Dog hit by car...

[Erin]

So i'm driving along on a back country road yesterday and a little terrier is scampering about on the road.  Of course, I slow way down and watch the dog cross the road.  As I passed the dog, someone came the opposite direction and wasn't slowing down at all...

The dog got hit and I screamed.   I slammed on my brakes and pulled over off the road, and ran across to where it was - while the neighbors just stood in their yard, like, what the heck is that girl doing?  So I'm yelling, a dog got hit!  And I tried to feel for a pulse, but he was way too far gone and just died before I could even get my phone out of my pocket....  Ugh...  Dunno where the driver of the mini-van went, don't care....

I went door to door, and thankfully another lady who rescues dogs out here stopped her car, and stayed with the dog's body until we found the family.  It was a little boy's dog, and I felt horrible for the kid, cause he said he let it play outside and it ran off...  The poor little dog's fleas were migrating to me as fast as they could, as I tried to not let the little boy see exactly what happened to the dog...

All around bad time...  But has this ever happened to you?  Did you have to call 911??  Animal Control?  What's the fastest way to find Emergency Vet services??   I know that the little terrier had a very very slim chance against that mini-van, but I still feel bad that I couldn't save it or take it someplace...

I know where I would take my own dog and who i would call when we're at home - but what about other places??  Ideas?

[F, Calla & Luca]

Such a sad story. I'd call 911 because they hopefully could tell you who to call or where to go. Was this dog's amily even looking for it when the accident occurred?

[Erin]

No. The parents just saw us standing out by the road and came to ask what happened... We asked them then to keep the kids in the house, but that was unsuccessful...

[F, Calla & Luca]

Why weren't they looking for this dog after it ran off? I think the other driver should have stopped but really can't be blamed otherwise.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm sorry for this poor dog, and sorry you had to be the one to witness this, Erin. I can't offer any suggestions as to what can be done in cases like this where you are in an unfarmiliar area and see an injured animal. Animal control will usually not do anything other than remove the body, they will not provide veterinary care even to save an animal's life, to my knowledge. Their job description is to protect the public, not the dog. Maybe the police would give info as to the nearest emergency animal clinic.
Very sad.

[Erin]

That's what I was figuring, Karen...

[Lisa {Zoe's Mom]]

What a sad story for the dog and you.
I personally would be furious with the owners and all the onlookers. You should be very proud that you stopped and involved yourself. You could've just kept driving like the person who killed the dog.

I would say 911 and they could dispatch animal control or the humane society or ASPCA depending on the situation.

Sorry, this is a sore spot for me..

But I will say this.....and this isn't a plug, but a word passed on to dog lovers that CAN pass the word to "dog lovers" who need a little push in responsibility. The AKC has Sept 17 as RDO Day, Responsible Dog Ownership Day. They also have kennel clubs all over the US that sponsor events on that day. I encourage you to let everyone and anyone who has a dog, to try and get out to one. Learn, absorb, bring your dog to a dog friendly enviroment and have fun.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thanks for saying what I too felt; I so often get accused of being "judgmental" here that I failed to voice my feelings about the owner's negligence- which is proven not just by the accident, but by the fleas as well. Shame on me!

[Erin]

Exactly. There on the side of the road was not the time for me to say to the parents, "Well, what the heck was this tiny dog doing running all over the countryside! And infested with fleas! And had toenails that had not been trimmed in a loooong time...."

The little boy was beside himself. He was probably about nine or ten years old. Dad said something like, "well that'll teach him to take care of his animals better..." I just want to be like NO! It's YOUR job to teach your kids to take care of the animals better!

[F, Calla & Luca]

What an awful comment from Dad about son at a time like this. Not an appropriate time and place to "teach" lessons. I doubt the kids get treated any better than the dog was. I like to think I take wonderful care of my dogs but when they escape from my yard, fortunately the fence and gates are now secured better, I realize it would be my fault, not some passing driver's fault, if they were injured.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Yes, call 911. This has happened to me before. The driver did stop. I was driving behind him. I called 911. Then the dog hid under my van. :(

I apologized to the dispatcher for using 911 and bothering them at 2:30 in the morning ( prime time for drunk drivers and accidents here in Ohio ) I was told an apology was not necessary and they came right out. Again, the officer told me I did the right thing.

Most police and highway patrols have emergency numbers that include vet and wild life authorities to contact.

I'm sorry this happened to you. :(

[Adina P]

Thank you for stopping to check on the dog. When Thule was hit, it was a hit and run. A very kind young man stopped, checked her tag, and came knocking on our door. I was SO mad at whoever hit her and didn't bother stopping...just heartless! Maybe scared, but definitely needed a lesson in responsibility. You hit a dog...YOU STOP and acknowledge it and pay your respect and apologize to it and whoever loved it. Makes me so mad when I hear these stories. Very sad.

[Kyoko]

Oh, Erin, I am so sorry that you had to experience such event!! So sad for the little boy.....