A campaign has been launched urging the UK government to introduce mandatory third-party pet insurance for all dog owners, following a fatal incident involving a cockapoo and an unrestrained dog in Bedfordshire.
The initiative follows an incident in June in which a cockapoo named Murphy (pictured above) sustained fatal injuries after being attacked by a larger dog while on a walk along a country lane. Murphy’s owner, Joanne Newbury, said the attack occurred when two large dogs off-lead approached from a neighbouring field, and one of them targeted Murphy, leading to severe injuries.
According to Newbury, veterinary treatment following the incident totalled £10,000. While her pet insurance covered a portion of the costs, she was left with a remaining £3,500 in out-of-pocket expenses. She said pursuing the other dog’s owner to recover those costs had been difficult, despite the owner admitting fault.
Newbury has since launched a Change.org petition calling for legislation – referred to as “Murphy’s Law” – that would require all dog owners to hold third-party pet insurance to cover such incidents. At the time of writing, the petition almost has 2,300 signatures.
"They owned up, went to the police, did what they had to do, but it's all on me to chase everything. It's exhausting, especially while grieving,” Newbury said in a report from the BBC.
Despite undergoing emergency surgery, Murphy died two days later. Newbury said that the veterinary team had initially held out hope for recovery, but the injuries proved too severe.
She argued that without compulsory insurance for all pet owners, the financial risk remains disproportionately with victims of such attacks, even in cases where fault is acknowledged.
The campaign is now seeking support from members of the public and animal welfare groups to bring the issue to the attention of lawmakers.
The broader context reflects a growing market with increasing claims activity. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), total pet insurance claims in the UK exceeded £1.23 billion in 2024. Dogs accounted for £933 million of that figure, with insurers processing an average of 4,900 claims daily.
Despite this, penetration rates remain relatively low, with only around 25% of dogs in the UK insured, leaving a large portion of the dog-owning population potentially exposed to third-party liabilities.
Currently, there is no legal obligation in the UK for pet owners to carry third-party liability insurance. While some policies offer this as an optional or bundled feature, its inclusion is not standard across all products. As a result, victims in pet-related incidents may find themselves pursuing compensation directly, even when the at-fault party admits responsibility.
In the UK, pet insurance is typically offered under four primary policy types: lifetime, maximum benefit, time-limited, and accident-only cover. While some products include third-party liability as a standard feature, it is often offered as an add-on, requiring policyholders to actively opt in.
Brokers have noted that pet owners are not always aware of these distinctions, which can lead to coverage gaps in incidents involving injuries to other animals or persons.
Data from previous ABI reports suggests that millions of pet owners in the UK remain uninsured. As of 2017, an estimated 8.2 million households owned pets without insurance, highlighting a long-standing gap in financial preparedness for unexpected veterinary costs or liability claims.
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