Am I responsible for this?

My dog (a beagle/Rottweiler mix) was in our yard on his chain. We live on about 3/4 acre and his house where he was chained up is not anywhere close to the road.
This man came jogging by with a little bitty dog running beside him, not on a leash. His dog caught sight of my dog and ran over and started yapping at my dog and then tried to bite my dog. My dog growled at it, then bit the little dog. The man came running over and yelled at me that I needed to watch my dog and that he was going to sue me for his dog's vet bills.

We have a leash law in our town and I informed him that his dog came onto my property because he did not have his dog on a leash so it was his fault.

He left and took his dog to the vet and stopped by to give me the bill. I threw it back at him and told him to pay it himself. He then yelled that he's calling a lawyer.

My husband asked him three times to leave our property and he refused, so we called the police who arrested him because he was creating a nuisance.

The guy has now gotten a lawyer and wants to sue us for the vet bill and for embarrassing him (defamation of character) by having him arrested (he's a real estate agent).

Can he actually get away with this?

Oh yeah, we have a leash law.

And it's strictly enforced

He doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell to win on either issue.

He was irresponsible because his dog was unleashed and ran onto your property. As you correctly pointed out, that was his fault, not yours. You have no liability whatsoever.

On the second issue. You did the responsible thing by calling the police when he refused to leave. The police made the decision to arrest him. If he was embarrassed, it certainly wasn't your fault. (Not that he sue you for damages anyway).

You and your husband can feel secure in the knowledge that he can't win. That doesn't mean he can't sue, in which case you could need a lawyer. Don't contact anyone unless or until you receive a summons. If it's small claims court, you won't need a lawyer at all, but you may want to get a copy of the police report from when he was arrested.

This guy sounds like a real Dick. I guess lawyers can argue anything but usually this never goes to court and if it does the persons persona turns the judge cold and the plantiff does not get the ruling.
I wouldn't worry about it all it's going to do is cost the idiot twice the money in lawyer fees than if he just paid the vet bill. Plus the fact that he was arrested leans heavily in your favor.

It is his fault. He ran with his dog without a leash. His dog came in YOUR property. I don't think that he came sue you for him getting arrested because he should of leave when your husband told him too. But be careful about going to court because the laws are so screwed up. But if this does to to court I think you will win.

With the American judicial system, he could get away with it. You should hire a lawyer and counter sue him for court costs. If you have a leash law in your city, a judge should throw this out.

I'm no lawyer.
But i think it is totally his fault.
I mean its his fault in the first place for not having his dog on a leash.

If you have a leash law and can prove that the dog was off the leash then he's got no chance.

Hahahaha!
Don't sweat it honey, that guy is nuts!
How does he stay in business if he is that crazy?

Here's the deal. His dog came onto YOUR property where your dog was chained (and his dog was not on a leash). I doubt he'll win the case - but they may determine that having your dog chained was not enough (and that you should also have him gated or fence around your property).

Best possible scenerio? They'll say he's responsible and also fine him for not having the dog on a leash.

Worst possible scenerio? They'll split the bill and order you to fence in your property.

The defirmation of character won't hold up. Guaranteed they'll throw that out.