I hit a dog with my car and feel really bad about it.
March 17, 2011 7:02 PM Subscribe
I hit a dog with my car and I feel terrible. Is there anything I can do?
Tonight I was driving from one area of town to another and instead of taking the highway I took the side streets. I was wearing my glasses, wearing a seatbelt, going under the speed limit and had my lights on. I saw the dog with the corner of my eye, but my reflexes just weren't fast enough to stop the car. I heard a big clunk, heard a dog cry, and then saw him bolt across the street. I pulled up and stopped by the side of the road and watched him RUN across a lawn into an apartment complex. I thought about getting out and helping him, maybe I could find his tag, call his owner, is there a 911 for dogs? For some reason (and maybe I have done too much traveling in developed nations with rabies problems) all I could imagine was this dog biting off my hand. I have a dog but I'll admit that I'm still a little afraid of dogs when their owners aren't around. When they bark at me through fences I wince.
Anyway, now I feel really terrible for not stopping and taking care of him. Is there anything I can do? He was still running around, might be ok since he ran back across the road and into an apartment complex (howling I might add). I'm new to the town and what I really regret is not getting contact with the owner and explaining what happened. I have a dog myself and the most frustrating thing about when they are sick is that they can't tell you.
Tonight I was driving from one area of town to another and instead of taking the highway I took the side streets. I was wearing my glasses, wearing a seatbelt, going under the speed limit and had my lights on. I saw the dog with the corner of my eye, but my reflexes just weren't fast enough to stop the car. I heard a big clunk, heard a dog cry, and then saw him bolt across the street. I pulled up and stopped by the side of the road and watched him RUN across a lawn into an apartment complex. I thought about getting out and helping him, maybe I could find his tag, call his owner, is there a 911 for dogs? For some reason (and maybe I have done too much traveling in developed nations with rabies problems) all I could imagine was this dog biting off my hand. I have a dog but I'll admit that I'm still a little afraid of dogs when their owners aren't around. When they bark at me through fences I wince.
Anyway, now I feel really terrible for not stopping and taking care of him. Is there anything I can do? He was still running around, might be ok since he ran back across the road and into an apartment complex (howling I might add). I'm new to the town and what I really regret is not getting contact with the owner and explaining what happened. I have a dog myself and the most frustrating thing about when they are sick is that they can't tell you.
This post was deleted for the following reason: poster's request -- cortex
Oh Treeshar, that sucks. I suspect there is little that you could have done because he ran off so quickly. I know with my own dog, when she is stressed out and in pain, she would not appreciate being handled by anyone else. I can only hope that the owners realized quickly that something wasn't right with their pooch and got him to a vet asap.
posted by msali at 7:08 PM on March 17, 2011
posted by msali at 7:08 PM on March 17, 2011
How long ago was it? If recent, could you call Animal Control and ask them to send an officer out? They'd had the right equipment to catch the dog (if necessary) and take it to the animal hospital.
posted by Cat Face at 7:09 PM on March 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Cat Face at 7:09 PM on March 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
If he was able to run off yelping, it seems likely that he was able to make it home okay. My guess is that he lives somewhere near the apartment complex. I think the ethical move here would be to post a few signs around the apartments (on gates, lobby doors, etc) that say:
Was your dog injured on March 17th around 8pm? If so, please call me.
treeshar, 555-555-5555
If the dog was injured, the owner will contact you and you can offer to pay for any vet bills.
posted by phunniemee at 7:10 PM on March 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
Was your dog injured on March 17th around 8pm? If so, please call me.
treeshar, 555-555-5555
If the dog was injured, the owner will contact you and you can offer to pay for any vet bills.
posted by phunniemee at 7:10 PM on March 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Life is a path of motions.
In Chicago a few years ago, I saw a dog running along the side of California Avenue. He was obviously lost - on the run - away from his owner. He had a collar and tags. Great looking dog, shepard mix.
I drove past the dog. The traffic was heavy, I didn't want to stop. I went past him... but then got that " you should stop and help him" feeling. I pulled over to the curb, got out of the truck and walked towards the dog. I slowly went down to one knee, and tried to coax him towards me. The dog saw me.... looked left and then right... he bolted right into traffic and was hit by 2 cars and completely run over by a third.
The noise he made will never leave me.
Somehow he managed to limp away from the hits he took. He took off down some train tracks. I left my truck parked on the side of the road and spent the next 4 hours looking for him. I never found him.
It really hurt for days. I know I did nothing wrong... but at the same time it felt as though I did. All I can tell you is that time heals all wounds. Life is a path of motions. Your paths crossed that day... for better or worse.
posted by Bighappyfunhouse at 7:20 PM on March 17, 2011 [22 favorites]
In Chicago a few years ago, I saw a dog running along the side of California Avenue. He was obviously lost - on the run - away from his owner. He had a collar and tags. Great looking dog, shepard mix.
I drove past the dog. The traffic was heavy, I didn't want to stop. I went past him... but then got that " you should stop and help him" feeling. I pulled over to the curb, got out of the truck and walked towards the dog. I slowly went down to one knee, and tried to coax him towards me. The dog saw me.... looked left and then right... he bolted right into traffic and was hit by 2 cars and completely run over by a third.
The noise he made will never leave me.
Somehow he managed to limp away from the hits he took. He took off down some train tracks. I left my truck parked on the side of the road and spent the next 4 hours looking for him. I never found him.
It really hurt for days. I know I did nothing wrong... but at the same time it felt as though I did. All I can tell you is that time heals all wounds. Life is a path of motions. Your paths crossed that day... for better or worse.
posted by Bighappyfunhouse at 7:20 PM on March 17, 2011 [22 favorites]
If you are not able to find the dog or the owners, a nice gesture would be to make a donation to either
a charity that provides free or low-cost veterinary care for people on low incomes
or to a dog-shelter / dog rescue.
That way, you will have helped at least one dog, even if it wasn't the dog that you hurt.
posted by Hot buttered sockpuppets at 7:21 PM on March 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
a charity that provides free or low-cost veterinary care for people on low incomes
or to a dog-shelter / dog rescue.
That way, you will have helped at least one dog, even if it wasn't the dog that you hurt.
posted by Hot buttered sockpuppets at 7:21 PM on March 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
If the dog was injured, the owner will contact you and you can offer to pay for any vet bills.
While that would be a nice thing to do, I don't think you are ethically bound to do so. The dog was off a leash and unattended. It ran into the street, into the path of your car. That's not your fault.
posted by kimdog at 7:22 PM on March 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
While that would be a nice thing to do, I don't think you are ethically bound to do so. The dog was off a leash and unattended. It ran into the street, into the path of your car. That's not your fault.
posted by kimdog at 7:22 PM on March 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
If you are not in a position or inclined to pay for vet bills, you should leave it alone.
I'm also widgey about you putting up signs with your contact info. It seems unwise.
If the dog ran off... he likely went home, someone in the complex found him and got him care, or he could have been a stray. I don't know, and neither do you.
My intuition usually leads me straight to injured or abandoned animals that need care. If yours lead you away from an animal in need... what can you do? The moment passed and you made the best choice you could at the time.
I agree it wasn't an ideal choice. But the unknowns are too much to contemplate. Assume if you weren't alone you at the time you would have done more, which is undoubtedly true.
Upon preview: animal control might not be a bad idea. Likely, there isn't much they can do, though. Make sure you have the address of the complex when you phone them.
posted by jbenben at 7:33 PM on March 17, 2011
I'm also widgey about you putting up signs with your contact info. It seems unwise.
If the dog ran off... he likely went home, someone in the complex found him and got him care, or he could have been a stray. I don't know, and neither do you.
My intuition usually leads me straight to injured or abandoned animals that need care. If yours lead you away from an animal in need... what can you do? The moment passed and you made the best choice you could at the time.
I agree it wasn't an ideal choice. But the unknowns are too much to contemplate. Assume if you weren't alone you at the time you would have done more, which is undoubtedly true.
Upon preview: animal control might not be a bad idea. Likely, there isn't much they can do, though. Make sure you have the address of the complex when you phone them.
posted by jbenben at 7:33 PM on March 17, 2011
Life is a path of motions. Your paths crossed that day... for better or worse.
Yeah, one of the reasons we have pets, I think, is that they put us in touch with aspects of nature and raw experience that we would normally not access. About 13 months ago, I had to take my mom's dog into the vet to be put down, a ninety minute journey. It had a debilitating cancer. Needless to say, it was a gut-wrenching experience, a much loved family dog that was just lying there in the backseat, stoically enduring.
Meanwhile, on the radio, reports were coming in about the full brunt of the earthquake in Haiti; truly horrible stuff that normally would've mostly washed over me, leaving me feeling bad, I guess, but not really feeling anything profound. But with the dog in the backseat, it was way too much. I had to pull over at least three times, just overwhelmed with the emotion of all of it.
Anyway, I have no quick, pithy conclusion to this. It's just something I experienced that, I guess, deepened my sense of what it is to be alive. And it's certainly something I've reflected on over the last week in the wake of what's been going down in Japan. It sucks that you hit the dog. It doesn't sound like you did anything wrong. It speaks to the quality of your character that the experience has been bugging you and that you want to do something about it.
But for what it's worth, my advice is not to get involved in this situation any further. Just own it and know that there are always strangers out there who feel at least as deeply about such stuff as you do.
posted by philip-random at 7:42 PM on March 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
Yeah, one of the reasons we have pets, I think, is that they put us in touch with aspects of nature and raw experience that we would normally not access. About 13 months ago, I had to take my mom's dog into the vet to be put down, a ninety minute journey. It had a debilitating cancer. Needless to say, it was a gut-wrenching experience, a much loved family dog that was just lying there in the backseat, stoically enduring.
Meanwhile, on the radio, reports were coming in about the full brunt of the earthquake in Haiti; truly horrible stuff that normally would've mostly washed over me, leaving me feeling bad, I guess, but not really feeling anything profound. But with the dog in the backseat, it was way too much. I had to pull over at least three times, just overwhelmed with the emotion of all of it.
Anyway, I have no quick, pithy conclusion to this. It's just something I experienced that, I guess, deepened my sense of what it is to be alive. And it's certainly something I've reflected on over the last week in the wake of what's been going down in Japan. It sucks that you hit the dog. It doesn't sound like you did anything wrong. It speaks to the quality of your character that the experience has been bugging you and that you want to do something about it.
But for what it's worth, my advice is not to get involved in this situation any further. Just own it and know that there are always strangers out there who feel at least as deeply about such stuff as you do.
posted by philip-random at 7:42 PM on March 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
I am so sorry that happened.
I think the only concern is that the dog get immediate vet care if needed. Time may very well be crucial (I don't mean to freak you out, but if there is internal bleeding or anything, you do need to act quickly). That would mean just going back, knocking on a few doors to try to find anyone that can i.d. the dog and get notification to the owners so they can get him to the vet in time. Giving animal control a call would be a good idea as well. As would bringing some signs to post. If the dog returns to the owner, but they do not know what is wrong with it, they won't be able to give it the care it needs.
Just do the best you can. Spend an hour or two trying to get the dog the help it needs and that is pretty much all you can do.
(Leaving it there without letting anyone know it's needs, so they can do what needs to be done, will not make you feel better, and might make him suffer needlessly. Just take the time.)
posted by Vaike at 7:58 PM on March 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think the only concern is that the dog get immediate vet care if needed. Time may very well be crucial (I don't mean to freak you out, but if there is internal bleeding or anything, you do need to act quickly). That would mean just going back, knocking on a few doors to try to find anyone that can i.d. the dog and get notification to the owners so they can get him to the vet in time. Giving animal control a call would be a good idea as well. As would bringing some signs to post. If the dog returns to the owner, but they do not know what is wrong with it, they won't be able to give it the care it needs.
Just do the best you can. Spend an hour or two trying to get the dog the help it needs and that is pretty much all you can do.
(Leaving it there without letting anyone know it's needs, so they can do what needs to be done, will not make you feel better, and might make him suffer needlessly. Just take the time.)
posted by Vaike at 7:58 PM on March 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
If animal control isn't around, call the police non-emergency line. Let them know about the stray that was hit.
posted by inturnaround at 8:13 PM on March 17, 2011
posted by inturnaround at 8:13 PM on March 17, 2011
My dog was run over by a car a couple of summers ago. He was going after a cat while I was walking him, and the leash slipped out of my hands. A car came around the corner and just ran straight over him, shattering his pelvis. He was able to limp out of the street, but bit me when I tried to touch him. I knew I had an emergency vet number upstairs in my apartment and asked a couple of teenagers who were hanging out on the street if they could keep an eye on the situation while I ran to get the number. While I was gone, one of the teens approached my dog, who gave him a nice, deep bite. So your fears do have a foundation: Even my dog, who's a very mild type, was ready to wound anyone who got too close while he was in pain.
The man who'd run over the dog turned around to help me, but I let him know it wasn't his fault and that he owed me nothing. He was distressed about it, but I can't imagine blaming him. It was an accident.
Anyway, the dog was patched up and now he has a robo-pelvis or something and can run laps without limping at all and is snoozing adorably on my bed as I type.
So: It wasn't your fault, you don't owe vet bills (I would not have asked the unfortunate driver in my case to pay), and you're right that you could have been bitten. Not approaching the dog was a smart move.
That said, please do call Animal Control. The dog may need help. It sounds as though someone in the complex may have heard his howls, but you can't be sure. Even as someone who agrees you can't always approach an injured animal safely, you should always do the most you can without putting yourself in harm's way. That's the way to be good in stressful situations. I don't think you have to live with being terrible in an emergency. You can always learn to be better at it. Calling the proper authorities to deal with situations you cannot is the first step.
As a side-note to anyone who's wondering, I did pay the medical bill for the teen who was bitten by my dog. That was totally my fault.
posted by pineappleheart at 8:44 PM on March 17, 2011 [6 favorites]
The man who'd run over the dog turned around to help me, but I let him know it wasn't his fault and that he owed me nothing. He was distressed about it, but I can't imagine blaming him. It was an accident.
Anyway, the dog was patched up and now he has a robo-pelvis or something and can run laps without limping at all and is snoozing adorably on my bed as I type.
So: It wasn't your fault, you don't owe vet bills (I would not have asked the unfortunate driver in my case to pay), and you're right that you could have been bitten. Not approaching the dog was a smart move.
That said, please do call Animal Control. The dog may need help. It sounds as though someone in the complex may have heard his howls, but you can't be sure. Even as someone who agrees you can't always approach an injured animal safely, you should always do the most you can without putting yourself in harm's way. That's the way to be good in stressful situations. I don't think you have to live with being terrible in an emergency. You can always learn to be better at it. Calling the proper authorities to deal with situations you cannot is the first step.
As a side-note to anyone who's wondering, I did pay the medical bill for the teen who was bitten by my dog. That was totally my fault.
posted by pineappleheart at 8:44 PM on March 17, 2011 [6 favorites]
Also please forgive my grammatical slip-ups in the paragraph above. It's still a sore subject for me, if not the dog.
posted by pineappleheart at 8:46 PM on March 17, 2011
posted by pineappleheart at 8:46 PM on March 17, 2011
Uncontained dogs are the owner's fault, so while I know you feel terrible, you don't have to be overly burdened by the guilt. Uncontained dogs can act incredibly unpredictably and there's really nothing a driver can do to keep from hitting a dog once the dog darts out in front of your car.
Not only that, even though the owner is at fault, they're going to be angry and look for someone to blame. I've even gotten blamed when I saw an accident from the other side of the road and pulled over to see if I could help! DO NOT provide contact info in a flyer. Angry people are just as unpredictable as uncontained dogs, frankly.
Injured dogs can be dangerous. They can be frightened and try to attack you simply from the pain. I keep a slip-leash in my car to use as an emergency muzzle, I've handled feral and injured dogs, and I still would think several times before trying to chase down a dog who's been hit by a car, if it ran off. You might get seriously hurt or you might run into an angry owner looking to lay blame.
It's really, really terrible that you hit the dog, and I'm sorry you had to go through that. I feel terrible for the dog, too; it's his owner's job to contain him safely, and it's not his fault that he got hit. It's very sad that the poor guy has to suffer because his owner was careless. But in practical terms, once a dog runs off, the best thing to do is probably to get on with your life.
posted by galadriel at 8:53 PM on March 17, 2011 [3 favorites]
Not only that, even though the owner is at fault, they're going to be angry and look for someone to blame. I've even gotten blamed when I saw an accident from the other side of the road and pulled over to see if I could help! DO NOT provide contact info in a flyer. Angry people are just as unpredictable as uncontained dogs, frankly.
Injured dogs can be dangerous. They can be frightened and try to attack you simply from the pain. I keep a slip-leash in my car to use as an emergency muzzle, I've handled feral and injured dogs, and I still would think several times before trying to chase down a dog who's been hit by a car, if it ran off. You might get seriously hurt or you might run into an angry owner looking to lay blame.
It's really, really terrible that you hit the dog, and I'm sorry you had to go through that. I feel terrible for the dog, too; it's his owner's job to contain him safely, and it's not his fault that he got hit. It's very sad that the poor guy has to suffer because his owner was careless. But in practical terms, once a dog runs off, the best thing to do is probably to get on with your life.
posted by galadriel at 8:53 PM on March 17, 2011 [3 favorites]
It may be hard, but you shouldn't worry about it.
I had a dog who was hit by a car. she escaped and I was following her to get her back. SHe had crossed the street at a stoplight and it changed before I could get off. She eventually felt ready to come home and crossed the street towards me. Unfortunately she was not crossing at a stoplight this time. She was hit by a truck going about 35 miles an hour. She got up and ran off.
The man stopped and looked helpless and then eventually took off when he realized that there was nothing he could do. I was only 15 at the time and freaked me out. I tried finding my dog and looked everywhere for her. I eventually gave up and found her back home. She had walked .5 miles all the way back.
we took her to the vet and put some stitches in her. She lived for another 5 years after that.
I think there is nothing for you to do. The dog would have found its way home and the owners can take care of him. They will be able to tell he is injured.
Posting an ad is a bad idea. I hate to say it, but some people might just abuse you for something that is not your fault. Either by getting all the money that they can out of you. Or someone will try to scam you and I do not think you are obligated to pay for vet bills.
posted by Jaelma24 at 8:55 PM on March 17, 2011 [3 favorites]
I had a dog who was hit by a car. she escaped and I was following her to get her back. SHe had crossed the street at a stoplight and it changed before I could get off. She eventually felt ready to come home and crossed the street towards me. Unfortunately she was not crossing at a stoplight this time. She was hit by a truck going about 35 miles an hour. She got up and ran off.
The man stopped and looked helpless and then eventually took off when he realized that there was nothing he could do. I was only 15 at the time and freaked me out. I tried finding my dog and looked everywhere for her. I eventually gave up and found her back home. She had walked .5 miles all the way back.
we took her to the vet and put some stitches in her. She lived for another 5 years after that.
I think there is nothing for you to do. The dog would have found its way home and the owners can take care of him. They will be able to tell he is injured.
Posting an ad is a bad idea. I hate to say it, but some people might just abuse you for something that is not your fault. Either by getting all the money that they can out of you. Or someone will try to scam you and I do not think you are obligated to pay for vet bills.
posted by Jaelma24 at 8:55 PM on March 17, 2011 [3 favorites]
There are two completely separate issues here.
One: Guilt. There is no reason for you to feel guilt. These things happen. You did nothing wrong by accidentally hitting the dog. But that's something you can deal with on your own timeline.
Two: An injured dog in need of care, in real time. Assistance is needed. You just do what needs to be done. And you, being the person who accidentally hit the dog, may be the only person that can speak for the dog, since it can't on it's own, as you mentioned in your post. (that the dog was running does not mean anything one way or the other in terms of damages.)
When you call Animal Control, they will have a report so when the owner calls them, they can relay the information. Please do call. (I swear you will rest easier tonight.)
(btw, flyers are simply for informing and helping the owner find their dog and give them the informational tools they need to be successful, not to say you are responsible and will pay for damages.)
posted by Vaike at 9:20 PM on March 17, 2011
One: Guilt. There is no reason for you to feel guilt. These things happen. You did nothing wrong by accidentally hitting the dog. But that's something you can deal with on your own timeline.
Two: An injured dog in need of care, in real time. Assistance is needed. You just do what needs to be done. And you, being the person who accidentally hit the dog, may be the only person that can speak for the dog, since it can't on it's own, as you mentioned in your post. (that the dog was running does not mean anything one way or the other in terms of damages.)
When you call Animal Control, they will have a report so when the owner calls them, they can relay the information. Please do call. (I swear you will rest easier tonight.)
(btw, flyers are simply for informing and helping the owner find their dog and give them the informational tools they need to be successful, not to say you are responsible and will pay for damages.)
posted by Vaike at 9:20 PM on March 17, 2011
There are two issues here, guilt and responsibility. You already said you don't feel that you should not be responsible for paying for this dog's vet bills and that it is the fault of the owner of the dog for not keeping the dog properly contained. So why feel guilty?
Instead of posting an ad, you might want to go back to the apartment complex and look around. Depending on the size of the complex, other tennants (especially those who are out walking their dogs) will probably be able to point you to the owner of the dog so you can explain what happened and apologize.
posted by inertia at 7:34 AM on March 18, 2011
Instead of posting an ad, you might want to go back to the apartment complex and look around. Depending on the size of the complex, other tennants (especially those who are out walking their dogs) will probably be able to point you to the owner of the dog so you can explain what happened and apologize.
posted by inertia at 7:34 AM on March 18, 2011
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posted by kbanas at 7:04 PM on March 17, 2011