Ode to Halle Jo

Boy, there's nothing that hurts more than losing a pet.  I remember when my cat Frankie died.  I was a mess for months.
But, there is something that ranks right up there in the pet world... and that's being the cause of a pet's death (and I'm talking dogs and cats here...).
I've hit two dogs since I've had my driver's license. I'm sorry to say that I killed them both.
About ten years ago, I hit a doberman pincer pup...  What I remember most about the situation was that I had three kids (ages 6-12) in the car. I think we all ended up in tears.
This past Saturday, I hit a black lab pup, a really beautiful black lab pup (a big gangly dog... not very old.)
Just like the time before, the dog (whose name I would later learn was Halle Jo...) came running full-speed onto a busy highway and there was just no way to miss her.
From the sound alone I knew it was bad, even before I looked into my rear-view mirror and could see the poor dog's tail wagging. 
I got out of the car and immediately burst into tears, making my way toward the dog. 
A van pulled in behind me and a guy got out. (Funny, I couldn't tell you a thing about what he looked or even sounded like. I just remember he was there to help.) And he did, bless his heart... We pulled the dog off to the side of the road (it was a really busy highway.)  By that time she had died.
I searched for a tag and phone number. I dialed the number but I couldn't even speak.
Mercifully, the line was busy.
It was just about then that I heard a voice calling, "Halllllllle!" "Halllllllllle"
I made my way toward it, heading down the country road praying that it wouldn't belong to a child.
A woman came running toward me, tears streaming down her face.  Apparently, "Halle Jo" had gotten spooked and took off running.
"Did you hit her?" the woman asked me between racking sobs.
I wasn't much better... I could only nod and say, "I'm so sorry...."
"Is she dead?" she asked.
Once again I could only nod.
The woman took Halle Jo in her arms and just wept.
I wanted to be just about anywhere but there.

Later I would learn that the woman was dog-sitting for her nephew.  He had left Halle Jo with her while he went to the Brickyard in Indy.
I just felt sick for them all...

Comments

[H!]

I can't believe you had to find out his/her name!!!! That is the absolute saddest thing I've ever read! I've hit a couple of dogs .... neither one was alive by the time I got stopped and could look a them. ONE of them was murdered by my car IN FRONT OF THE OLD PERSON's HOUSE!!!! Oh my gosh it was so traumatic. All the way home I expressed my grief in terms like ....STUPID PERSON...WHY DO YOU LET YOUR DOG RUN LOOSE!!! NOW I HAVE TO FEEL SAD ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WASN'T MY FAULT!! I know, terribly compassionate of me but anger alleviated the pain....except when Afton kept asking me "Mom, do you remember when you killed that lady's dog and she cried and cried"...."Ummmmm, yes dear I do"

Anyway, I'm sad it happened to you, and even sadder the dog had a cute name that you'll remember forever!

Luv!