Dog owner in China pays $9,000 in compensation - to Lamborghini driver who hit her dog

A dog owner from Suzhou, China, agreed to pay a Lamborghini driver 45,000 yuan (S$9,000) in compensation after her golden retriever broke free from its leash and ran onto the road on July 17, Chinese media reported.

The dog only suffered minor injuries, but the 8 million yuan luxury sports car was damaged. Jiangsu News reported that the traffic police had determined that the owner was at fault.

The dog owner's 13-year-old daughter had been walking the dog at the time of the accident. The owner reportedly had no objections to paying the compensation.

The driver said that the damage to the car would cost 450,000 yuan, including the replacement of the side skirt and an air intake duct, but agreed to pay the remainder himself.

The Liaoshen Wanbao reported that the driver had originally offered to pay for the dog's medical expenses as well as for the repairs to his car. However, when the girl called her mother, they agreed to pay 45,000 yuan to the driver instead.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the driver wrote on social media site Weibo that the girl's mother had wanted her daughter to learn a lesson.

Under Chinese civil law, the owner could have been held fully liable for the repair costs for failing to keep the dog under control, SCMP reported.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.