Hit a Dog?

A

Angel Chicken

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#1
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COLUMBIA --
It happens too often, pet advocates say: A driver accidentally runs into a dog or a cat, slows briefly, then keeps on driving, leaving a suffering or dead animal behind.

In South Carolina, that soon might be against the law.

A Senate bill filed last week would require any motorist who hits a dog, cat or horse to stop at the scene and report the accident to police so the animal can get treatment. Driving off could mean as much as a $500 fine.
About damned time something like this came through... now if NC would grab that bill too...
 

Sweet72947

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#2
But how are the authorities going to know somebody hit an animal if they drive away to be able to fine them? I guess this law can work if the owner sees it happen, but that doesn't occur much.
 

HoundedByHounds

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Why only dogs and cats? How unfair to squirrels...deer...armadillos. I see them FAR more often....is it because no one owns them? Half the time no one owns the dog or cat, either...

*scratching head here*
 

DryCreek

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#4
Are they also going to fine the owners for allowing their dogs to run free?

Still, some say the well-intentioned proposal might be impractical by:

• Increasing accidents and congestion by forcing drivers to stop even in heavy traffic when a pet is hit.

• Overburdening law enforcement.

• Punishing motorists rather than pet owners who let their animals run unrestrained.

• Creating confrontations between motorists and pet owners.

"It could create more problems than it would resolve," said Republican Sen. Larry Martin.
Apparently not?

I'm also confused about why they include horses and not cows? I've seen more cows wandering free than horses.

After doing a tour to Oklahoma through the central states in Oct, if they included deer in this law, traffic would never move on these highways...I saw so many dead deer on the highways and came darned close to clipping a couple myself. I'm sure if we had kept count during our 4 day driving tour, the number would have been up there.
 

HoundedByHounds

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#5
lots of weirdness with this one. The animal hit suffers many times...regardless of what animal it is domestic, feral, or wild. If the idea is to spare animal suffering then why pick and choose which animals are spared?

I am not convinced this law is a good thing...thanks for the info tho.
 

Miakoda

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I agree.

We've always dealt with clients who brought in their HBC pet only to have them demand answers from us on how to sue the driver who hit their animal. Too bad I always enjoyed telling them that it was THEIR fault that their animal is suffering or dead.

My younger brother hit a 110 lb Labrador Retreiver once. The dog was just running loose as always and bolted right in front of the car and he tried to swerve but it was no good. The dog survived, but lucky me he was in MY car and the damage was almost $1,000. Now honestly, should I have had to be the one to pay that when someone else was breaking the law by letting their animal run loose?

Also, I've hit a deer before, or rather the deer jumped into the passenger side of my car. We couldn't find the deer initially, but there's no way in heck I feel I should be held accountable for something totally unavoidable.
 

Buddy'sParents

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#8
My younger brother hit a 110 lb Labrador Retreiver once. The dog was just running loose as always and bolted right in front of the car and he tried to swerve but it was no good. The dog survived, but lucky me he was in MY car and the damage was almost $1,000. Now honestly, should I have had to be the one to pay that when someone else was breaking the law by letting their animal run loose?

Also, I've hit a deer before, or rather the deer jumped into the passenger side of my car. We couldn't find the deer initially, but there's no way in heck I feel I should be held accountable for something totally unavoidable.
I agree. Its all about putting blame on someone and NOT on the person(s) who really really IS responsible.

Years and years ago, I hit a cat. I was absolutely mortified. My boyfriend at the time was trying to calm me down and I was hysterical.. I demanded he go and try to find the cat... he didn't, so I only assume that the cat was able to make it off the road and hopefully, but probably not, get help.

Whose fault is it, really, that animals get hit by cars? And why only "protect" domesticated animals, why not wild life which in my area, suffers a lot more?

And Mia, I would have been beyond upset to have to pay $1000 worth of damages... I think the owners of the dog should have compensated YOU.
 
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#9
I wonder if this law is going to protect drivers from irate owners. I'm sure the rednecks who blocked the street with their vehicles after a friend of ours hit their dog would love it. It basically vindicates what they did, which was more or less kidnap all of us, as well as threaten the driver's 3-year-old son. A person should have the option to evaluate whether or not it is safe to stop, or there is reason to stop. If another dog runs into the side of my car while the owner is standing right there -- and yes, that has happened to me -- then no, I'm not going to stop just so they can bug me for my info. Let them handle their business.

I also wonder if, since they're requiring people to stop, they're going to assume liability for any damages or injury that result from the person stopping. If someone pulls off on the side of the highway, and gets hit by another motorist for stopping in an unsafe area, who pays? If the animal is highly pissed and attacks the driver, who assumes responsibility? My husband hit a deer, and it wrecked my car. She was tasty, but my car will never be the same. It seems like if we're going to be expected to have some responsibility towards animals that run in the road, there should be a fund that pays for our damages.
 

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