Not The Outcome I Had Hoped For

[so lucky]

There has been yet another dog hanging around. She has stayed on the other side of the highway till today, but the knowledge that Penny is here is just too great a temptation. Two days ago she nearly got hit by a car; she was standing in the middle of the road barking at Penny, who was barking back, of course.
This morning my DH saw her come in to our yard then into the pine grove, but she ran across the road when I stepped outside. I wanted to make sure she hadn't gone around back where the chicken house is.
Five minutes later, she comes in the yard again. DH stepped out the front door to yell at her and clap his hands at her. She took off like a bolt of lightening, just as a pickup came barreling around the corner. Well, of course she got hit, and died instantly. Within 20 seconds, two more cars came speeding along and ran over her again. No body stopped, no one even slowed down. While we were finding shoes and socks to go move the dog out of the road, some young woman stopped and did that for us. DH went out and got her collar, which had come off. The buckle was mashed flat, so apparently that was where she got hit. We got the info off the collar and called the vet, who gave me the number for the owner. She came in a few minutes. She said the dog was staying at her boyfriend's house, across the street. "I kept telling them to fix the fence; they knew she was getting out!" I felt sorry for her, sorry for the dog, and sorry for my DH, who is feeling very guilty about the whole thing. I'm bummed. Why can't people be more responsible???

 

[Smart Red]

Ignorance is okay. Education can resolve that. Stupidity is terminal. It is unfortunate that some poor animal died for an adult's stupidity.

The adults at the boyfriend's house were stupid to keep putting the dog in a yard that had a broken fence. The "poor" woman who said she "kept telling them to fix the fence" and continued to leave her dog in their hands is at fault.

You and your DH are not.

 

[Carol Dee]

So sorry this happened.

 

[Nyboy]

I feel sorry for your husband having to see it happen. Dog had quick end, owner will just get another one. Good thing your grandkids didn't see it.

 

[baymule]

I know how your DH feels. At our old house, we lived on a busy street. I walked outside one afternoon, startling a young Australian Shepherd getting in our garbage, who jumped out in the street. A car hit the dog. The man stopped, the dog was howling in pain and it ran/limped for home a few houses away. The man was shook up, saying what if it was a child that ran out in the street.

The dog had got out of it's yard under the fence. It was euthanized because of it's injuries.

I felt terrible for the poor dog. Was it my fault? No. Was it the driver's fault? No. It was the owners fault for not making repairs on the ricketedy wooden fence and closing up gaps.

Neither was it the fault of your husband. He had the right to shoo off a dog to keep it out of the yard. He certainly has the right to keep it away from the chickens. It sucks for the dog that belonged to a stupid owner, but you can't fix stupid.

 

[journey11]

Oh, that's a shame. I am always so shook up to see an animal get hit by a car, wildlife, or otherwise. Sorry you had to see that. Too many irresponsible pet owners out there that don't take account of their dogs.