Editor, The Herald:

This is to the person that struck and killed our dog on Monday, November 14 between 5:15 and 6:15 PM on LeSeuer Street (1st street behind Dillwyn Primary School). We're sure you didn't mean to hit her, but had you obeyed the speed limit she may have survived. By the amount of blood left behind, we can only pray her death was instant. The thought of her lying there suffering without us there is too much to bear. Our number was on her heart-shaped tag and we were in the house next door. We could have had a chance to say good-bye. After a neighbor told us a dog was in the road, we rushed to find her lying there alone, left like a discarded bag of trash. You left her there like no one loved her. It was unbelievable to us that she would be hit so hard and killed on our 25 mph dead-end street. Why were you going so fast? There is even a “slow, children sign” posted on our road. Did you check to see her condition? Why didn't you call?

Since you took her life, I wanted you to know about her. Her name is Jessie Jane. She was a rescue puppy, someone left her beside a dumpster the same way you left her on the side of the road. She was a lab/blue heeler mix and Dr. Hazelgrove had just pointed out how healthy and full of life she was on her last check-up. She chewed our shoes and destroyed the furniture. When you'd come home, she'd be so excited to see you she'd jump and almost knock you down. If you tried to read, she'd paw at the book to get your attention. She'd pull the stuffing out of any stuffed toy we got her. She'd run and jump on top of you when you stayed in bed too long. She loved to lay on your feet while she slept and she loved to run, so it was hard to keep her in our fenced in yard. She would lie beside us when we were sick. She'd be the first to greet you after a long day and give you kisses. She gave us love and laughs every day and made our house a home. We loved her these last 7 years as you would a child. We looked past a lot of her misbehavior because it was too hard to scold her without cracking a smile or giggling about how funny what she did really was. Words can't describe the loss we feel. Seeing her empty spot on the couch reminds us we'll never see her again. We are already thinking of how empty the holidays will be without our Jessie.

As terrible as it is that you took her from us, the worst thing is that you didn't call to tell us. We were 30 seconds away. We'll probably never know who you are or the full story of what happened to her, but you do. Just knowing what happened and that you are sorry for this would be a comfort. We are writing this with the hope that in the future you and whoever reads this does the decent thing and alerts loved ones when a pet is injured. Please don't think you just hit “some dog.” Think of our Jessie and what she meant to us.

Dawn and Donald Smith

Dillwyn