November 5, 2009
I wanted to share an incident that happened to me last Friday requiring my canine first aid skills.
Two dogs got out of their yard and were running on Fraser Highway, an extremely busy street in Surrey, BC. A speeding car hit both dogs (the young female driver was texting while driving). I arrived on the scene to find two people bent down on the highway trying to tend to the situation.
One dog was hit in the back end and limped off dragging her hind quarters behind her. The other was lying on the road with severe head trauma. I grabbed my first aid kit and a towel plus a collapsable traffic cone I had in my car, and ran to the scene --after all, I am a DOGSAFE grad and trained in canine first aid!
Unfortunately, I arrived too late for the one dog, but because of my Dogsafe canine first aid skills, I was able to calm the people around me and take control of the situation. I got the dog off the street, and called animal control and the police. Thanks for the contact lists. I was amazed how calm I was in this tragic situation.
I went in search of the other dog, with a man who was first on the scene. He found the other dog huddled under a stack of old wood. I instructed him how to approach the dog for his own safety until I got there (thank god for the walkie talkies I had in my car). The dog had an injured hip and leg, a low pulse and was going into shock. I was able to stabilize the dog, splint her leg and back end and remove her from her "safe place" using my jacket as a stretcher.
It was bitter sweet, as one dog lost his life, but the other dog is going to make it. The owner was very grateful (we found him by knocking on doors in the neighbourhood) that his dogs were well cared for in such a tragic situation.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for what you do.
Kim Howcroft
DOGSAFE Graduate, March 28, 2009
