"Bounce for Bolt"

Last night around 9:30pm we were all coming home to the farm, and we saw this flash of white whiz by the car. What was that? At first i thought it was one of my dogs that escaped b/c it looked like a shitzu. I panicked until I saw all 4 shitzu heads pop up into the farmhouse window when they heard my car, so I was grateful that my dogs were safe - but someones dog wasn't.

This little dog bolted as fast as he could right towards rte 34 - a very very busy road. We grabbed a dog crate and followed, and it turned into an hour and a about a dozen people trying to grab this frightened dog from this main mini-highway as it dashed from under one car to another. Guys came up from their summer cottages with huge fishing nets, people re-circled in their cars several times, bringing back food from their homes, guys were directing traffic until the police got there- everyone was trying so hard, and things were very well managed with all the good samaritans trying to grab this dog to bring it home to it's family.

Until an impatient driver didnt want to wait two minutes and drove through our efforts and over the dog. He chuckled that he must have clipped it with his back tire and he had to get to work. It was the saddest streams of yelps I have ever heard. Everybody scrambled to get the dog into to crate and we raced the dog to the emergency vet. We stayed to find out from the vet that the dog has a broken pelvis. This morning we got a call that its a bad break and the dog needs surgery. The expenses are very high and an owner has not come forward.

Update: We were able to raise $68 at the Seymour market for Bolt on Tuesday - most everybody that was there willingly offered a dollar or two after reading the blog, and numerous people came forward with names of organizations that help animals in this situation. We made many phonecalls to these organizations, and put in many phonecalls throughout the day to the emergency vet letting them know our efforts, our intents and such. Kids came forward and offered to organize a car wash - everyone wanted to help. I received a phone call last night from the dog warden that the emergeny vet euthenized Bolt, even though we stayed connected all day long, and told them that lots of people were lining up to help this dog. They would not perform the costly surgery without a payment upfront, and it was $500 a day to board the injured dog there.

We are going to look into setting up a Bolt Foundation for animals that are in this situation. I find it very disheartening that if a loved pet gets injured after hours, vets can charge double or triple the rates of a regular vet. They demand astronomical payments of $5,000 or $10,000 or $15,000 made then and there to save your pet or they will put it down or not release it to you. This is just not right. Discounted rates should be available, payment plans should be accepted - why does it cost $15,000 for a dog's surgery anyways?

We are so busy now in the full swing of our season, that I don't have time to set up a Foundation. Until, things slow down I am going to set up a separate Bolt Foundation account and put that raised $68 in it. It's not much, but it is a start. When I have time I am going to look into how to legally set up a donation charity like this. In the time being, if anyone seriously needs help with a vet bill, give me a buzz - I'll be happy to send the money along to your vet to help you and your pet out. xo Farmer Kim