Cyclist flees after running over a Chihuahua near Whitstable, leaving the owner with a substantial vet bill.
Justine Gill, the owner, is a retired teacher. She saw Bonnie in pain on the ground. The cyclist, a man in his twenties, then rode away and didn’t help at all.
Mrs. Gill rushed Bonnie to the vet quickly, fearing for Bonnie’s spine. This happened on Thursday morning when she walked three dogs.
Mrs. Gill asked the cyclist to slow down. Another man agreed about the speed, and the cyclist left very fast. He rode over Bonnie’s back.
The accident was on the Oyster Bay Trail path, near Long Rock Nature Reserve. Dogs must be on leads there, or owners pay a fine. A sign tells cyclists to walk bikes on footpaths, but the path is also a cycle path. Mrs. Gill felt the cyclist should have stopped.
Bonnie went into shock, Mrs. Gill said. The vet kept Bonnie all day for tests. X-rays checked for organ damage and breaks, and Bonnie received oxygen and shock medication.
Mrs. Gill got Bonnie at 6:30 PM. The vet bill cost £1,300, as she chose not to have insurance and paid the bill herself. The cyclist took no responsibility, she said, seemingly unconcerned about harming an animal.
Mrs. Gill will not report the incident to the police, as she doesn’t want the cyclist to pay the vet bill. She mainly wanted awareness.