Police call outs, refusing to pay

Re: Police call outs, refusing to pay

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:38:50 GMT

I don't think they can What they can do is prosecute under the AWA because it is a criminal offence on the part of the owner if they have failed to provide veterinary treatment when necessary All that's needed then is to get the magistrates on side, so the fines are always many times greater than the veterinary costs-and owners would soon realise their best interests lay in calling us before the police did

Wynne

Re: Police call outs, refusing to pay

james herriot lied — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:30:53 GMT

A fairly long time ago, was called out one evening by the police, to a local house where the family saluki had gone bananas and was holed up in the utility room. Long and fraught story short, dog was PTS'd.

The owner, with the police present, offered to settle up on the spot - and produced a crisp ten pound note. I politely declined the payment, saying that it would need to be totted up by the boss, and that it would be a LOT more than that.

Bloke informed us a few days later that he didn't intend to pay, for a variety of crappy and half-baked reasons. So the boss had a word with the OIC, who went round to the guy's house. The bloke came straight in with the money.

I'm not sure it would have occurred to us to bill the police in any case, although I follow the argument that the person requesting treatment is ultimately liable. I'd be more inclined to see the police as facilitators, as in the second example listed by the OP. Is there a system whereby the local constabulary are then able to claim the costs back from the animal owner? If not, why not?

Re: Police call outs, refusing to pay

Lorna McHardy — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:21:07 GMT

We get this a lot. I work for a small emergency service that covers six local practices out of hours on a weekend, and we get quite a few police cases; mostly strays, or neglect/abuse cases.

The police pay unless an owner is located, at which point, they tell us to bill the owner. After much discussion - "but you're the ones who asked us to look at it, and the owner, not unreasonably, is saying he never authorized the treatment and wouldn't have done if he'd been asked!" - the outcome was that whenever the police request our attendance, we need to make sure to get a storm reference for the case.

I think it's been ok since then. But no storm reference = no payment.

Re: Police call outs, refusing to pay

Alan Tevendale — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:40:03 GMT

I spoke to our local dog warden on this matter a few months ago and to his superior in the local authority. They both confirmed that when a dog warden is not available and we are asked to take on a dog as a result of this that they will pay the call out fee. Seems to work well here as the small number of stray dogs out of hours couldn't justify a dog warden on 24/7 and we are on call anyway so not too much extra hassle for us.

In the cases where the police have called us out and then disputed payment I just quote the guide to professional conduct to them. Never had a serious problem getting money out of them yet. As previously stated it is the person who calls you out that is responsible for the costs of that call out and not necessarily the owner as they have not given consent for that call out.

Re: Police call outs, refusing to pay

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:28:20 GMT

The police are very good at paying (though it takes a long time because of the office processes that have to be trundled through) here, but they will always try to get you to collect from someone else if they can........ ("we've traced the owner", "it's an RSPCA case" and so on). Perhaps we should be pleased they are guarding public money so zealously. However if you keep on pointing out that they requested the service and they are liable (with solicitor's help if need be) they will pay up in the end.

However: [quote user="Christopher Burch"]I was called out to a found dog, MOP had phoned police, took the dog back to the surgery, severely hypothermic, obviously old. We traced the owner, whe requested euth. The owner paid for the euthanasia and cremation, and we billed the police for the ooh call out[/quote] in this case I think it arguable that the police were simply using their facilities to pass on a call and can hardly be held liable. Moreover, they have no responsibility for stray dogs: that has now been transferred to the local authority. You can bill the local authority for treatment you have given to a stray dog. (I have never actually tried this.) What I don't really understand in this case is why the owner did not pay for everything. I would certainly have requested payment for the call-out from the owner.

Re: Police call outs, refusing to pay

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:14:08 GMT

Whoever requests veterinary attention is responsible for payment however unreasonable that may seem - end of, in this case the individual officer was acting on behalf of his employer so they (the police) are responsible. Local stations often try to wriggle out of this but In the Metropolitan area with disputed police bills I've send the invoice to Scotland Yard with a threat of legal action if it remains unpaid - it gets paid PDQ then

Re: Police call outs, refusing to pay

Anthony Todd — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 14:36:29 GMT

[quote user="Christopher Burch"]Any other ideas / pitfalls I should be looking at?[/quote]

One more letter warning of Court Proceedings, Money Claim on line is easy and so effective. Keep all your evidence, names/numbers of PCs etc. they'll pay.

Re: Police call outs, refusing to pay

Hannah Wynne Richards — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 14:30:55 GMT

Similar thing happened to me Sunday morning call out to RTA Dog (said to be stray)with broken back which I euthanased on the spot and took back to surgery for cremation Luckily I had taken both the nimber of the PC concerned and the incident number I billed the police No response Month later billed again A letter came back saying the owner had been traced and to bill the owner

I did so and again no payment Month later billed again-no payment

At this stage I went to my solicitor who said I couldn't chase the owner as they had not requested the treatment, but confirmed the police were liable He sent a letter on my behalf and they paid

Wynne