Ann Arbor woman seeks help in paying for dog's surgery after hit-and-run accident
Rupert, a one-year-old schnauzer, was hit by a pizza delivery vehicle Friday in the 1700 block of Avondale Avenue. His owner is seeking donations to help pay for his surgery, which she says she can't afford.
Photos courtesy of Caitlin Watt
Editor's note: Watt's goal to raise $2,000 online has been exceeded, according to her fundraising website.
Cailtin Watt said she was with her dog Rupert outside of her Avondale Avenue house Friday afternoon when he ran into the road and was hit by a pizza delivery vehicle that drove off immediately after the accident.
"I was horrified. ... I heard the noise of (Rupert) getting hit by the car, and his yelping," Watt said. "He just drove away. ... There were people around and I was screaming."
She said Rupert, a one-year-old schnauzer mix, suffered a broken humerus and scrapes. A visit to the Ann Arbor Animal Hospital determined he will require surgery estimated to cost $2,600 — surgery Watt says she can't afford.
Photo courtesy of Caitlin Watt
"I just bought this house (on Avondale Avenue) so I don't have any money left over," said Watt, who moved into her new house about a week ago. "(The $600 Ann Arbor Animal Hospital bill) was the remainder of my savings."
Watt said she was aware of a gap in the fence around her yard and was preparing to fill it in with chicken wire, tool box in hand, moments before Rupert escaped.
Watt has started an online fundraising campaign to raise at least $2,000, which she says she'll need by Monday or Tuesday to pay for the surgery.
She called her goal "a long shot." As of mid-afternoon on Saturday, she had raised $425.
A message on the site from Watt to would-be donors reads, "I know that this is a little uncouth. I don't know what else to do. ... He is the little light of our lives. We are at the end of our rope here and would appreciate any help you can give."
Watt said after being hit by the car, Rupert limped to a neighbor's house and hid in some bushes. She says she carried him home and called the pizza place, Pizza House, to tell them what happened.
"The guy said 'I'm really sorry, that's horrible,' and 'We'll find out who the driver was and call you back,'" she said. "And they never called back."
AnnArbor.com contacted the owner of Pizza House, Matt Tice, who said he and the driver were sorry for what happened and expressed willingness to host a benefit at Pizza House to help raise money for the dog's surgery.Â
"(The driver) feels horrible about it and we feel horrible about it," Tice said. "When he came back to the store, we confronted him about it. We said, 'You should have stopped.'"
He added, "I'd love to hold a benefit at Pizza House. We'll donate the food."
AnnArbor.com put Watt in contact with Tice and Watt later told AnnArbor.com she was considering Tice's offer to host a benefit.Â
"I'm happy that he called and that he offered that," she said. "He did sound like he felt really bad."
Ann Arbor Police Sgt. Mike Lance confirmed that the incident was reported to police, but said there are no charges against the driver, nor are any expected, because the dog was loose in the road when the accident occurred. "Obviously, it's (the pet owner's) responsibility to keep the dog under reasonable control," he said.
Watt said Rupert is home from the animal hospital and pain medication is helping him get through the weekend. She says she will have to decide on Monday whether she can afford to take him to have the surgery he needs, most likely at the Michigan State University Small Animal Clinic.
"He's a really friendly dog, he's really cute," Watt said. "He's a sweet puppy."
John Snyder, co-owner of Ann Arbor's Perpetua Boutique Organique, 209 S. Fourth Ave., said 15 percent of sales from today and Sunday will go toward helping pay for Rupert's surgery.
He said he and his wife and shop co-owner Catheryn Snyder are friends with Watt, and Catheryn Snyder gave Rupert to Caitlin as a gift.
"We love Rupert and we couldn't really not help," he said.
Click here to make a donation.
Heather Lockwood is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at heatherlockwood@annarbor.com or follow her on Twitter.
Comments
MissArborM
Thu, Oct 21, 2010 : 9:18 a.m.
This is a sad situation. Its amazing what a community can come together to do for someone.
Roadman
Tue, Oct 19, 2010 : 4:22 p.m.
@Leann: Property protection coverage is mandated by the state's no-fault law at MCL 500.3121 through 3123 of the Michigan Insurance Code. Property protection insurance benefits are due without regard to fault(Sect.3121(2)). "Under property protection insurance an insurer is liable to pay benefits for accidental damage to tangible property arising out of the ownership, operation, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle...."(Section 3121(1)) A pet is not excluded under the no-fault law from the statutory definition of "tangible property" subject to insurance coverage. The fact the dog's owner may or not be "at fault" for not securing the pet is likewise irrelevant. Coverage is afforded regardless of fault (hence "no-fault"). To me its a no-brainer - the insurer of the auto that struck is liable for Rupert's vet bills.
HaeJee
Tue, Oct 19, 2010 : 10:24 a.m.
@roadman, I don't think you are right. Insurance companies will not cover a claim like this, home or auto. They would probably tell you that you would need to purchase pet insurance. Again, it was not the fault of the driver that the dog was hit. If he knew he hit the dog, then his only fault was not stopping to make sure that the owners were aware of it. Regardless, he should not be the one that is accountable. As a dog owner myself, I am fully aware it is my responsibility to know what my pet is doing when outdoors. I say this because our son was attacked by a dog while walking from his middle school to a friends house. The owner did not think it was a big deal even after the police officer scolded him. The owner thought that the sidewalk was his private property. The police officer told the dog owner that the owner is responsible to have control over their pet at all times. Her plea to the community would have come across better if she wouldnt have tried making Pizza House or the driver as the villains, when she lost control of her pet.
Grand Marquis de Sade
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 4:43 p.m.
First of all let me say that I'm glad that this story appears to have a happy ending. I would simply like to state that I worked with the driver involved for many years and he is a kind, mild-mannered, and decent man who I am CERTAIN feels terrible about what happened. Has anybody considered the possibility that he didn't realize he had hit an animal? If he had I am certain he would have stopped. I think that the people rushing to judgement and demanding that he be fired should stop and think about what they are saying. Delivery drivers (as well as truck drivers, taxi drivers, etc) drive thousands of miles above what you and I drive, increasing their exposure to risk, and accidents happen. Hopefully cooler heads prevail. I can't imagine this particular driver hitting somebody's pet and simply driving away knowing what he had done.
Ypsi Truck
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 1:53 p.m.
law includes property damage. eitherway can't we just agree that people should just stop and try to help as decent humans if you hit a dog, kid, mailbox, whatever?
Roadman
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 10:04 a.m.
This accident should be covered by legally mandated property protection coverage avaialable in all no-fault auto policies issued in Michigan. Coverage is mandated under the law. Get a hold of the vehicle's owners auto insurer and make a claim to his carrier. Call an attorney or your insurance agent to assist in the claim. This appears to be a no-brainer that the auto insurer of the car striking the dog is liable for damage and injury to the dog.
HaeJee
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 9:19 a.m.
BC: those regulations do not apply to dogs. The regulations that dogs must be leashed and under control by the owner outweigh what you cited. The regulations states, "The driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident that injures or kills any person". This was not a person. With that said, I think it was wonderful how the pizza drivers donated money. They work very hard and I am sure make a lot less than the dog owner. It was very generous of them to support their co-worker.
BC
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 8:32 a.m.
$2000 is significantly below the estimated cost of the surgery, especially when you add in what she has already paid for emergency care. That said, she mentioned supporting the Lucky Fund, a program through MSU's veterinary teaching hospital, which helps subsidize veterinary bills for owners whose pets have a good chance at recovery but cannot afford the care.
quack
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 5:53 a.m.
So now that Ms. Watt's goal of $2000 has been exceeded, what will she do with the excess $? Perhaps a donation to HSHV would be nice. It would be an interesting follow up to this story to see how much was collected by Ms. Watt due to the kind hearts of dog lover's in this community, and how much of that was more than was even needed by Ms. Watt to care for Rupert's injuries.
BC
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 7:54 p.m.
257.622 Report of accidents resulting in death, personal injury, or property damage; forms; analysis; use; retention. Sec. 622. The driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident that injures or kills any person, or that damages property to an apparent extent totaling $1,000.00 or more, shall immediately report that accident at the nearest or most convenient police station, or to the nearest or most convenient police officer. The officer receiving the report, or his or her commanding officer, shall immediately forward each report to the director of the department of state police on forms prescribed by the director of the department of state police. The forms shall be completed in full by the investigating officer. The director of the department of state police shall analyze each report relative to the cause of the reported accident and shall prepare information compiled from reports filed under this section for public use. A copy of the report under this section and copies of reports required under section 621 shall be retained for at least 3 years at the local police department, sheriff's department, or local state police post making the report. History: 1949, Act 300, Eff. Sept. 23, 1949;-- Am. 1966, Act 171, Eff. Mar. 10, 1967;-- Am. 1967, Act 3, Imd. Eff. Mar. 9, 1967;-- Am. 1991, Act 168, Imd. Eff. Dec. 19, 1991;-- Am. 2003, Act 66, Eff. Jan. 1, 2004
anon505
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 6:35 p.m.
@BC, sorry you are mistaken. Hit-and-run/leaving the scene of an accident is a crime. No crime was committed by the driver. "there are no charges against the driver, nor are any expected"
15crown00
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 5:58 p.m.
Who let him loose?Who should pay the bill?Certainly not the public.
BC
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 2:21 p.m.
@Shedev, driver did see the dog after the fact, calls to Pizza House confirmed.
bunnyabbot
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 1:52 p.m.
the driver might not have been at fault but he should have stopped regardless b/c it would be the right thing to do. An I am sorry your dog surprized me and I couldn't avoid him in the road can do a lot. We don't order pizza house anymore at work. you would think after you order big orders several times a week for several years they would wave the $3 delivery fee or at least lesson it the higher your order goes.
shedev
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 12:52 p.m.
While I feel terribly sorry for the dog, this was NOT in any way the delivery drivers' fault. It is entirely plausible that he felt a minor bump, looked and didn't see anything, and kept going. As a delivery driver, he IS in a hurry, and if he didn't think he hit anything why would he stop? I'm sure most of us have at one time or another zinged something in the road that we assumed was not an animal. Keep in mind that this driver is probably a nice guy who makes way under minimum wage hourly and would be in a pretty precarious situation if he lost his job. He does not deserve to be held accountable for this. The dog's owner should have had the dog inside at all times until the hole was fixed. As a driver, you do not expect that there will be a small dog in the road to hit.
BC
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 11:06 a.m.
@aonon505: That's exactly what he did.
Elaine F. Owsley
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 10:53 a.m.
This is probably the most complete story you folks have published. All the bases covered, all the information provided, no questions left unanswered. Well done!!!
Caitlin
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 9:23 a.m.
I just wanted to leave a note here to give a HUGE thank you to AnnArbor.com, the Ann Arbor community, friends, family, and strangers who helped Rupert out in the past two days. I am stunned at the amount of kindness and generosity. I would also like to thank Pizza House for their compassion and help. Pizza house drivers donated a portion of their tips from last night to help pay for the surgery and they have offered to host a benefit for Rupert to help cover costs as well. Rupert, Rob and I are so grateful and so eager to give back to this community we just joined. Thank you all!
jns131
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 8:14 a.m.
We lost a dog to a hit and run driver. So this article leaves me in tears. We still do not know who hit him and left him to die in the street. We have drivers that speed thru our neighborhood and when we say slow down they give us the finger. Nice huh? Glad to hear the piza place is willing to admit default. I say poo poo to the police. They should site the driver. Yes, the dog should be under reasonable control. But, if the dog got loose while the owner was fixing a fence? O my word. Shame on you AA Police. I keep reasonable control over my dogs but still, accidents do happen and if that driver was speeding? O my word. Guess it time to put speed bumps in the neighborhood and put a black mark on the police. Good luck Rupert, we are thinking of you here.
shipdog7
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 6 a.m.
Some of the other comments on here are correct. You shouldn't jump on the band wagon that says someone has to be held responsible. I can remember a few times I was driving and heard a clunk, and stopped and looked around for an animal. Nothing there. If it ran into the path of my vehicle and got hit, it probably is wounded and ran off scared. The driver may have looked into his rear view mirror and didn't see anything. Also I am also concerned about stopping and trying to help a dog hit by a car. What do you do? It could be hurt bad and will bite if approached. A wounded animal. Not being a cell phone person, do I pick it up and put it in my car? And the other problem I have is that you just know the owner, if around, will be screaming at you. It is your fault. The dog should not have been running loose as stated. Most communities have laws prohibiting animals without leashes, from running around the streets. We always want to blame someone for a mishap. There is more than one person to blame for this sad situation.
MI-expatriate
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 4:04 a.m.
@ Martin, Thank you for your comment. Just as a note as to how much I love animals, domestic and wild, I want to say that I keep "raccoon gloves" in my car so that if I come across a dead animal in the road (usually country roads, unpaved, not busy) I can move the animal to the side where it will decompose in peace rather than being flattened repeatedly by drivers. Tonight though, I called 911 twice due to a dog that literally attacked my car as I drove on a country road. At first I thought he was a deer, same color, approximate size, and slammed on my brakes. I think he may have hit the side of my car but not enough to stop him - he barked like crazy. I waited, he seemed unhurt, but there was no way I was getting out of my car to that behavior. I slowly pulled forward and called 911 about a dog loose in the road, with collar. Nearly an hour later on the return trip he was still there. I called 911 again. A law enforcement officer was on the way at that time, I was told. This dog was either terribly lost and desperate, extremely ill-behaved, or/and had very irresponsible owners. I might have killed him if I was not such a night-vigilant driver in the country. Moving is very difficult for people and pets. It ranks right up there with major life stressors for both. I do not blame the owners given the timeline, and do fault the driver for not stopping, but be aware that not everyone is responsible in pet ownership.
michiganpoorboy
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 3:46 a.m.
Keep your dog on a leash and this would not happen. This happened because a fool is the owner put the dog down.
bunnyabbot
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 12:35 a.m.
I wanted to donate when I read the article right after it was posted this afternoon. But when I went to the donate page paypal wasn't working :( I just tried again and well, I refuse to join facebook, so I can't donate as it says signin to facebook to complete the transaction :( but luckily I see you have reached your goal! I will pray for your doggie and hope all goes well. The animal hospital at MSU is very good :)
anon505
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 11:28 p.m.
AnnArbor.com should remove the "hit-and-run" wording from the headline and article because it is misleading and falsely implies that the pizza driver committed the crime of leaving the scene of an accident.
anon505
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 11:07 p.m.
Yes, your friends either take incredible financial risks that make it impossible for them to handle a monetary emergency, or they don't. And if they don't then that makes the story fishy.
anon505
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 11 p.m.
Sorry, I meant Martin, not Marie.
BC
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 11 p.m.
@anon505, Fishy? Really?
BC
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 10:58 p.m.
As a friend of Caitlin and Rupert, I just want to say thank you to AnnArbor.com, Pizza House, and all the wonderful people who showed support. We are all overwhelmed by the generosity. This could have been a really unhappy situation for all involved, but the opposite has happened. For me personally, it has really boosted my faith in people. When it was friends of ours trying to help, I was thrilled. When strangers made the choice to help, I was truly blown away. Having spoken with Caitlin tonight, I can say that she is too. We are really blessed to be a part of this community. Again, thank you to AnnArbor.com, thank you to Pizza House, and thank all of you, too. You have saved a sweet, gentle, and truly loving pup. Keep an eye out for Rupert, the Wonderdog, happily trotting the streets of this great town once he has made his full recovery. He can't wait to meet you all.
genericreg
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 10:55 p.m.
Leaving scene of accident no crime? If hit jaywalker must stay even if jaywalker fault.
Carrie
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 10:27 p.m.
buzz is right! Call HSHV!
buzz
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 10:16 p.m.
Definitely check out the clinic at the Humane Society of Huron Valley. They may be able to help Rupert at a lower cost.
Martin
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 10:04 p.m.
Let me start out by saying I LOVE dogs. My family has had them my whole life, and there is nothing about this happening that does not make me sad. That being said, and this is mostly directed to pbehjatnia's comments: how on Earth can you honestly say that Pizza House should be held completely accountable for this happening? Is there really no sense of accountability left in this world? I've seen a lot of finger pointing and ire heading in the direction of the restaurant and the driver (I will agree that it is VERY inconsiderate that the driver did not stop), but what I have NOT seen a lot of is the owner or anyone else involved saying "I'm sorry that hole was not taken care of sooner" or "I'm sorry I did not keep my dog on a chain in the yard." We are not talking about any of this if the owner had been responsible enough to make sure there was not a chance that the dog could escape the yard. And I'm sure the driver is ashamed of him/herself... it would be insane not to be. But to fire a driver for hitting a dog? Really? What if losing that job means he loses his/her home? Seems steep for someone hitting a dog. What happened was terrible, but to make Pizza House seem wholly responsible and to say that they should pay all the bills because the dog escaped from the yard and ran into the street WHERE IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN is unbelievable. Ask them to help, but to run a smear campaign and basically bully them into covering the expenses makes no sense. I truly hope the family gets all the money it needs to cover the expenses... losing a dog suuuuuuuucks. And I really hope Pizza House steps up and helps all they can. But I also hope that both sides realize it was an unfortunate accident on both sides so this incident can be fixed without a bunch of finger pointing.
tommy_t
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 9:28 p.m.
That's a great pic up on top and that's a dog with an opinion! Please publish the details on a Pizza fundraiser.
pbehjatnia
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 9:06 p.m.
& yes i see the typos. Too tired to care.
pbehjatnia
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 9:04 p.m.
If Pizza House management had a shred if decency and even an inkling of creating goodwill to bank, try would just step up and PAY fir ALL of Ruperts vet bills associated with the HIT AND RUn by the Pizza House Driver. As the owner of three dogs, I can safely say that unless and until PH does the right thing (and a benefit is a nice squeaky way of negating any responsibility) I won't leave even a dime of my $$ s at their business. I don't support merchants who have no conscience. FYI - your driver should be fired. Not for hitting the dog, but for running from the accident. Whoever you are, Driver, you should be ashamed.
Bud
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 8:36 p.m.
I hope the little guy pulls through. I am a 1st time pet parent and she has changed my life.
3 And Out
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 8:03 p.m.
Youre a cutie...good luck Rupert!
Michael
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 7:11 p.m.
Our dog is a schnauzer mix, and he would get under the smallest gap in the fence to go hang out with the neighbor dogs. They are very clever. Hope he gets up and around soon, and we'll spread the word!
D21
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 6:17 p.m.
Go Rupert! Nice to see the community pitch in.
BC
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 6:10 p.m.
Yes, you can donate via Perpetua. Open until nine tonight. 12-6 tomorrow. Closed Monday. If you bring a dog with you, he or she will get an organic treat!
Alicia
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 6:05 p.m.
Is there a place I can drop off a cash contribution? Possibly Perpetua Boutique Organique? If they are willing to accept, I am happy to donate.
Patti Smith
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 5:47 p.m.
I'd totally go to a benefit at Pizza House for this little guy! He looks so sad in his "cone of shame" (God I love "Up"!!)...hope she gets the money she needs and Rupert is back chasing squirrels and tennis balls soon.
catmi
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 5:45 p.m.
I'm touched by this story. When my pet of 13 years was badly injured I was told the bill just to keep him alive overnight at the animal emergency clinic was over $1000 dollars. I was torn apart, the vet was closed because it was midnight. I was lucky to have a single credit card that barely covered it and took a year to pay off. I know the heart break of being told your pet might die simply because you don't have the money to fix it. Pets touch our lives and hearts and make our lives better.
BC
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 5:41 p.m.
Pizza House delivery drivers are donating part of their tips from today to help out Rupert! This whole situation has really turned in a positive direction.
BC
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 5:12 p.m.
I am a personal friend of Rupert, and just want to say that the amount of support that people have showneven folks who are just friends of friends of Caitlinhas been amazing. It really speaks well of the people who make up the Ann Arbor community. Best town on Earth. Thanks to everybody.