Charlene was a young nurse in the emergency room of the new community hospital. She was routinely called to work different shifts. Charlene was also the proud owner and lover of a four year old golden retriever named Ben. She cared for Ben very much and did all the things that a loving pet owner does for a pet. Although she had to make adjustments to take care of Ben, she did not mind.



Sometimes Ben would have to get his breaks and exercise at night; nevertheless Charlene and Ben seemed very happy together. One night about 10 p.m. Charlene and Ben went out for a walk in the neighborhood. It was a quiet night. Ben was enjoying the walk down the neighborhood street with his owner. All of a sudden a speeding car with no headlights came toward them. It caught Charlene off guard.

Ben was spooked by the sound of the racing car engine. Instinctively he lunged to get to the opposite side of the road. Charlene lost grip of his leash. The car hit Ben but the driver did not stop to see what happened. Charlene rushed over to Ben, who seemed to be in severe pain, gathered him up and drove him to the vetenarian as soon as possible. It was night so she had to call the emergency vetenerian to meet her there.

Ben underwent extensive surgery. After a few hours the vetenarian entered the room and told Charlene that Ben would pull through. The nerve damage was so severe that he had lost the use of his hind legs. There was no hope he would ever regain use of them.

Charlene was devastated and for a long time blamed herself for the accident. Eventually Charlene was able to get an apparatus to support Bens hind legs. He is not as active as he once was but he can spend quality time with his owner and they are closer that ever before.

Because of commitments many pet owners find that they must exercise or let their pets out at night. Pets are exposed to all sorts of dangers at night. Like people the danger increases after dark. Motorists have a responsibility to obey the traffic laws in their areas. Their actions they sometimes they place themselves and others at risk. Pets and owners who are not illuminated are twice as likely to be injured or killed by a car.

Automobiles are the number one cause of pet fatalities in this country. Playing games with a lighted toy in a fenced yard, is an alternative to taking your pet out on the streets at night. It is a good idea for the owner to illuminate the pet for visibility. Also hold a flashlight for your own illumination. If you must venture out into a neighborhood avoid busy thoroughfares.

Pet safety is important to the people who love them. Motorists have a responsibility to others using the sidewalk and streets. They are more likely to see yourself and your pet if illuminated. You may want to investigate alternatives to walking your pet a night. If you must take your pet out at night, light is the key to avoiding an encounter with an automobile.