# Will they ever learn!!!!



## ratsaremylife (Nov 5, 2013)

My cousins live on a mountain, they have many pets. They mountain road is a little bit steep and should be driven on slowly. There are also lots of dogs, cats, and children. My aunt and uncle have lived there with my cousins for years. They have some pretty nasty neighbors! One of the neighbors' dogs has killed their cats twice before, they've also had a dog and a cat ran over by an irresponsible driver driving way to fast. One was a dog several years back, the other, more recent, was my cousins beloved kitty, Maple. After Maple, my uncle decided to put up speed bumps to slow drivers down. I just have to mention that they take walks often and it's not safe to have these cars driving so fast. The driver who killed poor Maple started complaining that the speed bumps were ruining his tires so they had to take them down. 

Now tonight, I called them to see what was going on and to talk about rats. I was informed by my uncle that the others weren't home yet and that they wouldn't want to talk b/c they were distruaght after their newest audition to the family had been hit by the same guy who had hit Maple just months before! Now this dog was found starving at a river. They brought him home and nursed him back to health. He was so happy to be part of a family at last. My mum called my uncle back to hear the whole story. Apperantly my uncle had just gotten home from work and let the dogs out to potty, when this car cam barreling up the road. My uncle hollered and waved his arms for the car to slow down but it didn't. When the car hit the dog it didn't even stop. Even after my uncle screamed louder and ran towards the scene. He is leaving tomorrow on a plane and has to wake early so he can try to thaw the ground do he can dig a hole. This has just had me in tears!!! The fact that he didn't even stop, just kept going. They think it's the same guy who's hit their other pets. I wish they could just slow down, this guy goes like 50 when he be going around 20 mph. They won't go confront him either since he's probably crazy.

Sorry for such a long post but I needed to talk to somebody. This dog was part of my family as all as there's. He was my favorite breed to, a cocker Spanial. There are kids running around, they need to be more careful about their driving for sure.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Sylver (Sep 5, 2013)

Unfortunately, these things happen, especially out in the country.

It will never solve the problem to simply say 'they need to drive slower', because you cannot control other people. And even if they could get this one guy to stop driving so fast, it wouldn't do anything else for other people who would likely do the same thing. 

That is why it is of the utmost importance, if someone lives in a place with no fence, and even considers letting their dogs out to run, they have to be sure that they have perfect recall - that is when someone says "ROVER, COME!", there is not an ounce argument or hesitation, Rover turns around and comes hastily, even if it means leaving the world's most smelliest and funnest thing. Otherwise, they NEED to be on a leash. Cats are harder, because they tend to be kept outside as rat/mouse catchers, and don't care to learn recall, so they tend to get hit more often if they are near a road.

Very sorry to hear about their pooch. That was always probably the worst thing about living in the country, so often having animals killed on the road. Had 2 pets go that way myself, one cat who was miserable unless she was let outside (was indoor/outdoor before we got her), and a border collie to whom fences and chains were just funny jokes, things to break and jump over (sometimes both in the same stride). And that was down in the town, 25mph zone.


----------



## anawelch (Sep 25, 2013)

My coworker solved this problem by installing invisible electric fences. The kept the shock collars on the dogs for about two weeks and even after they took them off they never went near the road again. It sounds inhumane but honestly a little shock is better than being hit by a car.

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Andyurgay (Jun 10, 2013)

Could also try just putting the dogs on a line staked into the ground. We had a husky/wolf when I was a kid and no amount of training could make him come back once he escaped. But we put him on a long 30 foot line staked to the yard and that combined with walks and lots of playing was enough exercise for him and we never had a problem with him getting away after that. They have some lines that are even longer than 30 feet and able to hold a huge dog pretty securely.


----------



## ratsaremylife (Nov 5, 2013)

All that isn't really an option. Thanks though. Our dogs don't run away or get hit. They take walks with their dog and like to have them when they walk through the woods. This was a newer young dog that didn't know recall but their other dog does.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------

