On Sunday afternoon at roughly 2:30 pm, two dogs were hit by a slow moving vehicle coming down off Bowen Island Trunk Road turning onto Dorman Road.
The dogs, Dozer (a chihuaha) and Maximus (a rottweiler) belong to Alex Majikk Vallee and Matt Smith, respectively.
Dozer had been standing on the sidewalk on Dorman Road, off-leash, when Maximus jumped out the window of the car where he had been sitting and chased the smaller dog onto the street.
Jewel Maxwell says she arrived at the scene just in time to see a car hit both the dogs as it came around the corner.
“The driver was really upset,” says Maxwell. “If she had been speeding, I am sure both dogs would be dead right now, but fortunately she was driving slowly.”
Maxwell says Sean Olsen jumped into action to help the dogs, and she went up to the ambulance station to seek assistance.
“They gave me a warming pad, two non-adhesive gauzes, and two tensor bandages,” says Maxwell. “And I grabbed a small stick, to use as a splint for Dozer’s leg.”
Maxwell says it looked as though Dozer’s leg might be broken, and he had road rash up to his chest; and Maximus lost the padding on one paw.
Iris Carr from Cawes started making calls to get emergency assistance for Dozer, and found help at the Vancouver Animal Emergency and Referall Centre, downtown.
“Emergency animal hospitals don’t normally offer discounts, but I am very grateful that they did,” says Carr, who paid for the medical help on her personal credit card. “That cost $500.”
Fortunately, Dozer’s leg was not broken, but the dog is suffering from the down-to-the-bone road-rash.
Alex and Dozer came home from the city the day following the accident, and veterinary technician Moira Steward offered to change the dog’s dressing. However, Alex decided to wait, and took dozer to up to the vet’s office at Artisan Square at the first available opportunity.
With vet bills mounting, community members have started donating to a Go-Fund-Me Campaign that aims to raise $1,500 to help pay for all of Dozer’s medical care. People can also donate to Cawes directly (the organization is continuing to cover the cost of the care) by going to the First Credit Union, Iris says that contributors can receive a tax receipt.
Head of Bylaw Services, Bonny Brokenshire, says that while the Municipality has not yet fined anyone for failing to keep their dog leashed in the Cove.
“We start with a warning,” says Brokenshire. “If someone is caught twice, the fine for Dogs at Large starts at $25.”
