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OFF BEAT: Dog slips disc in tall grass, owner wants vet bill reimbursed

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The legal arena can be a dog-eat-dog world, but one pet owner from England is taking on her local council to seek compensation for injuries her dog sustained while undertaking that most clichéd of dog activities: chasing a cat.

Rebecca Richardson, from Brighton, England, claims that her 3-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel suffered a slipped disc while chasing a cat in long grass, according to the Daily Mirror.

And Ms. Richardson wants Brighton & Hove City Council to foot the vet’s bill.

According to the news report, Ms. Richardson said surgery for her dog Scooby could cost up to £5,000 ($8,589) and that if the council does not pay up she will be forced to appeal to members of the public to help pay the bill.

Ms. Richardson said Scooby’s injury is a result of catching his leg in overly long grass on land owned by the council.

She told the newspaper that neighbors have been complaining about the length of the grass for weeks.

A spokesman for the council said it would investigate any complaint made.

The Taxpayers Alliance, however, branded Ms. Richardson’s complaint as an example of “compensation culture gone mad” and said it would be “ridiculous” for taxpayers to eventually bear the cost of Scooby’s treatment through their council tax payments.

It remains to be seen if Ms. Richardson stands a cat in hell’s chance of receiving any money toward treatment for her furry friend.

There was no update on the fate of the cat involved in the incident.

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