I feel absolutely awful - please give your dogs an extra hug...

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I hit a dog tonight in my car and it died at the vets 1/2 hour later.

Ironically I was coming away from the vets having just paid my bill, turned left onto the bypass and the dog shot straight out in front of me from the trees and undergrowth at the side of the road - there was no way I could have stopped, swerved or missed it, it happened in the blink of an eye. I stopped immediately, the dog was lying on the opposite site of the road on the verge screaming his head off - I picked him up, put him in the back of my car, did a 3 point turn and had him at the vets within a couple of minutes of the accident happening. He was conscious and responding, but I had a feeling it wasn't good due to the sound of the impact - they rushed him off to put him on a drip etc, and told me to ring back later. They phoned me 1/2 an hour later to say he had faded very quickly and had gone.

He was a lovely looking liver and white springer spaniel - the vets told me that his owner lived just on the other side of the trees next to the bypass and has (had) about 8 dogs in total, they all 'got out' and the springer shot off on his own. She was trying to collect in the other dogs and heard the impact and the dog screaming - she went to the other vets in the town first then to the ones I had taken him to, and was hysterical by then.

I am sitting at home shaking now, I know there was absolutely nothing I could have done and that it wasn't my fault but I feel so bad for the poor lad. PLEASE be careful with your dogs and make sure your garden is fenced securely :( :( :(
 
Oh my goodness, how awful for you, what a terrible shock. At least you know you did everything you could afterwards. Take some rescue remedy if you have any.
 
I must admit I have resorted to wine Teaselmeg, which I know is not ideal but was near at hand :( That poor poor boy, he deserved so much better :( :(
 
You poor girl,I would also be terribly upset too.it absolutely was not your fault and you must try not to feel guilty.you did everything you could for the poor dog.Dont stay on your own,you will only relive the accident.I d have a friend over at least to give you a hug .
 
Thanks Bellasophia, I am sitting here trying not to cry - so silly over a dog I didn't know, but I feel so bad for him :( I have my ex with me (he still lives with me at the moment so I guess he is my lodger now!) so not on my own, I am hugging my Greyhound Gang instead of him though! I keep hearing the 'thud' as I hit the poor dog over and over again :(
 
How horrible, I hit a cat recently, exactly the same situation, it ran off but I found nearest house and told them and they thought it was probably there's, never did find out what happened. A stiff drink a good blub then try not to dwell (I know!!) You were NOT at fault and did more than most would xx
 
So sorry what an awful experience for you and poor dog, but you did all you could. Have a good cry and have a hug from me xx
 
Oh bless you, I can well understand how awful you feel but you really mustnt be too hard on yourself. Im sure the owner is feeling terrible as well but it sounds like it was just a terrible sequence of events. At least you stopped, you did all you could and the dogs suffering was as minimal as was possible. You should take comfort from knowing you acted responsibly and please try not to dwell on it. Easier said than done I know, Bellasophia is right, try not to be alone if you can invite a friend over or try and keep busy at least. I am paranoid about my ESS running off, they are all so well behaved but I constantly worry that one may bolt after a rabbit and run blind. Alfie did once, straight into the path of an RSPCA van would you believe. He was about 6 months old, disappeared into a hedge and I think got disorientated when he popped out and ran into the road. I heard the screech of brakes and the impact, then nothing. I had to retrieve my other 2 and go look for him so I know how it is. The RSPCA lady was more shaken than I was I think. Alf excaped with a sore back leg and no breaks thank God but I still go cold when I think about it. It can happen in less than the blink of an eye and even to the best of us. Hugs to you and to the owner x
 
I'm so sorry. You did all you could and you could not have acted any more responsibly or swiftly. No matter how many precautions we take, animals will be unpredictable and have a mind of their own. Please don't beat yourself up too much. x
 
Thank you for your lovely supportive comments, I really had to share my thoughts but I really don't want to put this on FB or anything like that. I suppose it is the shock, you want to talk about it because it is all you can think about. I really appreciate your support xxx
 
Oh Levrier how terrible for you,I would find that hard to deal with. I am a bit extra emotional at the moment having just arrived home from hospital . Feel quite tearful mostly for you although obviously sad for the dog. Just not your fault and you reacted so well and so quickly. Have a big hug xx
 
Huge, huge hugs coming your way!!

I can only imagine how awful you feel but it sounds like there was nothing you could have done. Perhaps it may help to think that the dog was lucky it was you who hit him because not everyone would have got him to the vets so quickly, or even stopped.

Years ago I did actually hit my own dog in my car - I was returning from work to my parents house where I wss living at the time. Unbeknown to me he was in the field next to the drive, heard my car and jumped the stone wall straight in front of my car! Thankfully he just kind of bounced off the front wing and ended up with nothing more than a cut leg (and a newfound healthy respect for traffic!) but I needed a few stiff drinks after that so have a drink on me tonight!
 
I'm so sorry this happened, I'd be gutted too. I don't blame you for taking to the drink, I'd be mainlining vodka. :( You couldn't have avoided her, Lév and you did the right thing rushing her to the vet. This is gonna hurt, no getting round it. Will you talk to the owner?

My youngsters have escaped several times, crossed the main road for an independent gallop round the park, it's terrifying, don't know how they haven't been hit, but if they were, I'd blame no-one but myself. No help, I know, but there's nothing you could have done to stop this happening.
 
Oh Levrier darling i am so sorry, , that's a horrible thing to happen, i 've had the same thing with a cat after just picking up mine from the vet, i cried my eyes out when i found the owner and i admit she was very upset but sadly it happens and you did all you could to save it so don't be hard on yourself, if i was near you i'd come and share a glass of wine but you'll have to make do with some massive cyber hugs. xxxxxxxxx

i think Chiffy needs some too xxxxx
 
Oh you poor poor thing, that must be such a shock. Try to take comfort in the fact that you were able to help him so quickly so he wasn't in pain for long. Have a good doggy cuddle and don't feel bad about having a drink - tonight you need it!
 
Thank you all again, still feeling a bit shaky and weepy but I truly am grateful for your kind comments & support :) I keep replaying the split-second picture of the dog running out in front of me, and the 'thud', in my mind even though I don't want to.

A heartfelt thankyou for sharing this horribleness with me and offering your kind comments xx
 
I think I know how you feel Levrier - only my experience was running over a cat on my way to work. The whole thing happened so quickly there was no time to stop or swerve. I stopped and by the time I got back to the cat it was already dead. When I got to work that morning I was a shaking wreck. All I can say is that you did all you could, unfortunately these things happen so quickly there is absolutely nothing you can do. Look after yourself.
 
give yourself a hug
so sorry this happened to you, the dog and the owner
we are seeing so many RTA's at work at the moment, in fact one tonight, we had a call last week to one where the driver drove off and the following driver called 3 vets before calling us as all the others refused to attend-makes me livid
 
twiggy2 said:
give yourself a hug
so sorry this happened to you, the dog and the owner
we are seeing so many RTA's at work at the moment, in fact one tonight, we had a call last week to one where the driver drove off and the following driver called 3 vets before calling us as all the others refused to attend-makes me livid
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God that would make me SO mad Twiggy2 - I didn't give them any choice really, staggered into reception with the dog in my arms saying "i need a vet NOW" and they didn't hesitate (although I don't always rate my dog vets!) so fair play to them - I must admit I didn't think to ask who paid the bill, but if they charge it to me I would pay it without hesitation, even though I know it wasn't my fault

Thanks again all xxxxx
 
So sorry Levrier - clearly you could do nothing to avoid and you did so much to try and help the dog. Do give your greyhounds an extra hug. That is all any of us can do x x x x x
 
So sorry Levrier.
I'd be heartbroken too. Not your fault though and you did everything you could. Try not to beat yourself up if you can. The dog is gone and not suffering.
 
((((((Hugs)))))) Poor you Lévrier, what a horrible experience, and how sad that it ended so badly for the poor dog.

I must say that I'm impressed with your ability to think so clearly in the situation (even though it perhaps didn't feel like that there and then), and immediately act on what had happened. Not everyone would have been able to just pick him up, put him in their car and take him straight to the veterinarian. Some people can't think clearly in a crisis situation, I know someone who has a tendency to freeze, at first, or not always thinks clearly in crisis situations, so even though she loves animals, I'm not sure she would have been able to do what you did, or at least not as quickly as you did (e.g. hypothetically perhaps she would have forgotten that she had a car, and first tried to carry the dog to the veterinarian). So hug your dogs, and try to remind yourself about that there was nothing else or more you could have done.
 
Oh you poor thing. I'm sorry I somehow missed this yesterday. That must have been a horrible shock, no wonder you were upset. It was just a horrible, unavoidable accident, and if I'd been the dogs owner I'd have been delighted that you stopped and rushed him to the vets, that you tried so hard. Please be kind to yourself.
 
You poor thing, how horrible for you. You did everything you could.

A similar thing happened to friends lately. JRT female just weaned from pups escaped and got killed on road a mile from their farm. The driver is suing the dog owner for damages. How morally wrong!
 
How awful for you and the owner :( at least you're safe in the knowledge you did everything you could, many would just drive on (that seems to be happening more often here)

Hope you're feeling less down about it today.
 
It really is awful to experience - over 40 years ago I was riding along the verge of an A road when a lovely Irish setter ran out of his drive und under the wheels of a passing car - he had no chance. All these years later I can still see it and hear him screaming, I hope you can do a better job of putting it behind you, sounds as though you did absolutely everything you could to try and save him. I do sympathise with how you must be feeling now.
 
Lévrier;13137129 said:
God that would make me SO mad Twiggy2 - I didn't give them any choice really, staggered into reception with the dog in my arms saying "i need a vet NOW" and they didn't hesitate (although I don't always rate my dog vets!) so fair play to them - I must admit I didn't think to ask who paid the bill, but if they charge it to me I would pay it without hesitation, even though I know it wasn't my fault

Thanks again all xxxxx
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we did not and would not charge
 
Oh L this is one of my worst nightmares. I had to brake very sharply for a whippet which trotted out between 2 parked cars into my path. Luckily he spun round and headed back to the pavement. I was shaking like a leaf for about half an hour even though I didn't touch the dog - I just kept thinking what if he had kept coming would I have hit him?
So so sorry, it must feel just horrendous, it was just an awful accident, my thoughts are with you and the owner x
 
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