Entire Dog Blog

A bill making its way through the South Carolina legislature would make it a crime to hit a dog, cat or horse with a vehicle and continue driving. Hit-and-Run drivers who strike animals could face fines up to $500. Drivers would have to stop and contact law enforcement to avoid the fine. The bill is sponsored by State Senator Jake Knotts (R).

A few years ago, a driver hit and killed one of Knotts' dogs and simply "waved at me, honked his horn and kept on going," Knotts said. And, recently, he said, youngsters mentioned similar experiences to him, prompting him to introduce the bill.

If left in the roadway, wounded animals risk further danger, said Jane Brundage, co-founder of the Pets Inc. rescue agency in West Columbia.

Often "they could have been saved easily, but they stayed there too long and were hit by another car," Brundage said.

Of course, there are always folks lined up to oppose any idea, even a logical and humane one such as this.

Still, some say the well-intentioned proposal might be impractical by:

• Increasing accidents and congestion by forcing drivers to stop even in heavy traffic when a pet is hit.

• Overburdening law enforcement.

• Punishing motorists rather than pet owners who let their animals run unrestrained.

• Creating confrontations between motorists and pet owners.

Most of the same arguments could be made about having laws against any hit-and-run accident. A driver would not automatically be punished for hitting an animal - only for fleeing the scene without reporting the incident. Law enforcement would still be free to investigate the circumstances surrounding how the pet was able to run into the road and punish the owner if appropriate.