Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Peter. on February 14, 2007, 09:14:06 pm
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Sad Day
I have only recently become a window cleaner, going out over the last few weeks canvassing in this constant bad weather and slowing gaining a days work.
I have spent out on ladders, roof rack, wfp system and today being a lovely sunny day I went out to clean my new customers windows.
I only got to clean one, I decided to put a leaflet through next doors letter box, and as I did a dog savaged my hand and I ended up in hospital, he had bitten right through my fingers, the pain was bad and there was blood every where, when they washed the hand at hospital I almost passed out.
Now with my fingers bandage I have been told I will not be able to work for at least two weeks and I will need my dressings changed every other day. I am on antibiotics in case of infection.
I own a dog myself and love him to bits and would never allow him to harm anyone and if he did I would be so apologetic and try to help the person.
However in my case, the owner didn’t even say sorry. She simple said you should not have posted your leaflet and shut the door.
What if a child posted a church flier at this address, a small Childs hand would have no chance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peter.
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Sorry to hear about your hand Peter. Is it true that if someone were to feed a dog a bar of chocolate that would seriously injure it? Just asking - don't go getting any ideas.
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My dog loves chocolate.
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If there was no warning sign in a prominent place.. SUE HER!!!
I would without a 2nd thought. The sane thing happened to a friend who was posting one of those charity bags that you get through the door. He ended up losing the use of 3 fingers on his hand. Get this reported to the police ASAP. This dog is dangerous. I have a cat BTW.. viscious she is as well :)
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sorry to hear about your hand.
why not just tape leaflets to the doors for now on?
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Speedy recovery fella
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Sorry to hear about your hand! I was bitten once (by a dog) being walked by its owner it dragged its owner along and it bit me, the owner pulled it away, and said "its because you was scared" I replied I that I wasnt, like you Im a dog lover, so I never reported it,
why not make the most of the bad situation, now and do some more canvassing, to fill your time, if you are fit enough. good luck
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Put in a complaint about the dog. Then sue her.
Another dog related item. Some son of a lady dog has poisoned one of my greyhounds. Noticed a load of what looks like oil down the one side of my motor and some on the top of me garden wall. Same day my dog cant walk and can hardly move. £200 later at the vets and the old bugger is on his feet again. Some people need running over. Now theres an idea
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I did ring the police, they didn't want to know.
Peter.
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ring them again. There is such a thing as the dangerous dogs act I beleive. Its like you said if it had been kid god knows what might have happened.
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Legally- maybe there should have been a wire basket on the back of the door.
I had similar with a tiny 6" Yorkie, he waited and timed it right an jumped and got 3 of my fingers and held on, wouldnt let go. Me on one side of the door screaming banging and screaming and IT on the other side hanging on like Muttley ??? %@~&*
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Peter
Glad to see it was not your typing hand, at least you will be able to keep in touch on here for a couple of weeks.
Look forward to your postings over the next few weeks. :o
Cheers Jeff
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Gutted mate, unlucky.
Nothing a high powered air rifle wouldn't fix though.
2 pellets, one for the owner, one for dumb animal.
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Hi Peter, sorry to hear you have been bitten by a dog. Go down the Police station and ask for them to take a written statement, they can't refuse you, it's your right. Then go and see a solicitor (no win, no fee) and ask them to take up your case for suing the owner of the dog if they didn't have any dog warning signs. What have you got to lose apart from a couple hours of your time. Do it out of principle so the owner ends up out of pocket!!! Too many dog owners are irresponsible. The owner could simply have fitted an outside letter box or an internal letter box guard. I reckon you've got a very good chance of compensation. It's a very sad state of affairs when humans treat animals better than other human beings!
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>:(
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Nice idea 'Squeaky'!
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Squeeks
Cool gun, looks good for rat,s ;D
Jeff
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Gutted mate, unlucky.
Nothing a high powered air rifle wouldn't fix though.
2 pellets, one for the owner, one for dumb animal.
Looks like the owner got 2 pellets coming then ;D
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Tough break Peter, hope all mends well and you soon can get back working. Michael
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hi mate sorry to hear about the hand. if there was no signs go back to the house tomorrow with a digital camera and take photosgraphs of the front of the house but make sure it has the date showing on the picture itself. because as soon as she gets a letter of intended sueing there will be signs up quicker than you can say "bobs your uncle"
it happened to my nan she took a parcel in for next door went round to give it to them when they opened the door dog ran out and bit her ankle she had her leg in plaster for 6 weeks. so i took pics the same day and as soon as they got the claim letter against there dog 2 beware of the dog signs appeared overnight. anyway it went to court they tried fobbing it off until i handed over the pictures you should have seen their faces what a sight still she got £3800 not bad for a dog bite.
i didn't feel a thing HA HA
take it easy
Paul
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a dog will defend its home, its owners and itself - why shouldn't it? But I think a dog that bites a hand through a letter box is just too aggressive and should be put down.
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this sounds very similar... ???
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=31996.0
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Sorry to hear about your injuries mate.
The advice re making a complaint is spot on.
Under the Dangerous Dog Act the Police have to take a statement from you.
They will try and cuff it but if they do ask to see the Duty Inspector to make a complaint about them not taking a statement and I garuantee they will.
(Trust me I used to do it for a living)
I would be careful about taking photos of the house/door there are all sorts of Issues with that.
Once the complaint is made I would then definately contact a solicitor
(the no win no fee ones are very very good these days).
They will advise you re photos , etc
Make sure you sign a medical release form and take photos of your injury on a daily basis.Some with a nice bit of blood would be nice ;D
Go back to the docs as much as poss and every time it gets dressed take another snap.
Dont forget to get those sleeping tablets as I am sure you cannot sleep due to the pain and the flashbacks ;D ;D
Obviously stress is now a major part of your daily life- no income ,unable to dress properly,your sex life has suffered (your old woman may be able to claim too ;D ;D ;D)
Basically go to town on it mate.
In this day and age it is a letigious society so fill your boots
Then just sit back and wait for your cheque to arrive .
It may take a while but it will happen
Russ
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sorry to hear mate , my mum is a artist and she had her fingers baddly bitter once when she was walking through the town ........ she was worried but she is ok ,she used the time to relax ... think possitive , and i think in some way what goes around comes around ....oh yeah and put laxative laced dog biscuits through the door !! that will teach her to get a basket
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I understand the pain you must have had,I to had my thumb in a dogs mouth,while trying to break up
my uncles dog haveing a bit of a do with another dog,I pulled my uncles dog back by his tail,my thumb was sticking out,and bingo I had the biggest thumb for a while,still got the scars today :P dogs have very big psi per sq there bite depends on the breed,I had a loving doberman for 9 years I miss sadly,he new everthing I said,even hand movements ment everything to him,his bite, wow :o a play bite
was a sort sharp snap,if he ment it big damage........
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;D I love the sound of that!
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having said all this i have a couple of very vicious rabbits !
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Hi
Thank you for all your messages, I feel much better today, I would feel even more better if my hand would stop throbing and I could punch the owners in the face. Of course the police would be interested then!!!!!!!!
I don't fancy posting any more leaflets. :(
Peter.
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you must feel really defeated . im just starting out and the weather held me back a few times when i was so raring to go with enthusiasm. make sure you eat loads a oily fish n vitamin c . advocadoes and stuff like that .plus red meat they will all help your body repair itself quicker ... do some shopping therapy at one of the window cleaning suppliers ....oh and every night go out with a spray bottle with mud in it and spray everyones windows ...........once your better youll be really in business.
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While out delivering flyers yesterday, got talking to someone about this very subject.
They use a tip they got from a postie. Before you push a flyer through the letter box, give it a sharp tap 1st, if a dog is at the door 'waiting', you will know before your digits do !!! ;)
Hope the fingers heal well mate
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Sorry to here Peter.
I went out posting with my 6yr old and we came across two or three like this but they attacked too soon just as we were approaching.
Many letter boxes have a tough draft excluder making posting difficult anyway.Some kind of stick may be helfull, I use a plastic ruler and fold the leaflet over it.
I'm not litigous, but in view of the attitude you got I think the guy above me is correct.
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I had promised to clean a customer’s house today and didn’t wish to cancel, so I asked a friend to come with me, although he's not a window cleaner, he put up the ladders and cleaned the top windows etc and I cleaned one handed, it was only a small house, so didn’t take to long.
When the customer saw my hand all bandage up, she paid me and gave me a tip.
Maybe we should all wear a bandage, Ha-ha-ha.
Peter.
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I've delivered many thousands of leaflets in my time, and I can honestly say I've never been bitten in the process. Had a few "near misses" mind you :D
I use glossy leaflets - they don't cost that much more, look much more professional and best of all you can fold them twice and they make a very rigid shape that you can poke through the letter box without having to insert your fingers ::)
Cheers,
Ian
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you should do what some of my mates done on a certain tour of duty in a certain place in the world where dogs were trained to hate uniforms you can emagine ,
crushed up florecent light bulbs put in sausages and flung from the back of the land rover
soon takes the poop right out off there minds ill tell ya
they will stick to lickin there balls after a dose of these bangers
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ITA A VERY SAD DAY I JUST LOST £10 at poker ....not even a re buy .............boo hoo ......i think i need to go to a differnet website .......... maybee gambler anonononnonononoymos
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anybody wishing cruelty on any dog is an a.hole
the responsibility is down to the owner.
any dog of any breed cannot be held responsible for any injury it does. Its the owners responsibility to make sure it is safe and secure.
Shoot the owner, but dont post laxatives.
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any dog of any breed cannot be held responsible for any injury it does. Its the owners responsibility to make sure it is safe and secure.
..and shot.
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whats wrong with them using a letter guard, especialy when they know that their dog
bits, its a simple solution, i would go back and show them the injury, and then advice them about a letter guard before someone else gets it, >:(
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I had a number of near misses with dogs attempting to bite my fingers. I had a leaflet distributing job several years ago when I was unable to go up ladders for a while (pre-WFP). It involved delivering 1,000 leaflets a week. Over a year, I must have delivered 50,000 leaflets. There were a number of attempts on my fingers. After a while, I just assumed that there was going to be an attempt on my fingers and posted the leaflets accordingly. Fortunately, they were made of stiff card so I could push them through leaving my fingers well back.
If a dog bites like that, I believe that the owner should take responsibilty by fitting a guard or ensuring that the dog can't get to the front door while they are out.
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I am going to use the plastic ruler, bend the leaflet over the end and push it through, as sugested by another member.
This seems the best idea.
Peter.