LouBon Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 I have had the most horrible start to the new year and a need to share thius story in the hope that I can stop feeling so traumatised by the event that took place yesterday. I was coming back from a camping trip with my partner and our friend. His car had broken down that morning and in order to meet the NRMA (and get phone reception to call them) out on the main sealed road, we offered to tow him down the 20km dirt track that we were camping along. My partner was driving at about 20-30kms towing our friend and I was driving about 50m behind them. As we came out onto the sealed road, we passed one of the few houses that are scattered along that road. I saw our friend (who was steering the car being towed) swerve his car right onto the other side of the road as far as the tow strap would allow. Just as I wondered what had happened I saw a jack russel sort of bounce off his front tyre. It had darted out between my partners car in front and the car being towed. Our friend was screaming out to my partner to stop and I pulled over straight away and ran to the poor little thing. I could see that he was seizuring- almost dead already and blood was pouring out of his mouth so I ran to the house and was knocking frantically on their door calling out. I could hear screaming so I ran back out to the road, and two women had run from the side of the house and over to the dog. They were really crying out and screaming, and my friend was distraught asking them what he could do. One woman just kept yelling at me " this is the worst thing you could have done!! This is the worst thing you could have done!!" and the other woman sort of thrust the dog towards my friend, his little neck dangling and broken and said angrily "look- there is nothing you can do !!" Then the other woman yelled at us to "just piss off!" The two kept screaming and crying. I was in shock from just seeing this poor baby be killed let alone being yelled at like we had deliberately killed her dog. I was crying and shaking, and in stead of explaining what had happened- how the dog had run out in a split second and that my friend had tried to swerve him, I just said that we were so sorry. She yelled again to "piss off" so I did. I shakily walked back to my car and pulled over up the road to get a grip. I've been playing the whole incident in my head since yesterday. Has anyone else had a reaction like this before? I understand that they were grieving for the dog and I would have been completely irrational too, but I really didn't expect the anger. I'm so upset and the more I think about it the more I'm trying to tell myself that the dog should have been locked up .. but It's still upsetting. Just to add- they didn't see the accident, but only ran out after hearing our friend yelling out to stop the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Anne~ Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 (edited) HOw awful for you and your friends, not to mention the dead dog and it's owners. I feel a little appalled by the reaction of the owners but I could well imagine they would have been very distraught. We all react to trauma in different ways. Don't be angry with them, just feel for the pain they must be feeling. It wasn't a great start to the new year for them either. Edited January 3, 2010 by ~Anne~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Oh thats aweful. the dog should not have been on the road!! Dont beat yourself up over this it is not your friends fault, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and you did everything right you stopped you offered your help they were obviously irrational because of the shock of thier dog being run over but I bet they are beating themselves up today over not having the dog safe with them where he should have been. RIP little doggy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Willow Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 How awful for all involved Don't take their reaction to heart, people say all sorts of awful things when they are shocked & grieving, most of which they don't mean, and some of which they aren't even aware they're saying. There would also have been a degree of guilty conscience there for them too, for allowing the dog to be off the property. You stopped, and tried to help, which is all you could do under the circumstances. I remember when I was a child, having a horseriding accident on a road, and an elderly couple tried to help me. When I was reflecting on the incident later that day (I was quite badly injured) I remember saying to my mum "I think I might have been rude to the people who tried to help me, but I really can't remember what happened or what I said".......shock makes people do some weird things sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 You have no reason to feel guilty - it was not avoidable. People can react with anger when they are emotional and distressed, and I imagine they will be beating themselves up about the dog ebing out (or they should!) Working in the veterinary industry and being the first person seen quite often involved bearing the brunt of peoples emotions and anger. many were embarressed later, but when we have a nasty shock and something like that happen it can be a very normal reaction. I am sorry this happened to you and your friend and it is an awful thing to happen. RIP little doggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeckoTree Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 They were angry because the had an attack of the guilts along with shock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitt Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Hi, so sorry to hear that you had such a traumatic experience. People often play these things over and over in the minds. It was a very sad accident - not the fault of the person driving the car. It sounds like the dog passed away very quickly. It wouldn't have known or felt anything. It just would have gone into shock / lost consciousness and then died immediately. But of course it would have been terrible for you and your friends to see. Like the others have said, the owners probably didn't know what they were saying. You did all the right things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 (edited) Has anyone else had a reaction like this before? I understand that they were grieving for the dog and I would have been completely irrational too, but I really didn't expect the anger. I'm so upset and the more I think about it the more I'm trying to tell myself that the dog should have been locked up .. but It's still upsetting. A few months ago at dusk on the way home from work I hit and killed a little dog. I pulled over as soon as safe to do so and ran back and the owner was already there. But it was the oppposite to your experience - her first words to me were 'It's not your fault'. She had been putting her rubbish bin out and her 3 little dogs had dashed out after her, she was trying to call them back when this one ran out under my wheels. I was still upset of course, but she was right it wasn't my fault, and she was very gracious I thought to say so even in the middle of her own distress. Edited January 3, 2010 by Diva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pip1981 Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 I'm really sorry this happened to you and your friends. I'm sure the owners know in their hearts that it wasn't your fault, please don't let their initial reaction make you feel guilty. (Diva, I'm sorry this happened to you too) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
all that glitters Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 They were angry because the had an attack of the guilts along with shock. Yeah thats the first thing I thought! Rip doggy, not your fault at all, we can only do what we can and it's impossible to miss a dog that runs straight out in front of you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 (Diva, I'm sorry this happened to you too) Thanks, but at least I was lucky in the owner - I'd have felt so much worse if she had blamed me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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