Enroute to Ozone Park with my friend's dog, Pastis, and I went to step off the curb at 7th and Navy to see a vehicle approaching from the left.
I put up my hand to indicate we were in the act of crossing. Pastis was already in the street on her leash and I was stepping off the curb.
The driver kept coming despite my raised hand. The vehicle clipped the dog who now lay in the street. I waved after the driver to return in hopes of getting help - a ride to a veterinarian.
The driver never stopped.
A second vehicle passed as I stood there and the dog lay injured and unconscious in the roadway.
A third car, driven by an angel of a man, Abe, offered us help - a ride to the nearest vet which was VCA on Main Street.
We got there and the staff quickly gave the poor Pastis pain meds and began CPR until my friend and the dog's owner could get to the hospital from work in hopes of saying good-bye while the dog was still alive.
Pastis was going to turn 15 years next week. Instead of that birthday celebration, it will be a wake for a once-lively and gorgeous little maltipoo who brought a lot of joy to others.
PLEASE DRIVERS! PAY ATTENTION.
ABIDE BY THE SPEED LIMIT, STOP SNEAKING LOOKS AT YOUR PHONE, BE COURTEOUS. AND IF YOU HIT A PERSON OR A PET, PLEASE STOP TO HELP.
THERE IS A WHOLE WORLD HAPPENING OUTSIDE
YOUR MOVING VEHICLE.
Killeen Pilon
Santa Monica Resident