and she could see the Rottweiller jumping out over her garden wall.
Hugh Madden’s defence at the Small Claims Court, presided over by Judge James O’Connor at Cork District Court, was that there were other Rottweilers in Mahon and this was not his dog.
Mr Madden, who lives at 2 Beechwood Rd, said he knew it was not his dog because he was a nice family dog who did not stray and was kept in the back garden which was surrounded with a 6ft fence.
“If it was my dog he would have to open my front door and leave himself out,” Mr Madden said.
Ms Donnelly said Mr Madden was abusive to him and when she told him his dog had to be kept on a lead he replied: “So they tell me.”
She said she was going to call the guards. He said that to get there she should turn left and left again. Ms Donnelly said yesterday she had lived there 30 years and did not need directions from Mr Madden.
Mr Madden said there was no talking to Ms Donnelly on the day and he asked yesterday if the injury to Flossie was so serious why had Ms Donnelly waited three days to bring the cat to the vet. Ms Donnelly said she presumed the cat would get better but went to the vet when it was obvious she was not.
Judge O’Connor asked in relation to the July 13 2012 injury: “How is the cat now?” Ms Donnelly said: “She died last year from liver failure.”
On the issue of the vet’s bill of €255 for treating the cat’s torn tendon, Judge O’Connor ordered that Mr Madden should pay it.
