Pet hit by car

patmac · 10-01-2017 10:56am #1

Hi folks,
Our beloved pet Sammy(female,Jack Russell X),was hit by a car yesterday and is in very poor shape. She is 11. After an X-ray she has damage to the spine and spinal cord and is not responding. The vet has said that they could operate but she only has a 5% chance of getting through and would need constant care for months afterwards.
I believe that she is a fighter and I don't really care about the cost.
The vet has said that if it was her dog she would put her to sleep.
I have a feeling that we only have one decision to make here, but where there is life there is hope.
This is such a nightmare.
Any advice would be gratefully received.

razorblunt · 10-01-2017 11:23am

"Where there is life"

- What standard and quality of the life is the poor thing going to have? That's probably the biggest question.
You have a vet offering their professional advice, by all means get a second opinion if needs be but this needs to a decision about the dog not you.
It's probably the least selfish decision you'll make.

Sorry to hear all the same though, how did it come to being hit?

patmac · 10-01-2017 12:03pm

razorblunt wrote: »

"Where there is life"

- What standard and quality of the life is the poor thing going to have? That's probably the biggest question.
You have a vet offering their professional advice, by all means get a second opinion if needs be but this needs to a decision about the dog not you.
It's probably the least selfish decision you'll make.

Sorry to hear all the same though, how did it come to being hit?

I know what you are saying and we have had to make this decision before regarding another pet. We live down a country lane and she ran off, complete accident my wife is devastated as I wasn't there at the time. We have to make a decision at 5:30pm and we are going to have to put her to sleep.

....... · 10-01-2017 12:11pm

This post has been deleted.

jenn1984 · 10-01-2017 12:52pm

It sounds like you're doing the right thing for her - I'm an animal lover (we have 7 cats and grew up with a dog) so can only imagine what you and your family are going through.

muddypaws · 10-01-2017 12:54pm

I'm really sorry OP. Not a nice way for your poor dog's life to end, but 11 is a good age, and she is obviously very well loved, and had a good life. Take care of yourself, its grief just like losing any other family member.

Mary63 · 10-01-2017 12:56pm

If the car was damaged the owner may be presenting you with a bill to repair it.

Be prepared for them to call looking for your house insurance details.

My friends car was hit by a labrador and a thousand euros worth of damage was done.Dog was off lead on a busy road and it was a very dark morning.

endacl · 10-01-2017 12:57pm

Mary63 wrote: »

If the car was damaged the owner may be presenting you with a bill to repair it.

Be prepared for them to call looking for your house insurance details.

My friends car was hit by a labrador and a thousand euros worth of damage was done.Dog was off lead on a busy road and it was a very dark morning.

Timing, Mary. Timing is everything.

pilly · 10-01-2017 12:58pm

I had to have my fella put down shortly before Christmas there and my heart was broken. I do think I did it too quick to take it in but then if I'd hesitated I wouldn't have gone through with it. Very difficult one, does it have to be today you decide? Surely they can keep him out of pain for another day or so.

jenn1984 · 10-01-2017 12:59pm

Mary63 wrote: »

If the car was damaged the owner may be presenting you with a bill to repair it.

Be prepared for them to call looking for your house insurance details.

My friends car was hit by a labrador and a thousand euros worth of damage was done.Dog was off lead on a busy road and it was a very dark morning.

OP wasn't looking for legal advice - comments like that aren't appropriate when someone will likely have to put down their dog today.

Mary63 · 10-01-2017 1:00pm

Its good to know in advance.The labrador owner did provide his name and address but when my friend called around and mentioned insurance he said Whose insurance.She said yours of course.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My friend is a very nervous driver and was traumatised thinking she had hit a child.Dogs should be on leads when not on their owners property, that way these things wouldn't happen.

No one else is going to say this here so I might as well.

myshirt · 10-01-2017 1:06pm

Mary63 wrote: »

Its good to know in advance.The labrador owner did provide his name and address but when my friend called around and mentioned insurance he said Whose insurance.She said yours of course.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My friend is a very nervous driver and was traumatised thinking she had hit a child.Dogs should be on leads when not on their owners property, that way these things wouldn't happen.

Mary, you'll be shocked to find out, but the way it works is in reverse. Ignore the pub talk and gossip over a cup of coffee and what you think is right and wrong in this world and fair and unfair etc. The person who hit this dog will be the one with the bill in this scenario. If you came into my office when I was acting as a solicitor(non practising now) I'd have charged you 300 for that. Today it's free.

readytosnap · 10-01-2017 1:09pm

patmac wrote: »

Hi folks,

The vet has said that if it was her dog she would put her to sleep.

That should be enough, losing a pet is horrible but it would be the right decision.

andreac · 10-01-2017 1:10pm

myshirt wrote: »

Mary, you'll be shocked to find out, but the way it works is in reverse. Ignore the pub talk and gossip over a cup of coffee and what you think is right and wrong in this world and fair and unfair etc. The person who hit this dog will be the one with the bill in this scenario. If you came into my office when I was acting as a solicitor(non practising now) I'd have charged you 300 for that. Today it's free.

Sorry but you are wrong. If a dog is out of control and someone hit's it, the driver is certainly not liable for any costs. It would be the other way around.
But not the time or place for this at the moment.

patmac · 10-01-2017 1:17pm

pilly wrote: »

I had to have my fella put down shortly before Christmas there and my heart was broken. I do think I did it too quick to take it in but then if I'd hesitated I wouldn't have gone through with it. Very difficult one, does it have to be today you decide? Surely they can keep him out of pain for another day or so.

It has to be today as she is suffering , the vet is well respected, if by some miracle she shows some sign of improvement, then we will hold on, but she hasn't improved any overnight.
As For the driver , we know her and she is as devastated as we are , no chance of a bill coming through the door as she is a decent human being.

TallGlass · 10-01-2017 1:27pm

Mary63 wrote: »

Its good to know in advance.The labrador owner did provide his name and address but when my friend called around and mentioned insurance he said Whose insurance.She said yours of course.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My friend is a very nervous driver and was traumatised thinking she had hit a child.Dogs should be on leads when not on their owners property, that way these things wouldn't happen.

No one else is going to say this here so I might as well.

I assume you mean no malice in your comments, but if someone knocked on my door after that type of incident, they would be getting a 'fúck off and the door slammed in there face', in a few days I might decide to send them my insurance details for the dog and inform the company first, I would also then report them for driving without due care and attention.

You might be in the right, but there is a time and a place.

Riesen_Meal · 10-01-2017 1:30pm

Sorry to hear that OP, but I think you know yourself that you are doing the right thing....

Best of luck

patmac · 10-01-2017 1:36pm

I should stop watching YouTube videos of dogs recovering in these incidents, but unfortunately they are all very young which is going to go against poor Sammy.

DBB · 10-01-2017 1:40pm

Folks, as already noted, timing is everything.
Please keep the talk about legalities out of this thread until and unless the op looks for it.
Do not reply to this post on thread.
Thanks,
DBB

pilly · 10-01-2017 1:56pm

patmac wrote: »

It has to be today as she is suffering , the vet is well respected, if by some miracle she shows some sign of improvement, then we will hold on, but she hasn't improved any overnight.
As For the driver , we know her and she is as devastated as we are , no chance of a bill coming through the door as she is a decent human being.

Ah such a shame. But as you said yourself her age will go against her. Whatever about putting a younger dog through surgery. I'll be thinking of you, it's not easy. My Claude was 13 but I still miss him now at the weirdest of times. Having my dinner last night and no-one to give the leftovers to. It's tough but if she is suffering then you have to be strong for her. Vets take these things seriously and wouldn't recommend putting her down if they didn't think it was for the best.

LCD · 10-01-2017 2:13pm

OP very sorry to hear about the accident. Hard decision but it is the right one.

Think of what a great life she had.

bb12 · 10-01-2017 2:37pm

my mini jrt was hit by a car a few months ago. her pelvis was basically broken in half so that her two hind legs were independent of each other. however she didn't have any spinal damage and after 6 weeks cage rest she made almost a full recovery. initially she didn't put any weight on one of her hind legs but slowly over the past weeks. she starting to balance on it more...she still flies around on 3 legs though. sorry to hear about your dog. i'd listen to the vet's advice. my vet always believed mine would make a recovery given time for the bones to knit back together, but if yours has spinal damage it may be a different story.

Ms Doubtfire1 · 10-01-2017 4:14pm

Dear OP,

so so sorry this happened. Unfortunately these kind of injuries more often than not result - even with recover - in paralysis from the breaking point downward or upward.an injured spinal cord is a a bad sentence in a human as well. Look, she's 11. extended surgery is also going to impact her heart and liver, and there's a larger chance she won't wake up. As heartbreaking as it is...I think it's time to let her go.If you can , bring her home for a few hours, feed her all she always loved and than let her gently go. Many vets will do that at home these days. My heart breaks for you. Stay strong.

MonsterCookie · 10-01-2017 4:23pm

Tough love OP. As others have said put the dog first.

Do you have young kids? when old age took my lab last year I had to make a tough decision. not pleasant.

Hope sammy is over the worst now. Best of luck.

CruelCoin · 10-01-2017 4:38pm

patmac wrote: »

Hi folks,
Our beloved pet Sammy(female,Jack Russell X),was hit by a car yesterday and is in very poor shape. She is 11. After an X-ray she has damage to the spine and spinal cord and is not responding. The vet has said that they could operate but she only has a 5% chance of getting through and would need constant care for months afterwards.
I believe that she is a fighter and I don't really care about the cost.
The vet has said that if it was her dog she would put her to sleep.
I have a feeling that we only have one decision to make here, but where there is life there is hope.
This is such a nightmare.
Any advice would be gratefully received.

You're putting your emotions before your pet.

It's horrible, and i've had to put down pets in the past too, broke my heart.

Even if it survived, it's not going to be the same animal. Behaviour, etc is likely to be very different, and you'll essentially be making a stranger of a dog live a life of misery. We had a cat "Snowy, and he was never the same after he had major surgery after a car hit him.

Do the humane thing and put it to sleep, hard as that is.

jomalone14 · 10-01-2017 5:55pm

My thoughts are with you OP. It's such a tough decision to make but his quality of life and current serious injuries is a game changer. The vet has advised you well in this case I think. Heartbreaking.....take care of yourselves.

dr.fuzzenstein · 10-01-2017 5:58pm

Mary63 wrote: »

Its good to know in advance.The labrador owner did provide his name and address but when my friend called around and mentioned insurance he said Whose insurance.She said yours of course.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My friend is a very nervous driver and was traumatised thinking she had hit a child.Dogs should be on leads when not on their owners property, that way these things wouldn't happen.

No one else is going to say this here so I might as well.

Well, now you have, so don't let the door hit you on the rear end on the way out or you might present us with a legal bill too!

OP, I'm so sorry to hear, I know how heartbreaking it is.
At least your dog had a great life with you, think of the time you had.

oppenheimer1 · 10-01-2017 6:06pm

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Well, now you have, so don't let the door hit you on the rear end on the way out or you might present us with a legal bill too!

OP, I'm so sorry to hear, I know how heartbreaking it is.
At least your dog had a great life with you, think of the time you had.

The is no need to be so hostile to fair advice. You have posters above saying that it it happened to them they would tell the driver to fuck off, even though they were fully liable.

There is no harm in warning the owner that there is a possibility of this happening and that it could happen while they are still quite raw from losing their dog.

MaroonAndGreen · 10-01-2017 6:31pm

TallGlass wrote:

I assume you mean no malice in your comments, but if someone knocked on my door after that type of incident, they would be getting a 'fÃºck off and the door slammed in there face', in a few days I might decide to send them my insurance details for the dog and inform the company first, I would also then report them for driving without due care and attention.

That's absolutely nuts. Nothing short of it. I don't actually believe you would behave like that and avoid something that was your responsibility. Report someone when it was your pet that was out on the road? That's ludicrous, don't care how much someone is hurting, you can't justify that kind of behaviour, and I don't think people should be condoning you or applauding you for it either

MaroonAndGreen · 10-01-2017 6:35pm

TallGlass wrote:

I assume you mean no malice in your comments, but if someone knocked on my door after that type of incident, they would be getting a 'fÃºck off and the door slammed in there face', in a few days I might decide to send them my insurance details for the dog and inform the company first, I would also then report them for driving without due care and attention.

On reflection, I don't think you would behave like this, and you probably made this post in the expectation of receiving a few thanks for it

patmac · 10-01-2017 7:12pm

Anyway thanks for the kind and other words, this happened in a quiet country road, and my wife feels very guilty for not having her on a lead and she is so upset, Sammy was a small very gentle dog that all the neighbours and their children said hello to.
When we got to the vet there was only one decision to make. She could barely lift her head so we said goodbye and watched her die. Her tail never stopped wagging during her life and we said that it would be a sad day when it stopped.
Thanks for your support today it has helped.
I am going to dig a hole in the garden and place her in a biodegradable hessian bag with a tree so she will always be with us. I will post a pic in the departed pets thread.
We are heartbroken.

Hollister11 · 10-01-2017 7:27pm

Mary63 wrote: »

If the car was damaged the owner may be presenting you with a bill to repair it.

Be prepared for them to call looking for your house insurance details.

My friends car was hit by a labrador and a thousand euros worth of damage was done.Dog was off lead on a busy road and it was a very dark morning.

**** off, and leave the poor owner to deal with their grief.

Absolute disgusting comment.

Tom Mann Centuria · 10-01-2017 7:30pm

Sorry about your pet patmac, pet probably doesn't cover what she was to your family. You have given her a great life and you'll have loads of lovely memories to remember her by.

DBB · 10-01-2017 7:50pm

Patmac, sincerest condolences on the sudden and traumatic loss of your old pal.
I think the behaviour of a number of posters in this thread beggars belief, despite a warning earlier today stop bloody well discussing the legalities and to have a bit of bloody compassion and sensitivity.
I'm an inch away from closing the thread only it would prevent Patmac getting messages of comfort.
So, if you want to discuss the legalities, the liabilities, or responsibilities of an owner whose dog gets knocked down, start a thread on it. But there is not to be a single further mention of these in this thread.
Messages of comfort and condolences only, please.
Do not reply to this post on thread.
Thanks,
DBB

siobhan08 · 10-01-2017 8:13pm

<snip>

OP I totally feel for you and your wife. Been through losing a pet and it’s horrible. I’ve had 3 dogs. Dog number 1 I got aged 6 and he was 17 when he died. Didn’t want to put him to sleep but knew it what was best for him.

Dog number 2 was a collie and she had one puppy (Surprising I know). They both were sent to live on a family members farm and the puppy went for a wonder when she was 11 months and got hit by a van. Van driver felt awful and was kind enough to being her back to the farm as they were local and were very apologetic. She is buried in the farmhouse garden and her mum who died a few years later through illness and is buried next to her.

It maybe upsetting now but it will get easier with time

Mod note: removed off-topic comments. Please see my warning above.
Thanks

10-01-2017 9:14pm

Sorry for the loss of your lovely JRT x Sammy Patmac, what a wonderful dog to have owned and such a long life she had!

You undoubtedly made the right decision and these things happen and happen to all dog owners, no matter what level of expertise they claim to have, the risk is always there lead or not, it's all about what you do for your pets and how much love you give them when they are alive not what happens when their time is up.

I'm also enjoying how wonderfully you speak of your JRT, they are such fab dogs to own, she sounded lovely. I'm on the other side of JRT owners, the last JRT we had was a loveable demon but hated by the neighbours and children alike!

Fakediamond · 10-01-2017 9:37pm

So sorry for the loss of your beloved Sammy, Patmac. It's heartbreaking and particularly distressing when it's so sudden. I hope that in time you'll be able to revisit the happy memories and the many adventures you no doubt shared with her. JRT's being so full of fun and mischief, I'm sure there'll be lots of tales to be told!

For now, just allow yourselves to grieve the loss of your old pal and take care.

RIP Sammy.

aonb · 10-01-2017 10:18pm

Your poor wife, I cant imagine how she must be feeling, these things happen so easily

njs030 · 10-01-2017 11:33pm

I've just seen this thread, so very sorry for your loss.
I love the idea of having a tree to look at and remember Sammy by.

R.I P little one.

LCD · 11-01-2017 8:28am

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” Will Rogers

R.I.P. Sammy

Ms Doubtfire1 · 11-01-2017 9:40am

So so sorry for your loss.

WE HAVE A SECRET

We have a secret, you and I
that no one else shall know,
for who but I can see you lie
each night in fire glow?

And who but I can reach my hand
before we go to bed
and feel the living warmth of you
and touch your silken head?

And only I walk woodland paths
and see ahead of me,
your small form racing with the wind
so young again, and free.

And only I can see you swim
in every brook I pass
and when I call, no one but I
can see the bending grass.

razorblunt · 11-01-2017 9:42am

Condolences to you and the family, horrible decision to make but you can take respite in the fact that it was the best choice.
A friend had to put their dog down back before Xmas and another friend of ours said a lovely quote:

"Everyone thinks they have the best dog in the world. None of them are wrong".

AryaStark · 11-01-2017 5:03pm

I am very sorry for your loss

kathleen37 · 13-01-2017 10:55am

So sorry for your loss. She'll always be with you...

Take care
xx

samo · 13-01-2017 3:43pm

I really am so very sad to read your update, sammy sounds like a wonderful dog, much loved and having had a fantastic life with you and it must be very sad to see him go.

We lost our retriever after she passed away in an accident around 2.5 years ago and whilst she is gone, she'll never be forgotten and we talk about her and remember her with so much good feeling, this probably sounds really silly and I'm actually not the soppiest person you'd meet (honest!) but I like to think that dogs really teach us about what it means to share your home and your time with them, they are part of the family and for good owners (like you and your family) they grace us with unconditional love and loyalty and really are such are a blessing.

Take care, thinking of you and your wife xxxx

patmac · 13-01-2017 4:33pm

Thanks for the lovely comments, we have another dog Binky (a rescue) who is a bit confused by all the crying and wondering where Sammy is.
Regarding loose dogs, we live on a quietish road and there are some dogs unaccompanied, one in particular roams up and down and never gets hit, while poor Sammy ran across the road for the first time and well she was very unfortunate.
She was 12 and going a bit deaf so we were fortunate to have her so long. My wife is still very upset (as am I) so we will have to rescue another dog sooner rather later.
Thanks again for the messages of support, I don't know any of you but we all have one thing in common a love of dogs and you are helping me through a difficult time.
I have also decided to change my signature.

Pet hit by car

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