Helping a Dog Hit By a Car

"My dog got hit by a car" is a sentence nobody wants to utter, but unfortunately this happens to dogs every day. In the event that your dog gets struck by a moving vehicle, or in the event that you hit a dog with your own car, read on to learn what you should do in this situation.

My Dog Was Hit by a Car: What Should I Do?

Whether you're the dog's parent, a bystander or the driver of the car, it's likely your first instinct will be to help the dog, but you should approach with caution. Moving an injured dog could make the injuries worse. An injured, frightened or disoriented dog might also be prone to biting even those trying to help. Follow these steps to approach and help a dog hit by a car:

• Stay calm: While your emotions might feel out of control, especially if it's your dog who got hit, it's important not to panic. Not only will keeping a clear head make it easier for both you and those trying to help care for the dog, but dogs pick up on human emotions and look to us for cues on how to feel or react. Keeping calm will help soothe the dog and prevent them from panicking and lashing out.
• Call the police or animal control: This is the responsibility of the driver, noted PetHelpful, who should remain at the scene until help arrives. Leaving the dog without calling for help or attempting to provide care could constitute a hit-and-run and open the driver up to animal cruelty charges. Even if the dog's parent is on site, it's generally recommended that the driver should call in and report the incident in order to cover all the bases. While on the phone, ask them what they recommend doing. While the below are meant to help you guidelines, it is best to always follow the instructions of the experts; they may recommend you take a different course of action.
• Place a muzzle on the dog to prevent bite injuries: This should only be done if the dog isn't vomiting, cautioned the American Veterinary Medical Association, which also suggested using a stocking, towel or roll of gauze in place of a muzzle if one isn't available. Small dogs may be wrapped in a towel or blanket instead — just be careful not to wrap them too tightly and do your best not to move them more than necessary.
• If necessary, move the dog out of the road: Only do this if it can be done without risking your own safety. Otherwise, wait for help to arrive. To move a large dog, carefully slide a board, blanket or towel underneath the animal to use as a stretcher, and slowly and gently lift the dog and carry them to the side of the road.
• Check for identification. If the dog's parent isn't at the scene, do your best to contact them or the veterinarian listed on the dog's ID tag and let them know what happened. If no ID is available and the parent can't be found, wait for police or animal control to arrive and take over.

Once you've followed these steps, the pet's parent can decide where to take the dog for emergency veterinary care. If the parent can't be found, either the driver or a good Samaritan might decide to rush the dog to a vet. Keep in mind that by placing the dog in your vehicle, you will be effectively taking possession of them, and you may be required to pay upfront for the dog's care. While you might be able to recoup the costs from the parent if and when they're tracked down, if this is not a cost you're willing or able to cover, it's best to wait for the police and let them handle it.

Who Is Liable for Costs?

While liability laws differ from one place to the next, in most areas the dog's parent is liable for veterinary costs as well as damage to the driver's vehicle, explained The Balance. While this might not seem entirely just, the reasoning is that it's the parent's responsibility to keep their dog restrained and out of the way of traffic. The exception is whether it can be proved that the driver was either driving recklessly or hit the dog on purpose, in which case the driver might be liable for the value of the dog. Otherwise, the driver may file a claim with their auto insurance provider, which will likely look to the dog parent's home insurance liability coverage to cover the costs of the claim.