What would you do?

[U2Kitten]

I am struggling with what to do about something and I wanted someone else's input. Please tell me what is the best thing to do.

My neighbors have lost their beloved chihuahua, and have signs up all over of her offering rewards. Driving up the road that leads from our neighborhood to town, and I saw a squashed animal on the side of the road. Being that I own and know so many animals, I was sad, and grossed out, but had to see if it was anybody I knew. It was smooshed very flat, and it would have been beyond recognition except for one little paw and the face- clearly the face of a brown chihuahua. It has been a couple days now, and obviously they didn't see this because new signs went up last night.

Now, I don't know what to do. Should I call them or go over (I know where they live but we don't know each other well at all) and tell them to check the poor creature on the road, or not? I don't want to. Having had animals vanish before, and finding some dead, has made me feel that if it were mine, I wouldn't want to know, I'd rather hold out some hope that it was taken in by some old lady or kid who never let it out. What good could possibly come from knowing, especially considering they'd need a a paint scraper to retrieve the body? I also feel sooner or later, they will see it, or someone else will tell them, and it won't have to be me. Or maybe they will never find out, and that might be best. Do you agree?

 

[zoney!]

Can you post a "anonymous" note on their door or something?


I hate to laugh, but my sick sense of humor told me to snicker at your description of the small "flattened" animal on the side of the road.

 

[U2Kitten]

I would do that if it weren't my neighborhood, but the idiots around here are such busybodies, nosey, staring out the window and making up rumors types, I know one of them would see me and spread it around that either I killed the dog or was sneaking around guilty of something. There is no way I wouldn't be seen. Too many nosey losers around here

 

[Mullen-Girl]

Well maybe if they don't figure it out maybe you should mail them a note or something? just don't put a return address on there. Just a suggestion

 

[Catman]

Wow...this is a tough predicament, U2Kitten. If I were your neighbors, and it was my cat instead of their dog, what would I do? Hmm...


Well, I surely would like to have hope that my cat is alive. I mean, it would be the only thing keeping the tears fleeting from the sockets of thine eye Then again, though, I'd also like to believe that my cat would never wonder off far enough so that it'd forget about me or whatever (I tend to give animals the benefit of doubt regarding human emotions). I mean, I'd be really hurt if my cat ditched me for another family.

HOWEVER, if I found out the last moments of my cat's life was frantically scurrying about on the highway, only to be flattened to death at the hands of an unwarranted automobile, well, I wouldn't be so much happy with that, either.

In the end, though, I guess considering how both situations are neither of what I'd wish for, the best bet might be, unfortunately, to tell them what happened


Sorry to hear about the chihuahua

 

[Bonochick]

I know that if it was my pet who was missing, I would want to know...just so that I knew. Otherwise I'd be forever wondering whatever happened to my beloved pet. It would hurt, but it would end their search where they would ultimately come up empty.

 

[Sicy]

I would want to know too. I think you should tell them, somehow, annonymously if you have to. How sad

 

[U2Kitten]

I used to think I wanted to know, until it did happen to me, and then I thought maybe I'd have been better off to not know But you're all right, they should know, and I'll have to find a way to tell them. If the signs are still up tommorrow, I'll know they don't know and I'll have to do something.

I do wonder how it got there, though. If it was a house dog, and it got out, it might have been freaked out and started running. It might have followed some kids walking down the road, or the last possibility I don't want to believe, that someone took her there This is about a fourth of a mile from where the people live, and it's not into the quiet neighborhood, but up on the busy road, so I wonder It is such a sad story. I know they will be devastated however they find out.

You know, I just thought too, it might be the best thing to let them know before they come upon the scene themselves unprepared

Thanks

 

[Northeast]

if it was me I wouldn't want to know. I guess just thinking my dog was taken in by someone nice is a comforting thought.....do they have kids? That would be easier for the kids to take then hearing their dog was killed. ....but thats not the truth...if you did tell them what happened they could grive for this little dog but maybe begin thier lives again with a new one??

 

[Mr. BAW]

It happened to me a number of years pre-BAW... our cat was missing for several days and that wasn't like her...anyway, some neighbor kids came and told us that they had seen her laying out by the highway... we were comforted in the fact that despite the fact that she was hit by a car that we knew she was not roaming loose, hungry, maybe beat up and hurt....speaking from experience, I think your neighbor would really benefit from knowing... good luck!

 

[U2Kitten]

sorry about your cat Mr. BAW

I'm not sure if they have kids, if they do, this could really disturb the kids

A few years ago when I had my dog come up missing, and someone callled to tell me they saw him laying up on the highway dead, it really upset me. I would rather have never known. There was a little girl down the street that he always played with, and she loved him so much I debated if I should tell her or not. Her mother told me not to tell her the truth, it would give her nightmares. But she would still go around yelling for him, and always asked me until the day she moved if he had come back. She looked so sad, and said, why did he leave me and her if he loved us? Maybe after all it would have been better to tell her the truth, so she'd know he DID love her, and he'd be with her if he could

Then I remembered another little girl in another place I lived. Her parents got her a cat but got it declawed and he would still go outside! One morning the father found him in the front yard dead. Unable to defend himself, he had been killed by another animal, I don't know what kind The man decided not to tell her (she didn't live with him, only came on weekends, custody thing) and just say he ran away. She believed him, but she kept looking for the cat and when the mean boys of the neighborhood told her what really happened, she was hurt and angry. Her dad tried to lie out of it and say the boys were lying, but there were too many. It's so hard to know what's right to tell someone.

All these sad animal stories are getting to me One thing happens and all the rest come flooding back. I have so many, I can really tear myself up.

 

[Sicy]

No more sad animal stories please

 

[ABEL]

i think i would want to know too...i guess it depends on how comfortable you feel as to if you decide to tell them anonymously or not. just tell them you think you saw the dog, and where, but you're not sure if it's theirs.

if you are going to tell them, you should do it sooner than later so at least they can investigate the remains (if it is still there) and determine if it is their pet. if you wait too long, the highway department or whoever cleans the street may pick up the remains and they may have no way of knowing either way.

perhaps if they go investigate the remains, it may turn out not to be their doggie after all, but i think they'd rather have some sort of closure if it is, rather than wondering for years and years whatever became of the doggie.

 

[meegannie]

I think I would want to know, for the reasons Mr.BAW stated. I had a cat that ran away when my mom moved from Michigan to Indiana, and I always worried about what happened to him, especially since he was declawed (by previous owners, we got him from a shelter because he was a bit agressive with most people beause of past abuse).

It's unlucky for you that it was you who found the dog, but lucky for them that it's someone who's obvioiusly sensitive about it. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

 

[The_Sweetest_Thing]

i would tell them.


Years back, my dog (not my current dog) ran away for a few days. I was about 10 or so when it happened. The saddest and scariest thing was going out night after night, looking for him, calling his name, and worrying.

Lo and behold, three days later we drive up to our house to find him sitting in our driveway. I was so happy, I cried. My mother, however, grabbed the dog and rushed him to the vet. While he was gone he had been beaten--badly. A huge chunk of his ear was missing and he was incredibly bloody. He was shaved right down to the skin by the vet and given stitches. It was incredibly sad.

Now...I would never want to know that my animal had been through all that, still holding out hope for their return. I think they're better off knowing so that they can have some closure, instead of wondering and imagining all the fates that could befall such a small dog.

 

[lucky charms]

oh how sad

I know I would tell them..losing a pet is just as bad as losing a loved one. They are part of the family but I know I would want to know - closure is important. It seems kind of cruel to allow them to have false hope..and you never know...they could find out that the animal you found alongside the road isnt their pet...but to allow them to suffer and to worry and to wonder, I dont know seems a bit cruel - even though I know it is out of respect that you wouldn't say anything to them and you feel bad for them..I think I would rather know.

but that is very sad..I had a chihuahua when I was younger..poor thing..was run over at the house by my brother..he was so upset..he just didnt see him..we buried him under his favourite tree..(((hugs)))

 

[U2SJ]

U2kitten- I think I would tell them if I were you, as hard as it may be.
I just know that on New Years Eve 6 years ago, my brothers dog Tanner got out of the yard because he was scared of the fireworks in the neighborhood, and my brother searched for him all night long. The next day he put signs up everywhere.
We all searched for Tanner for like 3 days, my brother was just so upset not knowing what happened to him. Then he got a phone call from a couple who on New Years Eve had seen a brown dog get hit by a car about 2 blocks from our house.
My brother held out hope that it wasn't Tanner, but went to the humane society anyways just to make sure he wasnt there, sadly he found Tanner there and had to identify his body.
He came home with Tanners collar, and even though he was devastated, he was thankful that this couple told him what happened so he could have some closure.
at all these sad stories

 

[bonosloveslave]

I think I would want to know.....