plaintiff says that your cows
ate her vegetable garden,
wandered over into her property
and destroyed the vegetable
garden.
And in addition, some time
thereafter, your dogs attacked
her dog.
She has a small dog.
She wants you to be responsible
for the vet bill.
Your defense is that that's
impossible because your property
is fenced.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: That's your
defense?
>> Yeah.
>> Judge Judy: Your entire
property is fenced?
>> Yeah, besides the roads going
out of the driveway to get in
and out.
>> Judge Judy: All 10.4 acres?
>> Yeah.
>> Judge Judy: I'd like to see
pictures of the fence.
>> You want pictures that I
have, too?
>> Judge Judy: Just a second.
I didn't ask you for anything
yet.
>> Okay. That's fine.
>> There's pictures.
>> Judge Judy: What kind of dogs
do you have, Mr. Rummel?
>> I got American bulldogs.
Well, the dog that she's
claiming attacked her dogs, he
ain't no longer alive.
>> Judge Judy: What kind of dog
was that?
>> An American bulldog.
>> Judge Judy: How big?
>> Probably about 110 pounds.
>> Judge Judy: What happened to
the dog?
>> He got run over.
>> Judge Judy: When?
>> About 2 months ago, probably.
>> Judge Judy: How'd he get into
the road?
>> He got out in the road.
I ain't sure how it happened,
ma'am.
I was at work at the time.
>> Judge Judy: But do you
understand that if your defense
is that your dog couldn't have
injured her dog because your
property is fenced and yet your
dog got out to get run over...
Those two things are
contradictory.
You do understand that?
>> Yeah.
Well, ma'am, we live in the
country.
There's coyotes, there's all
kinds of other animals out
there.
>> Judge Judy: She's gonna tell
me that she didn't see any other
animals, sir.
She's gonna tell me that she saw
your dog.
>> Judge Judy: Okay, you want to
tell me when this happened with
your dog?
I actually -- I'm not getting
into your vegetable garden.
>> Okay, that's fine.
September 5, 2016, I let my dog
out in our yard --
>> Judge Judy: What kind of dog?
>> It's a Schnauzer. 17 pounds.
I heard her yelp, I ran out, and
saw two of his dogs on top of
her.
>> Judge Judy: On your property.
>> On our property, yes.
So I ran out and as soon as I
ran out, his dog took off back
into his yard, and then she took
off, and --
>> Judge Judy: When you say they
took off back into his yard, how
did they get into his yard?
>> His yard is not completely
fenced in.
When he says "fenced in,"
there are like two poles.
That's it.
They can go underneath.
Yes.
And there's plenty of openings.
>> Judge Judy: Okay, did you
take your dog to the vet?
>> I took her home to my house,
I shaved her down, I cleaned it
up, I talked my mom and my
sister.
They both worked for vet clinics
before.
Sure.
I took her to the vet a couple
days later when I noticed she
wasn't doing well, yes.
>> Judge Judy: And it's that
bill you want paid.
>> That's the bill I want paid,
yes.
>> Judge Judy: Now, on
September 16th, did you discuss
what happened with the
defendant?
>> Yes, I did.
After she was released from the
hospital, a week later, I called
him and --
>> Judge Judy: Prior to that.
>> Oh, yes, I did, actually.
September 5th, the day of the
accident, after I took my dog
inside, I went outside, talked
to him, told him what happened.
>> Judge Judy: So he was home.
>> Yes, he was home.
>> Judge Judy: Was he outside or
inside?
>> He was inside.
His kids were outside.
>> Judge Judy: So you went and
you knocked on his door?
>> No, I asked his kids.
I did not --
>> No, she went screaming.
>> Judge Judy: Shh! Shh!
>> I would not go over to his
house with his dogs out.
He had fives dogs, so I told his
kids to go get their dad, and he
came over and we had a
discussion.
>> Judge Judy: Where was it?
Outside in the backyard?
>> It was kind of the side yard.
>> Judge Judy: Tell me what you
said to him and what he said to
you.
>> I told him his dogs had
attacked my dogs and I was
crying at the time, and then I
let him know that, you know, if
I do have to take my dog to the
vet, I will let him know, and he
said, "That's fine."
He said, "You know, if you see
my dogs..."
I said, "Your dogs are over
here, your cows are over here."
He said, "If you see my dogs
over there again, shoot 'em."
Then he said, "Well, you know,
with a BB gun," and I'm like,
"Well, I don't own a BB gun,
so..."
>> Judge Judy: How many dogs
does he have now?
>> I'm not quite sure.
I've seen two.
>> Judge Judy: Can I see the vet
bill, please?
>> Yes.
I believe on the second or third
page is the complete bill.
I have pictures of her, too, if
you want to see them.
>> Judge Judy: I would.
>> Okay.
Mm, I'm sorry. There you go.
>> Judge Judy: Well, actually,
that's very smart of you.
I did that with one of my dogs
once, with that little sleeve.
>> It makes a lot easier.
>> Judge Judy: It's much better
than the cone.
>> Yeah, oh, well, she did wear
the cone, too.
[ Laughs ]
>> Judge Judy: The dog okay now?
>> Yeah, she's great.
>> Great. see the
bills, Mr. Rummel?
>> Yeah, ma'am.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
>> If my dog got attacked, I
think I'd take my dog straight
to the vet so the infection
don't occur and then you don't
have accumulating bills and
stuff.
>> Judge Judy: No, you would
probably shoot him.
>> No, we wouldn't really shoot
him.
>> No, I wouldn't shoot my dog.
>> Just BB guns.
That's how you train a dog in
the country.
>> Judge Judy: Don't speak.
>> My dogs sleep with me, ma'am.
I'd like you to look at this
picture of my dogs here.
>> Judge Judy: Not interested.
She came over to you
immediately, she told you what
your dog had done, she tried to
take care of it herself, it was
not possible.
Whatever it is, you're
responsible for those vet bills.
That's it. It's simple.
Judgment for the plaintiff in
the amount of $2,600.
Thank you. We're done.
>> Nothing for the garden?
Even though we've asked him
numerous times...
>> Judge Judy: $2,600.
We're done.