Motorists hit and run, leaving a dog to die
Recently, I was reminded once again of the cruelty and inhumane attitude of people. I stopped to help remove a dead dog from the middle of the street. I was told by a man playing golf that she had been hit twice and neither person stopped. I understand that animals get in the street sometimes and, unfortunately, they do get hit by cars. I do not understand, however, how someone can hit a dog and not stop to help.
If the first person had stopped, the dog might still be alive. Even if you do not want to put the injured animal in your car, call the police or try to reach the owner. But leaving an injured animal to fend for itself is cruel. And I feel the same way toward the person who could not be bothered to stop playing golf long enough to come help, either.
This was someone's beloved pet, not just some "animal" as so many love to say. People should at least have the decency to stop and try to help. A moment's effort after an accident can make all the difference.
Kelley Kidd
Greensboro
Comments (10)
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A sad thing.
I have always owned dogs (and cats), and have fortunately never had to recover the body of a pet from the roadway.
I think back to a day when I swerved to avoid a small dog and nearly struck a parked truck. The dog scampered back to a house I presumed to be it's home, and ran inside when two children ran out of the screen door.
There is a reason for leash laws. I reacted out of instinct, and may have caused untold damage or injuries if I had not been so fortunate.
I won't apologize for the thoughtless drivers who ignored striking the dog, but if the animal was truly someone's pet, the burden of responsibility, morally and legally, resides with the owner.
Posted on June 3, 2007 6:56 AM
pragmatic answers like w. j.'s make me want to toss my chunks.
i believe the lte was speaking of the cruelty of the event more than the letter of the law.
to sum it up and for lack of a better term, most people suck.
people leave pets to die in the road.
it's that simple.
Posted on June 3, 2007 7:55 AM
As a motorist I am NOT going to put my own life at risk of being hit, bit or causing another accident to move some morons dog out of the road that runs out in front of me.
Risk your own life if you want but don't gripe about other people not being that stupid!
If all these pet owners took care of their pets they wouldn't wind up as asphalt ornaments in the roadways.
Posted on June 3, 2007 8:52 AM
Many years ago, when I was a new nurse, I took care of a mailman from your neck of the woods, bucky. He swerved to keep from hitting a dog, ran down an embankment and ended up a quadriplegic. He was in his early forties, with a wife and children. Needless to say, this made a big impression on me.
I agree with Ellis. If pet owners value their animals and care what happens to them, it is their responsibility to make sure they are not in the road to get run over to begin with. While I agree some people suck, someone who does not stop after hitting an animal is not necessarily one of those sucky ones. It could be they have something to do they deem more important than taking responsibility for someone else's animal, like going to work to earn the money to put food on the table and a roof over their family's head.
I think humans are more important than animals. While I do not advocate animal cruelty or deliberately trying to hit an animal, I do not advocate swerving to miss one either. Stopping after hitting one is the hitters' discretion, imo.
Posted on June 3, 2007 8:55 AM
dogs get loose.
they shoot out the door.
this unfamiliar territory has them confused.
they stray to the road.
they get killed.
not the owners fault...
Posted on June 3, 2007 9:48 AM
C Brady has it all wrong. The LTE writer did not say people should have swerved more or caused personal injury. The letter was about having a bit of compassion for the animal and respect for the owner *after* an accident.
Of course people should obey leash laws. Accidents do happen and sometimes animals dart out of a house or pull off a leash. The issue is having the respect to stop and check on the animal rather than just going on your merry way.
Posted on June 3, 2007 1:26 PM
While I am in near total agreement with what the LTTE states, I see valid merit in comments from some who have posted comments.
Yet, I wonder if the LTTE writer sought to contact the ower of the dead dog to let that person/family know of the demise of said animal? While I hear what is stated about others not seeking to do that, this LTTE writer makes no mention of seeking to do so either.
Just my two cents worth!
Shalom
Posted on June 3, 2007 4:12 PM
buckyreeds,
Let me repeat myself.
I won't apologize for the thoughtless drivers who ignored striking the dog, but if the animal was truly someone's pet, the burden of responsibility, morally and legally, resides with the owner.
Keep your chunks to yourself, sucky.....
Posted on June 3, 2007 7:53 PM
have a nice day...
Posted on June 3, 2007 8:12 PM
Hi,
Last night my TEENA MARIE was hit and killed.
To my knowledge hit and runs are against the law. Who knows what really happened to my baby. It hurts me to not know. It saddens me to know that someone kept going. What can I do to lessen these occurances. Who do I need to write letters to bring these errors to our communities attention?
Posted on June 6, 2008 3:28 PM