As we shared in a blog earlier this fall, I was almost hit by a speeding car with a dog I was walking on September 12th of this year. Luckily, the car missed us by one foot, but it was very scary and way too close to ignore. This incident was an eye-opener about the need for greater dog walking safety in the Connecticut Shoreline. We’ve now made it our mission to educate the public on ways to keep themselves and their pets safe while walking outdoors.
Incident Details
The incident took place in East Lyme on Laurel Hill Drive South. This particular road starts with a very steep hill that drivers often speed down. It was about 1 PM. The car went by so fast that I could not even take a picture. Startled and overwhelmed with the realization that our sweet dog client and/or I could have been hurt, or worse, I yelled at the driver but I doubt they heard me. Then, I tried to find footage of the incident to get a plate number, but I did not find any neighbors on the path with security cameras.
Insights
This experience taught me that the Connecticut Shoreline community needs more awareness. For this reason, I had signs made to remind drivers that they are sharing the road with families, pets included. While they may be in a rush to get to work or somewhere important, drivers must make safety a priority. Preventing accidents should be top of mind for any driver and running late or taking a joy ride in your vehicle should not put others in the community in danger.
Equipment
Because I can only control my behavior, this incident got me thinking about ways my team and I can protect ourselves during midday walks and dog hikes.
I then realized that you, our clients, also need to protect yourselves during your walks and hikes. Following are the items I decided upon for our team and hope you find something here that will keep you and your pet(s) safe while exploring the outdoors:
- High visibility vests
- Whistles
- Headlamp light
- Reflective leashes
- Always get on sidewalk (good to practice with the dog anyway to teach them to stay away from moving cars)
If you’re walking with cats or small dogs, I recommend you consider a stroller. While the stroller isn’t a guarantee that your pet will be safe in an incident like the one I experienced, it may help with visibility, especially because cats and small dogs can be easily missed at a distance. And, always avoid retractable leashes. If the dog I was walking had been on a long leash, he would likely have been hit.
Signage
This unfortunate incident inspired me to launch an area-wide dog walking safety initiative. I ordered a bunch of yard signs to deliver to local residents for free. The signs say “Drive Like Your Dog Walks Here” and we first presented them at the East Lyme Health and Public Safety Fair in September.
The event highlighted the importance of health and safety not just for humans but also for pets. Shoreline Happy Paws provided information on keeping pets safe during emergencies and tips for responsible pet ownership. The first fair of this kind in this town, we were there mainly as a Pet First Aid & CPR vendor but used the opportunity to also promote this very personal, very important safety campaign.
If you’re interested in displaying one of our signs in your yard, please contact me and I’ll be happy to coordinate drop-off.
Shoreline Happy Paws & Dog Walking Safety
At Shoreline Happy Paws, safety is always our priority. We take pride in having operated in the Connecticut Shoreline since 2010 and having had so many successful and safe dog walks and hikes in the area. That said, driver distractions are common and speeding is becoming an issue everywhere.
This incident reminded us to be viligant, avoid our own distractions, and continue to make safety a priority in all we do!
We are accepting new clients! New Shoreline Happy Paws clients can create an account. We will be in touch to further discuss your needs and set you, your family, and your cat(s) up for success. Existing clients may book services by logging in to your client profile.
Shoreline Happy Paws serves the following areas of the Connecticut Shoreline:
- Old Saybrook
- Essex, Ivoryton & Centerbrook
- Deep River
- Chester
- Westbrook
- Clinton
- Old Lyme
- East Lyme
- Niantic
Certain Parts and Certain Service Hours in:
- Lyme and Madison
- Waterford, New London, Groton
- Uncasville, Gales Ferry, Mystic, Noank
