A recent weekend we had a family gathering which included two much-loved dogs. One of the dogs was out touring and was hit by a passing car and ultimately died.

For the three children, our explanations about accidents and life events were amazingly well received amid lots of tears, adults and children alike. What we avoided with the children was the question of the driver’s response to this incident.

Had we been in the house, we would not have heard the very loud thud of the impact nor the dog’s piercing yelp. The dog would have lain there in agony.

The driver had to have known of this collision. Who drives away from something like this? True, the driver couldn’t have saved the dog. However, that person could have made sure that someone was responsible and could have offered an explanation.

I would hope that our family’s experience will remind drivers of the connectedness our actions have on the community, the empathy that makes us human. And yes, the unthinkable crossed our minds: “one of the children.”

The road is posted at 25 mph and our responsibility for the whereabouts of the dog is noted and we still have our question: driver’s responsibility? Local law enforcement assured me that the driver is responsible for stopping, for making an attempt to contact someone: owner, Humane Society, police.

Doreen Valverde and family
Poulsbo