# Ran over a wild animal. Do you go stop or go back? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467 "2010-03-14T19:10:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/61 "2010-03-20T13:42:37Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Come the fuck on. The two situations aren’t even remotely similar, and you know it. I think they are similar as far as the decision making process. Its only a matter of degree. There is no real good outcome that awaits you should you decide to go back. At best, you have to watch someone get upset and maybe mumble a thank you; at worst, you get cursed at, attacked, sued, etc. The only reason you would go back is if you felt a moral obligation to do so; after all, whatever or whoever it is is already dead. ---
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/62 "2010-03-20T13:45:05Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > And what bass ackwards african village do you live in that doesnt have a payphone to be found? > > Geez, then use YOUR tribal drum to call Animal Control, give THEM the phone number or TAG ID of the pet, and have THEM call the pet owner. That way the pet owner can’t use tribal drum ID to track you down to your hut and sick the vodoo priest on you for killing his pet. > > Our recent ancestors died on the beaches of Normandy and figured out how to go to the moon. But you guys can’t even pick up the phone without pissing your pants in fear and the concept of even the simpleist anonymous communication is apparently beyond your mental grasp. > > If you don’t give a flying fuck about calling some pet’s owner, fine. Just don’t try to dress it up as something involving certain mortal danger, and requiring superhuman effort and intelligence to pull off, when in fact you are just being lazy and thoughtless. I swear, I never realized pulling to the side of the road or finding a place to turn around was comparable to landing a fighter jet on an aircraft carrier. Ignorance fought, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/63 "2010-03-21T01:11:59Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > And what bass ackwards african village do you live in that doesnt have a payphone to be found? A major city in Australia, where there are generally no payphones in the suburbs. […] > [@](#): > > If you don’t give a flying fuck about calling some pet’s owner, fine. Just don’t try to dress it up as something involving certain mortal danger, and requiring superhuman effort and intelligence to pull off, when in fact you are just being lazy and thoughtless. That’s uncalled for. There’s nothing “Lazy” or “Thoughtless” about it, as has been explained already. You disagree. Fine. I think you’re wrong, but we live in different places with different social attitudes towards this sort of thing and we’re never going to agree, but I’ll thank you to knock off the insults and name-calling. Like I said, I’ve _been_ in the situation where a beloved family pet has been run over. The driver moved our pet to the side of the road and continued on their way- which is exactly what I think is reasonable and exactly what I would have done if I was in their position too. It’s great that you live in Pleasantville where everyone is nice to each other and decent folks go to church on Sundays and don’t listen to that Elvis Parsley man who is on the picture-box some evenings, but I live in a large modern city and there reality is that stopping to tell someone their pet has been run over is… impractical most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/64 "2010-03-21T02:11:22Z")
That’s bullshit. There aren’t any payphones in residential areas here either, but if the animal has tags you have an obligation. Coward. ---
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/65 "2010-03-21T02:16:38Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Like I said, I’ve _been_ in the situation where a beloved family pet has been run over. The driver moved our pet to the side of the road and continued on their way- which is exactly what I think is reasonable and exactly what I would have done if I was in their position too…stopping to tell someone their pet has been run over is… impractical most of the time. You have stated that you are treating people just as you would wish to be treated. Just for the sake of the argument, let’s say you knew (maybe from a poll) that an overwhelming majority of pet owners would prefer it if the person who ran over their pet stopped and informed them. Would that impact your decision at all? ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/66 "2010-03-21T02:18:50Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > That’s bullshit. There aren’t any payphones in residential areas here either, but if the animal has tags you have an obligation. Coward. That is inappropriate and well out of order, and I think a retraction and an apology is in order. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/67 "2010-03-21T02:20:45Z")
> [@misterW](#): > > You have stated that you are treating people just as you would wish to be treated. Just for the sake of the argument, let’s say you knew (maybe from a poll) that an overwhelming majority of pet owners would prefer it if the person who ran over their pet stopped and informed them. Would that impact your decision at all? It might have an influence, but it would still depend on a myriad of other factors including what sort of animal it was, what time it was, what part of town it was in, and the circumstances of the event. ---
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/68 "2010-03-21T02:21:39Z")
I’m also curious how many actual cases you know of people who stop to tell the owners about their pet and are subsequently physically assaulted or sued. This strikes me as very unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/69 "2010-03-21T02:24:21Z")
Like I’ve said, the expectation here is that you _won’t_ tell a pet owner that their pet has been involved in an accident (unless you know the owner personally or you live in a fairly cohesive community). It’s obviously different where you guys are, but the fact is that it’s no longer possible to have a civilised discussion about this topic and so I’m bowing out. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/70 "2010-03-21T02:26:09Z")
> [@misterW](#): > > I think they are similar as far as the decision making process. Its only a matter of degree. There is no real good outcome that awaits you should you decide to go back. At best, you have to watch someone get upset and maybe mumble a thank you; at worst, you get cursed at, attacked, sued, etc. The only reason you would go back is if you felt a moral obligation to do so; after all, whatever or whoever it is is already dead. I would stop for that, people are a whole different story. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/71 "2010-03-21T02:32:23Z")
When I was younger, my grandfather’s black lab was hit by a car and managed to drag itself back home. That dog was one of the quietest, most passive, sociable and friendly animals I’ve known. When my grandfather tried to lift her up to take her to the car so he could take her to the vet, she bit right through his thumb. So yes, injured animals can be dangerous and my memory of that event would likely give me pause to try to help a larger animal that I’d hit. That being said, I don’t know how I would react if I hit a domesticated animal. If it was a wild animal like a raccoon I wouldn’t give it a second thought. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/72 "2010-03-21T02:32:55Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I KNOW people who have taken strange injured pets to the vets. The vets took them, cause even though they TOO are in business, they actually give a rats ass about animals and suffering and dont wet their pants in mortal fear of injured lapdogs or lawsuit happy customers. Its not a matter of fear, its apathy, I don’t see dogs/cats running out into the street as something I need to take responsibility for. It sucks, but animals do this, and sometimes they cross paths with a couple tons of rubber and steel. I don’t see much point. ---
**Author:** ![MitzeKatze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@MitzeKatze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MitzeKatze)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/73 "2010-03-21T02:51:19Z")
> [@misterW](#): > > I’m also curious how many actual cases you know of people who stop to tell the owners about their pet and are subsequently physically assaulted or sued. This strikes me as very unlikely. I’m sure this varies by location, but in my town there are leash laws and ordinances about pet cats (must be indoors or on owners’ property etc.) and ordinances that all animals must be in the owners’ control at all times. I know (trust me I know! ;)) that cats sometimes run out of the house and are hard to catch, and dogs too, so it’s not always an owner’s fault but, that’s the law. Given this, again in my town, it would be more likely that a person who hit the animal could sue the owner (for damages to the vehicle) than the other way around. I’ve never seen or heard of it happening but I could see a case being made…the animal was not supposed to be (by law) in the street, thus it was the owner’s negligence that caused the accident. ---
**Author:** ![misterW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@misterW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterW)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/74 "2010-03-21T13:57:27Z")
> [@MitzeKatze](#): > > I’m sure this varies by location, but in my town there are leash laws and ordinances about pet cats (must be indoors or on owners’ property etc.) and ordinances that all animals must be in the owners’ control at all times. I know (trust me I know! ;)) that cats sometimes run out of the house and are hard to catch, and dogs too, so it’s not always an owner’s fault but, that’s the law. > > Given this, again in my town, it would be more likely that a person who hit the animal could sue the owner (for damages to the vehicle) than the other way around. > > I’ve never seen or heard of it happening but I could see a case being made…the animal was not supposed to be (by law) in the street, thus it was the owner’s negligence that caused the accident. Yeah, I could definitely see the OWNER being sued. That seems much more likely. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/75 "2010-03-21T16:15:22Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > And what bass ackwards african village do you live in that doesnt have a payphone to be found? > > Geez, then use YOUR tribal drum to call Animal Control, give THEM the phone number or TAG ID of the pet, and have THEM call the pet owner. That way the pet owner can’t use tribal drum ID to track you down to your hut and sick the vodoo priest on you for killing his pet. > > Our recent ancestors died on the beaches of Normandy and figured out how to go to the moon. But you guys can’t even pick up the phone without pissing your pants in fear and the concept of even the simpleist anonymous communication is apparently beyond your mental grasp. > > If you don’t give a flying fuck about calling some pet’s owner, fine. Just don’t try to dress it up as something involving certain mortal danger, and requiring superhuman effort and intelligence to pull off, when in fact you are just being lazy and thoughtless. [Moderator Note]This type of response is entirely inappropriate for IMHO, as you well know. Dial it back a notch or three.[/Moderator Note] ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/76 "2010-03-21T16:16:54Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > That’s bullshit. There aren’t any payphones in residential areas here either, but if the animal has tags you have an obligation. Coward. [Moderator Note]See post #75-this means you, too.[/Moderator Note] ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/77 "2010-03-21T16:33:34Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > That is inappropriate and well out of order, and I think a retraction and an apology is in order. I apologize for calling you a coward, but I do think not stopping to inform somebody that you have killed their beloved pet is a reprehensible and cowardly act. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467/78 "2010-03-23T02:06:32Z")
I only go back if I need to confirm the kill for my count. 35 road kills and counting! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ran-over-a-wild-animal-do-you-go-stop-or-go-back/532467.md?page=3)