Dog and owner struck by car, dog finds help

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- A Dorchester man was saved by his dog after both were hit by a car and injured in late November.

According to the MSPCA, John Miles was out for a walk with his dog Lucy, an 8-year-old beagle-mix, on Nov. 25; the same four-mile walk they went on together every day for the last eight years. Both Miles and Lucy were hit by a car while crossing Neponset Avenue in Dorchester. Boston police say the car that hit them was speeding. Miles suffered two broken legs, a broken arm and multiple facial fractures.

Despite injuries, Lucy limped to a nearby dentist's office and barked for help for her owner. By the time help arrived, Lucy braced herself against her nearly unconscious owner and refused to leave his side, even as he was lifted into an ambulance.

Miles didn't have any identification with him, so police were able to find his address using Lucy's ID tags. Lucy was taken home to stay with Miles' daughter-in-law, Caitlin Miles.

"Seeing Lucy whine in John's study was heartbreaking as I know she was thinking about the accident and worried for him," Caitlin said. "Moreover, our initial belief that her injury was superficial proved wrong when she stopped bearing weight on her rear right leg-I knew she had to get to the vet right away."

Lucy was taken to Angell's Emergency and Critical Care Unit where veterinarians gave her pain medicine and reviewed her x-rays. They determined that Lucy had a torn ligament in her knee and was in need of surgery.

"This is obviously a terribly sad and worrying time for our family-with my father-in-law facing surgery and months of rehab and our much-loved dog, a hero to all of us, also requiring extensive veterinary care. We'll do whatever it takes to get her well, of course, as she is everything to us," Caitlin explained.

The surgery will cost more than $5,000, and is set for Dec. 13. Donations to offset Lucy's care are being accepted. Those interested should visit the MSPCA's website.

Cox Media Group