Laws Concerning Hitting Dogs

[l.michelle]

So on Saturday night I am in a different city far from home. Around 10 my boyfriend and I and our two friends were just going into a convenience store, we saw a large dog by the side of the road, my boyfriend saw it start to run across, so he grabbed me be the ears (covering them) and threw my face into his chest and covered my ears. I still heard the thump and the dog whining and whatnot. The WORST sound I have heard in my life. I stood there screaming with his hands still covering my ears, then went to my friend while the two guys (my bofyriend and my friend's boyfriend) went across the street, the dog took off. I talked to the store owner who said he would call animal control who would call police, but they somtimes take hours to get there. Meanwhile the man that hit the dog was across the road where other people had stopped, was screaming and cursing at them, got in his pick up truck and drove off. We got the licence plate number. An Ambulance drove up to the store (unaware of what had happend, they were stopping for a snack) so I went over and told them what had happened, and if they could get the police there any quicker, the man was so nice and did, the ambulance also drove around slowly looking for the dog. My boyfriend and his friend searched for well over an hour with a flashlight but couldn't find the dog, he had run in between two houses at this group of home where all the backyards connect, they searched non stop with a man that lived there and his dog came along. When the police finally came we told them what happened, and that the man had just driven away, they said there is really nothing they could do about it.

I am confused about this, I thought that you can be charged if you leave a wounded animal, isn't it considered animal cruelty? Another thing that sickened me, the store owner told me that that dog had been wandering around all day, and that it had been sitting on the front porch of the hosue across the street (where the dog had been running to) and that they were feeding the dog. My boyfriend had told me that the people across the street had called the dog over, that's why he was going across. Thsoe people denied it was their dog, so they wouldn't get in trouble.

I thought though, that hitting an animal and leaving it is against the law. I know that here in Canada if you hit a deer you are supposed to (by law) wait until the police arrive. Though, depending on when they do, some person may have already claimed the deer.

What is the laws like where you live concernign this situation? And can anyone who lives in Canada or Ontario or anyone who knows the laws here tell me? I am still so disturbed about this.

 

[The-Wolf]

for the UK
Failing to Stop/Give Particulars after an accident (AC10) (AC20)

The Offence
Being the driver of a mechanically propelled vehicle, owing to the presence of which on a road an accident occurred whereby personal injury or damage was caused to another person or another vehicle or an animal not in the vehicle, or property on or near the road, then failed to stop or on being required by a person to give your name and address and the name and address of the owner and the identity mark of the vehicle, failed to do so.

Maximum Penalty
6 months imprisonment and/or fine not exceeding Level 5 (£5000)
Endorsement with 5-10 penalty points
Discretionary disqualification

Comment
You only have to stop and give your particulars if someone (other than you) or something (not in the other vehicle) is injured in the incident, or if you cause any damage to another vehicle or to anything else on or by the roadside (eg a lampost, fence or wall).

The likelihood of being imprisoned increase with the severity of the accident and if there is both a failure to stop and a failure to report the accident, if
a) the Court believes that this was because you were trying to avoid a breath test, or
B) when serious injury is caused.

If you can satisfy the Court that you were unaware that an accident had occurred this may be a defence to the charge.

Taken from
http/www.lawontheweb.co.uk/crimertogeneral.htm

The level of somepeoples cruelty never ceases to amaze me.
I suffer greatly from a fear of dogs, but even I would've stopped and tried to do something

 

[KathyM]

I don't know about anywhere else, but in the UK you have to report it within 24 hours to the police if you hit a dog (of course a lot of dogs run over are not reported). What I've always found awful is you don't have to do the same for a cat. One of our old cats was hit by a car less than 20 yards from the front door (old house, long time ago). He had a tag on with his full address and our phone number on, but whoever hit him lay him at the side of the road and left him to die.

 

[Squid]

I suffer greatly from a fear of dogs, but even I would've stopped and tried to do something

Ironic Wolfy

Squid..

 

[Squid]

I don't know about anywhere else, but in the UK you have to report it within 24 hours to the police if you hit a dog (of course a lot of dogs run over are not reported). What I've always found awful is you don't have to do the same for a cat. One of our old cats was hit by a car less than 20 yards from the front door (old house, long time ago). He had a tag on with his full address and our phone number on, but whoever hit him lay him at the side of the road and left him to die.

Cats are put in the same category was most wildlife, as they are pretty free to roam around like most wildlife. A dog is classed as different as it is usually kept on a lead. Although as we know, thats down to the owner and how they train the dog. Sometimes its the owner who should be kept on a lead.

Sorry about your cat though

Squid

 

[The-Wolf]

Ironic Wolfy

how is that ironic?
Wolves are not dogs. Wolves have a fear of mankind, dogs do not.
I'd happily face a pack of wolves than somebodys 'pet' dog

 

[KathyM]

Cats are put in the same category was most wildlife, as they are pretty free to roam around like most wildlife. A dog is classed as different as it is usually kept on a lead. Although as we know, thats down to the owner and how they train the dog. Sometimes its the owner who should be kept on a lead.

Sorry about your cat though

Squid

Thanks - it was a long time ago now. But it's true that ats are not allowed the privelege of being covered by the law in this respect. They don't have any legal protection from theft either as they are classed as a wild animal from the minute they leave your house, but don't come under the protection of the Wildlife Act (I think it's that that prevents people taking in wild animals). They get a very rough deal legally. When Dodge (one of our current cats) was missing, the police told me that even if we had proof of theft, legally there's nothing they can do, as a cat is not your property any more once it leaves your house.

 

[Squid]

Ironic Wolfy

how is that ironic?
Wolves are not dogs. Wolves have a fear of mankind, dogs do not.
I'd happily face a pack of wolves than somebodys 'pet' dog

I'm only playing chap..

What is it about dogs that you don't like.. have you been bitten?

Squid

 

[PlecMama]

The car in front of us ran a fox over and left it, I carried him to the side of the road, to the grass, and sat with him, he obviously wasn't going to make it, but I felt he needed another soul with him for his last moments, nothing should die on it's own in such a horrible way. I had my hand on his chest when his heart stopped beating then I got back in my car and we left. Nothing else to do.

Cars are far too hard and far too fast. Nothing stands a chance. Had that been a child, that driver would never have stopped in time.

The law is there but it depends if people have regard for it. They should concentrate more on the drivers, and people should stop fussing about speed cameras. If they are not speeding, they have nothing to fear. I am probably very alone in that feeling, but I have a four year old and a silly black dog, I don't let go of either of them anywhere even close to a road.

 

[rdd1952]

The car in front of us ran a fox over and left it, I carried him to the side of the road, to the grass, and sat with him, he obviously wasn't going to make it, but I felt he needed another soul with him for his last moments, nothing should die on it's own in such a horrible way.

I know why you did what you did but that is terribly dangerous with any animal that has been hit by a car and isn't dead and especially a wild one. Almost all animals that have been hurt can become very violent when you try to pick them up and foxes are big carriers of rabies. Fortunately, it sounds as if he was too badly injured to fight you.

I'm not sure what the laws are in the US. I have hit several dogs and cats in my lifetime (I'm 54) but fortunately the last time was quite a few years ago. There was absolutely nothing I could have done to prevent hitting any of them though. They came out of nowhere into my path and I had hit them before I could even react. I always stopped but most times there were no homes around and the animal ran on off into the surrounding area. The only time I did know who it belonged to, I told them.

One thing you should never do though is swerve to avoid hitting an animal. I'm not sure if that is a law in the US or on certain states but it probably should be. Unfortunately, in Dec. of 2005, a woman was killed near Charlotte, NC by a driver who swerved to avoid hitting a squirrel and hit nd killed her (see story here). None of us ever wants to hit an animal, especially someones pet but we also don't want to cause a wreck that takes a human life either.