Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Illinois

Property Damage

I agreed to watch a ''friends'' dog for a weekend while they were out of town. The dog ended up tearing my pool liner ($2400 to replace) and destroying much of my landscaping as well as soiling my carpets and shredding the cushions for my lawn furniture which was stored in my garage. I ended up only having the dog in my possession for a few hours as I could not keep it from destroying my property. I have contacted the owner of the dog and they refuse to take any responsibility for the damages their dog did to my property. Do I have a case against them?


Asked on 4/27/07, 12:48 am

3 Answers from Attorneys
Nima Taradji Taradji Law Offices

Re: Property Damage

Highly doubt it.

When you agreed to watch the dog you assumed the risk of doing so. Your friends did no force you to watch their dog.

I hope this helps,

Taradji Law Offices

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Answered on 4/27/07, 7:10 am

Re: Property Damage

Did the owners make you aware that their dog was on the wild side before you agreed, or were you aware based on your own observations? If so, you are out of luck. If not, you have a chance in small claims court. The fee is minimal, go for it.

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Answered on 4/27/07, 9:45 am
Noelle Ansley Noelle Ansley

Re: Property Damage

By agreeing to take the dog, you assumed the risk of damage. However, if you had occasion to observe the dog with its owner and it was always docile and sweet, but upon coming to your house it immediately became hyper and destructive, you may be able to make some claim. This one will be a real uphill battle however, as some of this behavior is deemed inherent to a dog's nature. If you haven't done so already, check to see if your homeowner's insurance covers such damage.

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Answered on 4/27/07, 11:25 am


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