[DBlain]

I am so very sorry to hear this and I know how exactly how you feel. I am embarrassed to say I have had this happen, not once but twice. When I had my first yorkie Reggie we lived at the end of a dead end, he was not a runner and would go out to do his business without a leash. I was outside with him and turned to talk to a child in moment a husky came running down the street and Reggie ran out barking and before I could catch up to them, they got into it, I started kicking the Husky and I will never forget his blue eyes looking at me like what's wrong, I think he thought Reggie was rodent, he dropped my dog who was bleeding from what seemed like everywhere. Our vet was just outside of our sub so we got him there within about 5 min. but he did not live through the night. I hated being without a yorkie so about a month later got Murphy then Duffy, both were mild mannered and never off a leash. After they passed from old age, I got Kirby also never off leash. Kirby and I were avid walkers, for a 5 pounder he could cover 5 or more miles with no problem and we often went walking with friends and their larger dogs. One spring evening my gf Deb who lives one door away and I went for a walk, she had her her Weim who has been around Kirby since he was a puppy. After walking for about an hour, we stopped at Deb's mom's house to help her move a ladder, we both were still holding our dogs on their leashes. I climbed up a few steps and just as I started to climb down, Kirby must have gotten bored or something because unprovoked he went on attack mode against her Weim. The Weim not having a human brain did not rationalize, hey I'm 50lbs you're just a 5 lbs ankle biter so she attacked back. Both of us were pulling our dogs apart in an instant so we were shocked to see the gaping whole in Kirby's neck, her mom put the Weim in the house and Deb rushed Kirby and I to the ER vet, but the doc said that so much was severed he did not feel it could be repaired, and I opted to put him to sleep. This was horrible on so many more levels than the first time. Of course losing Kirby was the worst, which was compounded by the embarrassment of this being the second time. Then having it happen by a dog I had known since she was a puppy, owned by a good friend, in a yard so close to my own, just after we spent such an enjoyable time walking together. Even though my dog was the instigator and they were both on leashes the guilt of not protecting my dog was awful. My husband was mad at me, I was mad at myself, I felt guilty, embarrassed and an overwhelming feeling of not being worthy of owning another dog. Yorkies can be challenge to own, they may be small but have the heart and temperament of much larger dog. Many of them are often quick to challenge any dog that crosses their path, so they really need to be protected from themselves. In the second situation I felt that if Kirby had not started barking, biting and jumping up at the Weim he still would be with me today. It took a while but after about a year I could no longer be without a dog, this time I said I want dog sort of like a yorkie but a bit different, that's when I found Lola who is a mix. She is a sweet tempered girl and thinks every dog is her friend so needess to say even though she is anxious to greet other dogs I pick her up whenever we encounter a larger one. Sorry for such a long story.

The OP did ask for some advice and I may have some. The incident with Reggie, involved a dog that came onto our property so we planned on going after them for compensation. But before we could do that, they did the right thing and stepped up to the plate. Their insurance agent was also a neighbor, he came to the house over the next few days and told us that they would be making a claim against their homeowners policy to cover monetary compensation for our expenses. I told him these dogs are expensive and in time I would probably want another dog. They wound up covering all the vet bills, the purchase price of a new puppy (who came from a show breeder) After some conversations they also covered the costs of the vet bills on the new dog for a year. I told them when you purchase a dog as a pet from a show breeder they have you sign a spay agreement, they also have to have shots, and Reggie had all that, they were good about it and did not fight me on it. They were forced by their insurance agent to get rid of the dog and from what I understand since the dog had not been neutered the breeder took her in. With Kirby I felt I was owed nothing, but Deb felt awful and when we were at the vet she quietly arranged to cover all the costs so I was never given a bill.

It sounds like in the OP's case the lab came into her yard and did damage to her dog (property) so compensation should be awarded, don't be shy on asking for everything I did and suggest they call their homeowners insurance. Time heals but you never forget.