Elderly Dog Walker Hit By Car

[Salukifan]

From the Canberra Times:

An elderly woman hit by a car on a quiet suburban street died in hospital yesterday.

The 69-year-old was walking her dog on a curved, hilly stretch of Dexter Street, in Cook, about 4.25pm on Friday.

The dog, which was not on a lead, is believed to have suddenly run out on to the road. The woman reportedly ran after the dog and was hit by a car coming downhill along the curving road.

She was thrown into the car's windscreen and suffered critical head injuries.

Paramedics rushed her to the Canberra Hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries early yesterday morning.

Neighbours described the crash as ''awful'' and as a ''shock'' for the sleepy street.

The woman, who lived nearby, was well-known to many on Dexter Street. Neighbours described her as a ''lovely lady'' who lived a happy life, always stopping for a chat during her regular walks with her schnauzer.

One neighbour said she lived alone and loved the dog dearly, taking it for walks three times a day. The dog is now being cared for by friends.

The accident blocked off the street for hours on Friday night, as investigators with the Collision Investigation and Reconstruction Team examined the scene.

Police renewed their calls for witnesses yesterday, urging anyone who has not spoken to police to come forward.

The road has very little traffic and one neighbour said she rarely saw speeding or dangerous driving. ''It's so quiet around here,.'' But, she said, the curve of the road made it difficult to react quickly.

The death is the ninth fatality on ACT roads this year.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through the website.

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/dogs-road-dash-led-to-womans-death-20121014-27lb5.html#ixzz29JaN5i1L

There are a number of older dog walkers around my area who also never leash their dogs. It worries me.

[persephone]

poor lady .

[samoyedman]

There are a number of older dog walkers around my area who also never leash their dogs. It worries me.

Do you say anything to them?

[tlc]

That's so sad, we also have a few around our area that don't leash their dogs and just walk along side the rd or the footpath. I mentioned in passing to one couple one day that the dog should be on a lead, they said why, I said what if a cat or something runs out and the dog chased it and get in the way of a car? They said that wouldn't happen as the dog is well trained and I should mind my own business. I just parted by saying also its actually against the law and excuse me for caring for the well being of your dog!

I wasn't even sure it was the law then but I think it is now?

I don't say anything now, people can be nasty, so I worry about what I'm doing and bugger everyone else! If your doing the wrong thing and something bad happens its no ones fault but your own.

Still sad the lady had to die.

I think a lot of people don't realise what can happen and are to casual about it.

Edited October 14, 2012 by tlc

[Salukifan]

There are a number of older dog walkers around my area who also never leash their dogs. It worries me.

Do you say anything to them?

No. The message isn't received well. You get a bunch of reasons why the dog won't stray ... and most of the time they don't. But all it takes is one distraction ..

Older walkers, along with teen, also seem reluctant to clean up after dogs.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Haredown Whippets

[Dame Aussie]

A friend of mines dogs used to always be walked off lead, they would always say they were so well trained they could trust them 100%...till the day one of them saw a rabbit and bolted onto the road getting hit.

Never say never.

Edited October 14, 2012 by Aussie3

[tlc]

Am I right about the Leash laws? Are dogs supposed to be leashed on footpaths roads etc? Or is only some states? Does anyone know for sure?

[Dame Aussie]

Am I right about the Leash laws? Are dogs supposed to be leashed on footpaths roads etc? Or is only some states? Does anyone know for sure?

AFAIK all dogs must be on leash unless in an off leash designated area. Pretty sure it's the same everywhere now.

[Tassie]

Am I right about the Leash laws? Are dogs supposed to be leashed on footpaths roads etc? Or is only some states? Does anyone know for sure?

State laws control this, so it could vary from State to State. In Tasmania dogs must be on leash (not longer than 2 metres) when being walked on a public road, no more than 2 dogs per peson, and the person must be in effective control of the dog.

[Diva]

So sad, poor woman.

In the ACT all dogs are required to be leashed in public areas, unless it is a designated off lead area or fenced dog park.

She paid a very high price for breaching a leash law, poor lady. I feel for the driver of the car too.

[kayla1]

What a tragedy.

In my area a lot of people walk their dogs off lead near roads. When I've queried people about this the common responses have been 'my dog never goes on the road' and 'my dog is too well trained'. I think some of them honestly believe (or want to believe) what they are saying and so ignore the risks, and some others just don't care enough to do anything about it.

[OSoSwift]

I see it often as well, it really worries me, dogs are not robots adn I don't care how well trained they are, they can and will go onto roads and they do die as do their owners like this poor lady. RIP.

[BlackJaq]

I feel pretty awful for the person driving the car as well. I don't think you forget something like that easily.

I once ran over a dog eating road kill outside a residence on a hilly corner and never forgot that for sure. The residents of that particular house did not claim the dog and o owner could be found but it was a well taken care of Maltese with a trimmed coat so it was definitely not a stray. Small dogs like that frequently roam the roads out the front of their houses where I live because they tend to be able to fit under or through the fence and so far I have never received a good reaction when knocking on people's doors to alert them to the fact that I nearly hit their dog outside the front of their house.

Apparently only speeding cars can hit dogs....

[Boronia]

There is a woman who walks her unleashed SWF dog every day except Tuesday's and Thursday's, it is on a lead those days as the council dog ranger is here.

[Simply Grand]

So sad, and so avoidable I too feel bad for the driver of the car.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if a dog is good enough to be walked off leash, it's good enough to be walked on leash (meaning if you're sure it's always going to walk reliably next to you where it should be then it's easy enough to clip a leash on).

[Alkhe]

I feel pretty awful for the person driving the car as well. I don't think you forget something like that easily.

I once ran over a dog eating road kill outside a residence on a hilly corner and never forgot that for sure. The residents of that particular house did not claim the dog and o owner could be found but it was a well taken care of Maltese with a trimmed coat so it was definitely not a stray. Small dogs like that frequently roam the roads out the front of their houses where I live because they tend to be able to fit under or through the fence and so far I have never received a good reaction when knocking on people's doors to alert them to the fact that I nearly hit their dog outside the front of their house.

Apparently only speeding cars can hit dogs....

Me too - I also hit a dog once, it's etched in my memory and I think of it often. It was about 8 years ago - two teen girls ran out after it (it bolted out of a house and straight across the road in front of me) and were actually apologising to ME while the dog spasmed in their arms. I will never, ever forget it. :cry:

[hortfurball]

No. The message isn't received well. You get a bunch of reasons why the dog won't stray ... and most of the time they don't. But all it takes is one distraction ..

Older walkers, along with teen, also seem reluctant to clean up after dogs.

I think some older people timewarp back to the days when nobody picked up after their dogs, and teens are 'too cool' to be seen doing it ("Someone I know might see me!")

I've never successfully convinced anyone to leash their dog either, some people are so stubbornly know-it-all they just won't listen to reason. Even if we now told this unfortunate woman's story as a potential 'why', they'd still have the "it won't happen to me/my dog" mentality.

There is a woman who walks her unleashed SWF dog every day except Tuesday's and Thursday's, it is on a lead those days as the council dog ranger is here.

Ridiculous woman. If she can do it on Tuesdays and Thursdays, why can't she do it all the time? She's clearly aware that she's breaking the law. Ranger should change it up a bit and come on random days, that would stuff her.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if a dog is good enough to be walked off leash, it's good enough to be walked on leash (meaning if you're sure it's always going to walk reliably next to you where it should be then it's easy enough to clip a leash on).