Munich court clears delivery driver who jumped on Porsche to escape dogs

In a decision that will surely bring relief to delivery drivers everywhere, a Munich court has absolved a man of responsibility for damaging a Porsche while attempting to flee a pack of unleashed dogs. The incident, which occurred in Freising in September 2024, saw the driver forced to leap onto the car's bonnet to escape two Dalmatians and a crossbreed that emerged from a nearby house.

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it was not certain whether the damage came from the startled driver, noting that photos of the damage appeared to have been taken several months after the incident.

The car owner, who sought over 2,700 euros for scratches and dents, found himself on the losing end of the legal battle. The court's ruling hinged on the uncertainty of whether the driver's actions directly caused the damage, and crucially, emphasized the owner's duty to control their pets. While the owner and a witness claimed the dogs were not aggressive, the court recognized that the mere act of barking and running towards the driver was sufficient to trigger a natural flight response.

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The complainant should further have controlled his dogs and known that a delivery driver was due to stop by

This verdict serves as a reminder that pet owners must maintain a firm grip on their animals, especially in public spaces. The court's emphasis on the owner's responsibility, rather than the driver's instinctual reaction to a perceived threat, is a significant point. It underscores that even a startled jump onto a vehicle can be deemed a reasonable action when faced with uncontrolled animals, especially when the extent of the damage and its cause remain in question.

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Barking and running towards the driver was enough to trigger a flight reflex