Nella Maranon is suing dog owner
June "Melanie" Binkley for
medical bills as the result of a
dog bite.
>> Judge Judy: Ms. Maranon,
you're in the business of
pet-sitting.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: How long have you
been in the pet-sitting
business?
>> I started with Rover May of
last year.
>> Judge Judy: And you take care
of the dogs in your house.
>> I do.
>> How much do you get paid?
>> $60 for boarding and $30 for
day stay, for daycare.
>> Judge Judy: And how many
animals have you had in your
care, would you say, since May
of last year?
>> 35?
>> Judge Judy: So, you're a
professional.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: In your
professional capacity, you were
taking care of two of the
defendant's dogs overnight on a
trial basis for a longer stay.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: And you had known
the defendant and the dogs
before this, from a dog park or
something.
>> Yes, from the dog park.
>> Judge Judy: And she brought
the dogs on what date?
>> On November 28th.
>> Judge Judy: And she picked up
the dogs on the 29th.
>> On the 29th.
>> Judge Judy: And between the
28th and the 29th, there were no
incidents with the dog.
>> Not until the 29th.
>> Judge Judy: Not until the
29th.
>> Yeah.
>> Judge Judy: And then on the
29th, one of her dogs bit you.
>> Yes.
>> Judge Judy: So, the
defendant's response is that it
was really your fault because of
some hand motion that you did
that frightened the dog.
>> Okay.
>> Judge Judy: She was, in fact,
there.
Something happened when the dog
was being leashed.
Is that right?
>> Yes, the dog -- She put the
dog up on the Jacuzzi, and I had
mentioned to her we don't put
the dogs on the Jacuzzi, at a
higher level.
And so I put the harness onto
the dog, and she's standing
facing me.
I'm facing Bandit. And when I --
>> Judge Judy: I don't want you
to move or say a word.
>> When I put the harness on and
I went -- I heard the dog make a
little noise.
I went to release my hand.
I was going to put the dog on
the ground.
She swooped in from behind,
picked the dog up at the same
time, and the dog bit me.
And it was all in a matter of --
like that.
>> Judge Judy: Okay, now,
just because someone's dog bites
you doesn't mean that they're
responsible.
I'm gonna give you a couple of
examples.
If you bring a dog to a vet and
you leave your dog at the vet to
be treated and the dog bites a
veterinary assistant, you think
the owner is responsible?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: If you bring your
dog to a groomer and you come
back in an hour and they say,
"Your dog bit me, you're
responsible for my medical
bills," do you think you're
responsible?
>> No, but I did vet Melanie,
and I did ask her if her dog had
aggressions 'cause I don't take
dogs that are unsocial.
I made that very clear to her.
And she told -- she kept that
part from me.
>> Judge Judy: Let's understand
so that we're perfectly clear in
our analysis of this case that
just because a dog bites you
does not mean the owner is
legally responsible for that,
especially if you are a
professional and you've taken
the dog in your professional
capacity for money and the dog
bites you or damages your
furniture...
>> Right.
>> Judge Judy: ...or anything,
that doesn't mean the owner is
responsible.
It's just like your babysitting.
And it's your responsibility to
take care of the toddler.
And the toddler breaks a
valuable vase.
You think the mother is
responsible or the father?
They're not.
It's your responsibility.
You assumed this responsibility,
and you're in charge of it.
You do it for a for-profit
basis, and you're supposed to be
smart enough not to put yourself
in situations where that
happens.
You were actually handling the
dog.
You were handling the dog when
the dog bit you.
>> Mm-hmm.
>> Judge Judy: Now, if what you
are claiming is that
Ms. Binkley, knowingly and after
you specifically asked her, did
not give you sufficient
information on which to base a
judgment as to whether to take
this dog or to take this child
or to take this toddler into
your home, I will address that.