Dogs on the highway...

**Dan** · July-10-10, 03:04 PM

I hate seeing dogs on the highway, it breaks my heart.

In the past I have called the police, I have called the humane society. I once tried to stop to help a dog, which only scared it, and made matter worse. Not to mention risked my life.

Today I saw a beautiful boxer/pitbull mix dead on I-75. It put a huge damper on my day.

What is the proper thing to do when I see a living pup on the highway? The police do not seem very responsive? Any thoughts?

**n7hn** · July-10-10, 03:14 PM

sadly , many of them dont end up out there on their own...... People disappoint me

Rarely will a frightened dog let you help them. Stopping can endanger everyone even more. I live off a freeway and have seen way too many dead and dying animals. So sad.

LodgeDodger · July-10-10, 03:20 PM

That breaks my heart, too. To see the dog so scared and looking for their owner. I've stopped before, but they are generally too scared to get into the car with me. People disgust me.

If you no longer want a pet, take it to the humane society. I know it will more than likely end up euthanized, but at least it has a chance.

**Downriviera** · July-10-10, 05:14 PM

I saw that same dog on the northbound side of 75 near Schafer, bummed me right out. He was huge, at first I thought it was a deer.

**Zacha341** · July-10-10, 07:00 PM

It's grim but for the matter of my safety and those around me I keep going and will try to stir around so long as the doing so does not endanger my life or others.

I had to hit a cat like that... it jumped in front of me on the street and I had no where else to go except into ongoing traffic 'head-on' so I had to make a choice to hit the cat. Bad day.

TOO MANY PEOPLE are NOT taking care of their animals. Or as someone else said they are abandoning them on the street or worse the freeway. I always kept my cats inside when I was a pet owner.

Originally Posted by n7hn

sadly , many of them dont end up out there on their own...... People disappoint me

Rarely will a frightened dog let you help them. Stopping can endanger everyone even more. I live off a freeway and have seen way too many dead and dying animals. So sad.

**wolverine** · July-10-10, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by Dan

What is the proper thing to do when I see a living pup on the highway? The police do not seem very responsive? Any thoughts?

Call the police, regardless of how responsive they are, but do not pull over and exit your vehicle on the highway/expressway. That's illegal and you could be ticketed. A dog's life is hardly worth a human life.

**East Detroit** · July-10-10, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by wolverine

A dog's life is hardly worth a human life.

A dog's life is worth just as much as any generic human on his way to Walmart to buy imported snack foods. The manner in which we treat our animal friends indicates the manner in which we value life in general, both animal and human.

When I see a dog on the expressway [[that isn't already dead), I slow down and stop all traffic and chase it off. I am always joined by a couple others to help block every lane. I am also always joined by angry beer guzzlers late for an appointment with their refrigerator.

Can't imagine how important someone's life must be that they can't stop and do the same.

**Patrick** · July-10-10, 07:49 PM

A lot of people in Detroit can barely afford to feed and shelter themselves. Pets cost money and money is in short supply these days in Detroit.

**Zacha341** · July-10-10, 07:53 PM

Which is why I try to look far ahead when driving on the freeway so as to exit 'before' getting to that kind of situation which can turn dangerous of EVERYONE, animals included. No thank you. I figure the less cars around [[being stopped abruptly which can cause a serious accident) the better and up the exit ramp I go.........!

Originally Posted by East Detroit

A dog's life is worth just as much as any generic human on his way to Walmart to buy imported snack foods. The manner in which we treat our animal friends indicates the manner in which we value life in general, both animal and human.

When I see a dog on the expressway [[that isn't already dead), I slow down and stop all traffic and chase it off. I am always joined by a couple others to help block every lane. I am also always joined by angry beer guzzlers late for an appointment with their refrigerator.

Can't imagine how important someone's life must be that they can't stop and do the same.

**Zacha341** · July-10-10, 07:58 PM

That's one of the reason's I am pet free at this point in my life. I've had it all - dogs and cats, fish. Done with that now.

Pet ownership and management is a very serious responsibility and most do not take it so, I do. I am not longer interested in the responsibility with my hectic schedule and slim finances.... so I am now pet free.

Originally Posted by Patrick

A lot of people in Detroit can barely afford to feed and shelter themselves. Pets cost money and money is in short supply these days in Detroit.

**stromberg2** · July-10-10, 08:01 PM

I saw a dog once by the Mustang plant in Flat Rock. He/she was very terrified. I didn't stop, but did call sheriff right after. I knew it would have been too scared to accept my help. It really killed me, because I knew it's fate probably wasn't good. There is NO way it got to the medium on it's own. I'd have liked to seen the owner dodging traffic like that poor dog. People like that should be shot on site. That's just the way I feel.

Stromberg2

Retroit · July-10-10, 10:48 PM

I just slow down moderately and turn my hazard warning flashers on to alert drivers behind me. Stopping, getting out of your car, or expecting police to risk their lives are all dangerous in my opinion. So is abruptly braking, unless you are doing so to avoid collision.

...but I never hesitate to run over people in Walmart parking lots.

**wolverine** · July-10-10, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by East Detroit

Can't imagine how important someone's life must be that they can't stop and do the same.

Saving a dog's life is different from saving a humans. The problem is you can't predict that actions of a dog. They may circle in traffic confused or even worse come at you and attack.

Trust me, I love animals, and I'd be willing to stop if it was a commercial street where traffic could easily stop. But pulling over on the expressway could be really bad. It goes beyond saving a dogs life, and goes beyond risking your own life. You could cause a serious accident and put others in danger. At some point you have to draw a line. Or, at some point your compassion for animals is now complete lunacy.

A dog's life is worth just as much as any generic human on his way to Walmart to buy imported snack foods.

Oh you know, I can twist things too. Basically you are calling your fellow citizens dogs. I take it you have a negative outlook on life. Enjoy your weekend

**CLAUDE G** · July-11-10, 02:07 AM

It just breaks my heart when I see a dead dog on the side of the freeway. I don't think its been a big issue lately, but there was a time a few years back that there must have been 10 or so dead dogs on I-94 between St. Clair Shores and Dearborn.

There is really not much you can do, especially on freeways like I-94 where there is not enough room in the left lane to safely stop and get out of your vehicle.

Sadly all the dogs want to do is cross the freeway, and too many times they make it to the medium, find out there is no way to cross and get scared.

**Pam** · July-11-10, 07:54 AM

Median, not medium.

**Zacha341** · July-11-10, 08:29 AM

Well stated. Causing a greater tragedy by causing a potentially deadly pile up is neither wise or noble IMO. I would exit [[the freeway) if possible if I saw that in time to do so. Sure, I will do my best not to hit an animal; to steer around within reason so as to not kill myself or anyone else.

I was involved in a front end collision [[minor) due to a TRAINED police officer suddenly stopping traffic on the freeway with flares and a back up police car nearby. He did the best he could to stop cars coming forward from hitting a stopped damaged car in a middle lane [[while the other officer laid flares).

Withstanding all of care and training applied in all of this the car to the side of me panicked and swerved a bit, causing the one in front of me to stop even shorter which caused me to rear-end him straight on.

Thank goodness we had all slowed appreciably before impact and I [[and the person I hit) walked away from the incident and got my car repaired [[thank goodness I had full coverage on an older car).

The police officer used hand waving, his top lights flashing [[red, yellow, blue, white), flasher sticks laid out and we still piled up somewhat!!!

I can just imagine a driver not so equipped getting out of their car trying to stop freeway traffic.

Very dangerous = Multi-car pile up. The dog rescuer could end up dead themselves, the dog hit 'anyway' now by maybe multiple cars!

Originally Posted by Retroit

I just slow down moderately and turn my hazard warning flashers on to alert drivers behind me. Stopping, getting out of your car, or expecting police to risk their lives are all dangerous in my opinion. So is abruptly braking, unless you are doing so to avoid collision.

...but I never hesitate to run over people in Walmart parking lots.

**Jimaz** · July-11-10, 11:28 AM

From today's Free Press: Escalator steps mark odd new low in metal thefts

Morosi said the thefts of the right-of-way fencing "put up to protect animals from meandering into freeway traffic" has resulted in more animals getting hit by vehicles. Motorists are at greater risk, too, because a collision with a deer or another large animal at freeway speeds could cause substantial damage.

They should replace that fencing with something non-metallic.

**East Detroit** · July-11-10, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by wolverine

I take it you have a negative outlook on life. Enjoy your weekend

You started out with a perfectly fine argument, but then devolved into a personal 1:1 attack.

That negated your argument.

**East Detroit** · July-11-10, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

I was involved in a front end collision [[minor) due to a TRAINED police officer suddenly stopping traffic on the freeway with flares and a back up police car nearby. He did the best he could to stop cars coming forward from hitting a stopped damaged car in a middle lane [[while the other officer laid flares).

Were you and others following the 2 second rule? Just curious.

**Zacha341** · July-11-10, 01:08 PM

Yes, I'm very aware of the rule having an excellent driving record. Hard to speak for others. As I mentioned earlier I often avoid collisions by looking far ahead.

**East Detroit** · July-11-10, 03:22 PM

I find it almost impossible to keep the 2 second rule since virtually no one else does and will see the car lengths as space enough to merge into.

**Claude G.** · July-11-10, 04:46 PM

Its really the scrap yards that are contributing to the whole problem. I used to work for U-haul and right down the street from us there was a scrap yard. People would continously take the aluminum ramps from the back of the trucks, take it over to the scrap yard and get their $50 for the value of the scrap metal.

We would catch the thieves by catching them down at the scrap yard. The problem was that the scrap yard knew exactly where the aluminum ramp came from, so they would immediatly shread it. So by the time we got there, the thieves where already at the cashier collecting their $50 and all that was left of the ramp where a pile of shreaded aluminum next to the shreader.

The Man Hole covers, fencing, light post covers, street signs, and other criticle metal objects should be illegal to shread.

I think the only thing the scrap yards will not touch is railroad tracks and spikes.

Bearinabox · July-11-10, 05:00 PM

Are you the same Claude G. as the other CLAUDE G?

**aoife** · July-11-10, 08:09 PM

According to Wayne County Animal Control, if the animal is on the highway you need to call the Wayne County Roads Commission. They will send someone out to retrieve the poor creature. Just try and spot your animal during normal business hours- I can't tell you how much time I have wasted trying to track down help before 9:00am.

**MikeM** · July-11-10, 09:51 PM

I tried to save a Min-Pin I found runnning loose on the Central Avenue/I-94 overpass. He ran across the overpass, down the entrance ramp of the expressway, got scared and ran back up. I pulled over on the shoulder of the ramp to try to catch him. Instead, I scared him and he ran back down the ramp and into traffic where he was run over. He survived being hit but couldn't pick himself up to get out of the way. I scooped him up and took him to a veterinarian where he was diagnosed with a broken back. They euthanized him.

In the process of picking him up, he bit me. The vet called me later and said I should get the dog tested for rabbies, just in case. I went back to the vet the next day, picked up the dog's amputated head, and took it to Herman Kiefer where it was tested for rabbies [[negative, thankfully). I felt bad for the dog, but then maybe I saved him from being the victim of a dog fight, vicious teenagers, being poisoned, other wild dogs, freezing to death or starvation.