Garfield County dog ​​attack highlights gaps in redress for pets injured by others’ pets

Laura Warren recently experienced a situation that has happened to many other dog owners: her dog Bama (short for Alabama) was attacked by two neighbors’ dogs.

“They broke through the fence,” she said. “Bama was in the emergency room for a week. He had to be put on an oxygen machine and his heart stopped once in my stepson’s arms, but miraculously he made it through.”

Bama, a Jack Russell Terrier, was playing in Warren’s front yard when the neighborhood huskies came and attacked him.

“We have $18,000 in medical bills,” Warren said. “I’ve been to court several times.”

Warren demanded reimbursement of the bills and went to court several times until the owner of the huskies pleaded guilty to the attack. Warren was awarded $14,000 in Silt and $17,000 in Rifle. To date, however, Warren has not received any compensation from the other dog owner.

“The refund is at her expense, and she has not paid,” Warren said.

Warren had to open numerous credit cards to pay the vet bills for Bama’s treatment and even had to take out a loan on her house to pay off the credit cards she opened because she can’t get the money back.

“I went to victim support services to try to get help,” she said.

Unfortunately, victim services cannot help with dogs, Warren said, because Bama was a dog and pets are considered property.

“He was the one who was hurt,” Warren said.

Warren says just because Bama is property doesn’t mean he’s no longer a living being.

“Some people treat their pets like children, like family members,” she said.

She said she had also tried to contact lawyers, but they do not deal with cases of dog attacks on people, but rather with cases where dogs attack people.

“If my father-in-law had been injured, I would have gotten help from Victim Services because he was on the field with Bama when it happened,” Warren said.

Medical bills are high no matter which animal is treated, and if Warren isn’t able to get the compensation she deserves, the whole thing is pointless, she says.

The Colorado Division of Criminal Justice’s Crime Victims’ Rights Act states: “Colorado’s Victims’ Rights Act (VRA) ensures that crime victims are treated fairly, respectfully, and with dignity, and that they are free from intimidation, harassment, and abuse. The VRA also helps ensure that victims are informed of critical stages of the criminal justice process and that they are able to be present and heard at certain stages.”

The law does not specify whether the victim must be a human, but it is implicit since “victims are informed” and dogs cannot be informed. However, that does not mean that dogs like Bama will not still be victims of an attack.

“They tell them they have no rights because they are considered property,” Warren said. “I know I’m not the only one and laws can be changed.”

If anyone would like to help Bama and his family, there is a GoFundMe campaign at https://www.gofundme.com/f/bamas-medical-bills.

Colorado Animal Rescue has also compiled a list of programs that could help others in this situation since their funds are for shelter pets but still want to help:

“What follows is a mix of financing options, a grant application and subsidized care in the Front Range.”