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People, please secure your pets!
Thursday, October 8, 2009 6:35 AM PDT
I witnessed another killing on Sept. 24. It wasn't my first, and sadly it won't be my last.
Who is to blame? The people who do not make sure their animals are secured before they go to work, or just let them roam; the people who dump off their pets when they no longer want to care for them; or the drivers who drive too fast on the residential streets, are not aware of their surroundings, and do not even bother to slow down, brake or swerve when a lost or confused animal runs out in the streets.
This death was particularly hard because it was so obvious there were dogs in the street. Other cars had stopped or slowed, and there was an animal shelter official trying to get a little dog out of the street to where it could be safe. One car drove through all this action without even slowing. The little dog didn't have a chance.
Central Avenue is both business and residential. And I see too many dogs, big and small, running loose in and out of the street (cats too). Thirty-five miles per hour is too fast for some parts of this street; too many people go faster. I'm sure other streets have the same problem.
Please people, be sure to secure your pets. Or, if you don't want them, take them somewhere they can be safe. And more important, drivers be alert. Watch the road and slow down for animals big and small. One day it could be a child instead of someone's pet.
Sylvia Hertz
Lodi
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Lodian wrote on Oct 9, 2009 11:45 AM:
sven31 wrote on Oct 9, 2009 8:35 AM:
You learn at that big rain storms bring out the opossum who almost ask to be run over. If they want to avoid flattening, they need to move faster.
In the spring when they fill the canals, watch out for skunks.
If there is a dead animal on or next to the road, watch out for turkey buzzards.
(This might also apply to hawks and owls)
And because of the losers who think outside the city limits is the dump or the transfer station or don't cover their loads or poor theives, I've moved or picked up things like complete tool boxes (with tools), wrenches of all sorts, a wheel chair, a lift device for handicapped people, many mattresses and tvs and tires and on and on.
I was just having fun with the elephant thing Lodian. I know you took it that way. But like people who learn to drive in snow, if you grow up in the country, you learn other driving tactics. I can't (won't) drive in the snow, but you ought to see me avoid a roof. "
sven31 wrote on Oct 9, 2009 8:23 AM:
I was just responding to your absolute statement about never swerving to avoid a pet (or did you say animal). I didn't grow up and learn to drive in the city and on county roads you encounter all sorts of stuff you would never see on city streets (living and non-living).
Save for the Hwy 99 dog, the animals I have hit have all been in the county where speeds are generally higher but the roads narrower. I've "shared" the road with cattle (including many big old steers), horses, sheep, coyotes, rabbits (jack- and cute little fury - types), and goats. I guess I should include the deer I almost hit one night on Hwy 88 near the Mokelumne.
Out there, it may not be the problem of cleaning small animals from the undercarriage, hitting a larger animal may mean your life, if not substantial body work.
I grew up learning to swerve out of neccessity.
By the way, as the number of coyotes went up, the number of rabbits have decreased dramatically. "
Acampo_Mom wrote on Oct 8, 2009 7:10 PM:
Well, I'm glad I didn't run over the rat, the resulting mess would NOT have been fun to clean off the undercarriage of my car.
I've seen a few animals get hit by cars. It breaks my heart every time. I always swerve if it is safe to do so. Sometimes, it just isn't. "
Lodian wrote on Oct 8, 2009 7:05 PM:
I totally agree with your plea! Dogs and cats escape now and then, things happen, but the people that are careless or allow their pets to roam the neighborhood are irresponsible pet owners that purposely put their pets at risk of being run over. I guess they just don't care. "
Lodian wrote on Oct 8, 2009 6:59 PM:
sven31 wrote on Oct 8, 2009 5:11 PM:
I've hit a dog on 99 by charter way many years ago. I slowed as much as possible but wasn't about to have some Kenworth run over the me and my VW.
I've hit cats and rabbits and skunks. Each time I would have stopped if possible, swerved if safe. Each time, avoidance wasn't a safe option. I have braked and swerved to keep from hitting animals. If other drivers think I'm an AH for that, TS. If your driving safely
you shouldn't collide with me what ever move I make. If your unrestrained kid hits your windsheild because I braked for a cat, let that be a lesson. Put your kid in his/her car seat securely.
I have seen mothers in their Suburbans with their un-secured kids talking on the phone and eating cup a soup. Who would be at fault if she hit me because there was a canary in my lane? "
sven31 wrote on Oct 8, 2009 5:03 PM:
How about if the pet was an elephant?
No that's stupid. how about a big old steer? I don't know if it's in the MVC, not having the right to NOT swerve seems to run counter to the safety if any of the top two animals are in the road.
Maybe a better policy (and I would love to get a ticket for it) would be to swerve if possible AND safe. Otherwise, some people (morons mostly) will be looking to run down Tiger or Fido. "
Lodian wrote on Oct 8, 2009 4:21 PM:
alumn95 wrote on Oct 8, 2009 4:11 PM:
Inquisitor wrote on Oct 8, 2009 1:44 PM:
Mazie wrote on Oct 8, 2009 10:26 AM:
Mazie wrote on Oct 8, 2009 10:19 AM:
Mazie wrote on Oct 8, 2009 10:18 AM:
wtf wrote on Oct 8, 2009 9:19 AM:
Jerome R. Kinderman wrote on Oct 8, 2009 8:54 AM:
The responsibility for pets rests solely on owners, and no one and nothing else.
But I do wonder about two other statements you made regarding people and animals. Had that little dog not been "a cute little thing" would you have thought differently regarding its value? More disturbing is your apparent disregard for people who have not yet entered into their golden years. I recall you (or someone else perhaps) making that same claim not too long ago, and even then it disturbed me. You haven't changed, huh?
Would you think differently about old-timers if you learned that because of their inability to react quickly, it might be their pets that find their way into the streets? "
Mazie wrote on Oct 8, 2009 6:46 AM:
Comments on this story are now closed.