Tuesday, November 21, 2006 09:43 AM
Dog death: Why didn't dog killer stop?
Dear Editor,
I could not believe Natalie Gielens's response to the outpouring of sympathy to the family whose beloved basset hound was run over and subsequently died [People are more important than pets, Nov. 17 Letters, Langley Advance].
She's concerned about how the driver may have felt. I'm wondering if she missed the part about this being a hit and run?
Am I ashamed of myself for writing in about this, as Natalie says I should be? No, I am not. My dog and I hope to be off the roads when Natalie is behind the wheel.
Sharon Boehm, Murrayville
Dear Editor,
Natalie Gielens's defence of the killer of the basset hound is pure supposition.
She states that the people who wrote to condemn the death "should be ashamed of themselves." She writes that the driver of the car that killed the dog may not have been able to swerve, as there may have been a car approaching.
That is not the point. The point is that whoever was driving that car had a duty to stop to see if that little animal could be helped. That is what being a decent human being is all about.
Mike Harvey, Langley
Dear Editor:
Natalie Gielens is right: we don't know the situation_ because the person who hit the dog didn't stop to help or apologize or explain the situation. Had the person pulled over helped, I'm sure the owner would have understood it was an accident.
Gandhi said, "A nation and its moral progress can be judged by the manner in which its animals are treated."
I can't say I'm proud of our nation when I hear about the many dogs run over this month.
Tani Dill, Langley
Dear Editor:
Natalie Gielens should think about taking science class again. Human life IS animal life. We are human animals. We are not plants or minerals.
Perhaps she is one of those who think some are created more equal than others, but most of us believe that life is life, whatever two-legged or four-legged form it takes. She does not know or appreciate the value and fragility of a pet's life.
Pamela Rice, Fort Langley
Dear Editor,
Natalie Gielens insensitively asks, "Do they know how that person felt? Do they know the situation? No."
If the driver had stopped to render assistance, an explanation, or just an apology, we'd all know, wouldn't we?
The point is that all life has value, and this person's total disregard for the suffering of the animal, and subsequent emotional suffering of its owners, is callous, cowardly, and disgraceful.
Perhaps the situation was as Ms. Gielens describes. In fact, she seems to have a surprisingly clear description of the circumstances.
Hmm-m-m.
Her advice to "use your heads" is only half the solution - using one's heart must come into play to accept accountability for one's actions, whether accidental or deliberate.
J. Daniels, Langley
published on 11/21/2006
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Tuesday, November 21, 2006 09:43 AM
Search Site: Google
Dog death: Driver relived grief
Dear Editor,
Don't judge someone when you don't have all the facts.
I hit the dog on 192nd St. What your correspondents failed to mention was that a ditch prevented me from swerving to the right, and since it happened on a hill, I was unable to see if anyone was coming towards me, so it was unsafe for me to swerve into the other lane.
The person following behind me was following so closely that, if I slammed on my brakes, I most certainly would have been hit from behind, which would have pushed my car into the dog anyway.
Sorry if I was trying to save my own life and that of the person behind me by avoiding an accident.
I did pull my car over up the road (the ditch prevented me from pulling over right at the scene). I was extremely distraught, and I called my husband to see what I should do. Then I called the SPCA emergency line, where I was told that Langley Pet Services would take care of it, and would find the owners and inform them of what had happened.
I resent your making out that I did not care about this poor animal and what happened. I have cried many tears over this and have played it over and over in my mind. Thank you for making me feel worse than I already did, and for making me relive this nightmare yet again.
Kim H., Langley
published on 11/21/2006