This weekend, my dog Molly was hit by a car in McLean, Virginia. Molly (shown here after teaching one of my classes) is still in intensive care but is expected to survive. However, it will take a while for me to get over my anger toward the driver who left my son on the side of the road after hitting our dog.
Molly got off the leash while being walked by Benjamin down Westermoreland Avenue in McLean. She was hit by a large SUV and collapsed in the street. The man driving the SUV stopped and expressed concern to Benjamin and then left my son with his dog. Fortunately, a nurse with an animal welfare hospital was driving by and stopped to assist Ben as I rushed to the scene. I could not be more thankful to the nurse. (A second man who just also happened to work at an animal hospital lived in the house next to the accident and also came out and was wonderful). However, when I arrived on the scene (dragging my own broken foot from an accident the day before), the driver had long ago left the scene. A shocked witness said he checked his car for damage and expressed concern before taking off. He gave no explanation and just left the accident scene without leaving his name or number.
There was never any question in our minds of suing. Our dog got off her leash. It was our fault. However, I cannot imagine any man leaving a boy on the side of the road with a dog that he hit, even if another man had come to assist. It was a disgraceful act, particularly since the driver did not know if the other man would stay with Benjamin. He just got in his jumbo SUV and carried on with his day. This is someone who desperately needs to look at his priorities and consider the lack of humanity shown in leaving a terrified 13-year-old boy cradling his seriously injured dog on the side of the road. Since I arrived within minutes, he could not have lingered long at the scene. His departure also prevented us from knowing the speed of the accident or any other details — information that the hospital wanted to have.
My faith in humanity however was restored by the two men who stayed with Benjamin. We put Molly in my car and rushed to the hospital. She was in shock and her breathing was beginning to fail. Sean, the nurse from McLean Animal Hospital, caught up to me in his truck and told me to follow him to the hospital to be sure that I did not get lost. I would have gotten lost without him. The other man from the house was equally kind and helpful. They both helped carry Molly to my car. I am in their debt.
We have been visiting Molly in the Hope Animal Hospital, which has 24-hour care. She is now standing for short periods. She has serious bruising and some bleeding internally as well as a torn up side. She also has four fractured ribs. She still is unable to breath on her own without the help of an oxygen tank. However, she is showing improvement and was able to stand and walk this morning. She is one tough dog. She did not cry once through this whole ordeal. We hope to have her home in a couple of days once she is breathing on her own.
I’m very sorry for Molly and that Benjamin had to experience. As a bike commuter I can attest that drivers are too inattentive on Westmoreland for kind of road and neighborhood it is. Leaving Ben and Molly without helping is just unconsionable.
I would be less quick to judge. He did stop, and stayed until someone else was present. We cannot know why he left. Do you know for a fact that he had not just received a call that his child had been taken to the hospital? Or some similar emergency? Do you know for a fact that if he had satyed he would not have missed a business appointment that would result in him being fired from a job that he just got two weeks ago after being jobless for eighteen months? But we are quick to call him a coward and curse him for leaving.
Back in the early 70’s I lived in Manhattan. Coming home one night, about 7:00pm, a large mongrel dog ran into the street and I couldn’t avoid hitting it. I got out and with the dog was a disheveled and dirty young man in tears over the injury to his dog. I put them both in my car and drove them uptown to the famed Animal Medical Center. This animal hospital located in the tony East Side of Manhattan was quite expensive so I stayed with the boy because I knew he couldn’t pay the bill and also would have no way to get home. Luckily the dog had a minor fracture to its right front leg and they put it into a cast.
Finally, the dog was returned to us about 3:00 am and I drove the boy and his dog back to their tenement on the Lower East Side. The bill came to about $400, which I of course paid. What I did was not a heroic act, or even one I should be praised for, it was merely what a human being should do if they even accidentally cause pain to another leaving them in distress. Some humans, like the man who drove away leaving your dog and your son, simply do not seem capable of developing much empathy for other humans, or animals. Nor do the seem capable of accepting even a modicum of personal responsibility.
Smom:
man, you must be in really good shape or you have a fat Dachshund.
Our pets are part of our families as Elaine said. One of our dogs got out the another night and took off running. Fortunately, I can still run pretty fast and was able to catch up with her before she was injured. Hope Molly has a speedy recovery.
Cowards come in all shapes and sizes and I suppose it shouldn’t surprise any of us that a man who could not bring his intellect to bear on his own fear could also not set that fear aside to comfort a young boy in distress. Perhaps, upon reflection, he will come forward for no other reason than to find out if the boy and his dog are alright. If not, then cowardice is stamped on his soul and the hallmark of his character. (Not to mention that his SUV will stick out like a sore thumb should he drive through the neighborhood again)
On the other-hand, one knave was offset by two good knights and a father in pain who literally came running to the scene. That should help Benjamin in coming to terms with the reality of human nature.
Blessings on Molly and Benjamin and all those who helped them in their time of need.
What a terrible thing to do to a child! It must have been a traumatic experience for Benjamin. I hope Molly has a quick recovery. Our pets are part of our families.
JT:
Sorry to hear about Molly. She’s in good hands with Dr. Ahmad. Keep us posted.
Is it considered leaving the scene of an accident if identification was not left?
First. Let us know if ya get an address for the guy who hit the dog. We have a dogpac in that town.
Second. Rest assured that when that guy’s time comes and he goes to meet his maker at the Pearly Gates, it will be one of those days when Saint Peter is out playing golf and has a stand-in. It will be a dog. This guy is going to hell. No probation, no limbo for a fat slob in an an SUV who runs over a dog and flees.
What a horrible event. I hope both Molly and your son Benjamin recover from this ordeal!
Condolences to the family, and hope for a full recovery for Molly.
@ Porkchop,
” I guess the lesson from all of this is that there are two kinds of people in the world, the ones who will stop for a dog and the ones who won’t.”
X 1010
The goodness of people, and kindness of strangers, are not traded on the stock markets, nor a currency recognized by banks.
Kudos to the ones that helped JT. You and your son (and dog) were helped by them. I imagine these samaritans were also raised and lightened in their day by their acts.
The guy that left….. not so much.
Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery for Molly. I hope this doesn’t damage Benjamin’s faith in humanity. I wish there were more people like the two men who helped.
JT —
She’s in good hands, and it sounds like she is doing well.
Coincidentally, about 20 years ago our Labrador retriever, also named Molly, was struck by a car after the UPS guy left our gate open. Some good samaritans stopped to help; the driver didn’t. In our case that included two nurses leaving work at the nearby hospital, who applied their human medical skills to keep her alive, and a local businessman who stopped and pulled a blanket for her out of the back of his SUV. She ended up in the same 24-hour facility. She was with us for another ten years. I hope you have at least that good a result.
I guess the lesson from all of this is that there are two kinds of people in the world, the ones who will stop for a dog and the ones who won’t.
Wow, that must be a rough time for you & the family. I appreciate getting to ‘meet’ you on this blog. The blogs are excellent, particularly in relation to our rapid loss of freedoms these days.
Molly:
As one dog to another, I you get back on all 4 paws soon.
When I was about your son’s age, I watched a school bus hit my sweet dog. She recovered 100%, thankfully. I hope the same is true for Molly!
I hope Molly recovers. Keep us updated.
No, I can’t imagine this either. But then some people don’t care — or have so much that’s important to them they disregard others’ feelings.. Most of all, here’s to Molly’s full recovery, and to Benjamin again finding faith in humanity.