Too many drivers ignored injured dog

Editor:

On Nov. 2 I was driving a company van going towards Ronan through the road construction south of Pablo. The traffic slowed way down from both directions. I spotted something in the middle of the road, then it moved! I stopped my van, turned on the emergency flashers and dialed 911 but kept getting a busy signal. Laying crosswise in the middle of the road was a big male dog, about 80 pounds, badly injured. He was flopping his head and shoulder around like a fish out of water. I will call him Rocky rather than "the dog,"

I tried to stop traffic while frantically dialing 911 over and over. Looking at Rocky I suspected a broken shoulder and pelvis or possibly his back, since he wasn't moving his legs. As I was making these assessments in my head a truck with a 15 license plate decided they just couldn't wait.

He pulled around my van and the car behind me as I was trying to hold Rocky's head up to get a grip to move him. Once this pickup went around me and Rocky, a double tanker couldn't wait either. This tanker drove within inches of both Rocky's head and mine. I remember looking in this driver's face in disbelief, thinking there wasn't enough room to do this safely. I wasn't sure how to move Rocky by myself, I didn't want to injure him further or get bit because he was in pain.

I was holding Rocky's head watching how close the first tanks wheels were from our heads, I looked towards the second tank — it was coming even closer than the first one. I had to move or get hit, I will never forget the look in Rocky's eyes, sheer helpless terror as the wheels to the second tanker came closer to his head, I kept thinking surely he will stop. But he didn't. I wondered if he was deliberately trying to squash Rocky's head or if he just didn't care.

Thankfully a lady behind the tanker stopped to help and she had a blanket. The man driving behind her also got out and helped us lift Rocky up and we put him in her car as she offered to drop him off at the vets.

There was a whole string of local license plates behind my van and behind the tanker but I had to almost get hit myself because no one wanted to get out and stop traffic.

The landscape is changing and the noise from the traffic is confusing to the wildlife and pets. The ending of this story is sad. Rocky was put down because his back was broken.

I thank the lady who took him to the vet and the gentleman who helped load him and South Shore Vet Clinic for taking care of him.

Nita Rae Randles

Moiese