Customer's dog ate my fish tape in Tacoma

Last Tuesday I was pulling coax through a crawlspace and this lab mix grabbed my 25 footer before I could blink, chewed it into a plastic noodle. The owner just laughed and said, "He does that to brooms too," so I billed for the tape plus a rush trip back to the truck. Anyone else had tools become dog toys mid-job?

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faith_king1mo ago

Wait, you really billed the customer for something their dog chewed up when you left your tool within reach of a pet? Isn't that on you for not watching your gear on someone else's property? Every contractor knows to keep tools locked up or in the truck when you're not holding them, dogs are unpredictable and that's just part of the job. The owner probably thought it was funny because it happens all the time, and honestly, most folks would just eat that cost as a lesson learned. Charging them for a rush trip feels like you're punishing them for your own lack of attention, not for anything the dog did wrong. I mean, you're lucky the dog didn't choke on that plastic, so maybe be grateful instead of petty about a $30 tape.

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