The Orwellian Kingdom now proposing that dogs be insured

[Stump Rancher]

http://tinyurl.com/ycade6b

Now the British government is proposing that dog owners be forced to get microchips and take out insurance for their pets.

Um, just who are they proposing to chip? If it weren't Britain, I would just go along assuming that they mean the dogs, but this is Britain... 

[Atash Hagmahani]

Laugh. Good catch (badly-written copy). But the UK is already reeling from a severe recession, so I have a bad feeling that a lot of pets in the UK are in trouble already, and any more expenses associated with them might put them into danger. 

[offdalip]

the "alleged" reason why they need to be micro chipped is because muggers are using dogs as an offensive weapon in lieu of guns to mug people.

that is completely preposterous!

[Stump Rancher]

Perhaps they're really offended because people may be using dogs as a form of defensive weapon. That is since kitchen knives or pepper spray have been made illegal to carry.

[Lady Lilya]

There is a movement in the US to ban pit bulls, because of all the recent attacks on humans. 

Trying to think out the value of insurance on a pit bull...
If your pit bull injures someone, that person's health insurance pays for their care.  You might have to pay a few hundred for pain and suffering, right?  So, would it be reasonable to buy insurance to cover the possibility of having to pay that money?  Seems like a lot of unnecessary paperwork.  And if the dog is a repeat offender, you're gonna have to put him down.  Should you get an insurance policy that has a provision for that?  Under what conditions would they have to pay out?  Not if YOU decide to have him put down.  Only if an official says it is necessary (like a court order). 

I don't see why this sort of insurance should be prohibited, provided the insurer and insured come to an agreement and sign a contract.  But I really don't see it as being worth the expense of negotiating the contract. 

[Ryder]

My neighbors dog (which they still have) has PERMANENTLY disabled one person with a bad mauliing of the achiles tenden and bitten at least three others. I plan on owning their house if it bites me.

[Atash Hagmahani]

If your pit bull injures someone, that person's health insurance pays for their care.  You might have to pay a few hundred for pain and suffering, right?

Not necessarily. First of all it depends on the nature of the "care", and there could be non-medical expenses as well. Ultimately the owner is financially liable for costs associated with an attack. A personal liability policy would probably cover this.

Interestingly under common law a dog is permitted "one free bite" (sic) meaning the owner is not obliged to keep it under control as a vicious dog until after it actually bites someone.