On our way home from our walk at dusk last night we stopped to visit with Smokey, the neighbor Beagle across the cul-de-sac. She was out on a long lead in her front yard relaxing. Well, Layla absolutely loves her (Abbie's indifferent) and they play like crazy, but they get so tangled up that the last few times I've let Layla off leash so they can play. When playtime is done I put her back on her leash and we go home. Last night as they were playing, my daughter came driving home into the cul-de-sac. Layla saw her and took off running toward her jeep. I immediately started yelling for Layla, but she ignored me. My daughter pulled into the driveway, all the while I'm screaming for Layla and moving in that direction. (I have a back injury and was going as fast as I could). To my horror, my daughter put the car in reverse and started backing up......Layla finally turned around to look at me and SAT DOWN right in the path of the Jeep's rear passenger tire!! It was like slow motion.....Me screaming my daughter's name and running....it was absolutely horrifying! As I threw Layla's retractable leash at my daughter's car, the car rolled over Layla, and she went to the inside of the tire. I couldn't tell if she had been hit. Fortunately, the handle of the leash hit the side of my daughter's car and she stopped. Layla ran toward the house and I scooped her up and ran inside to check her out. She seemed fine, but I watched her closely all night and today. Checking her tail, her back, her leg........ thank goodness, she's okay!
I cannot tell you how horrible it was. I think my daughter was afraid to come in the house. It was my fault for letting Layla off-leash in the first place and I will NEVER do it again. My daughter was on her cell phone and never even looked before backing up. What if it had been a child behind the car???? What if Layla had been run over?? We had quite a discussion about it and I think she will look before backing up in the future.
Poor Smokey had no idea what was going on and her owner, an older gentleman who cannot speak much due to a stroke had just come out and witnessed what happened....that poor guy, by the time I came back outside, he had gone in, but I went over to let Smokey know it was okay and she didn't do anything wrong.
What a night!!! Layla has a new nickname......Lucky!!!!!!