omg...It's not the fact that the owner of Sam dealt with the situation as he did but more so the fact that the damn delivery driver ran him over and apparently didn't even notice..WTF??? How can you run over a dogs leg and just carry on driving happily away like nothing happened.

Oh bloody hell.

Well it was the postman in his van, who delivers to the farmer before he comes down here, so it will be interesting to see if he is still in one piece when he calls tomorrow - as the farmer has been told the circumstances.... he was very fond of that dog

Oh the poor old chap I just hope he wasn't in pain for too long.

So sad! Poor thing.

spotsmad, do you think the driver knew he drove over poor sam??...he must have done mustn't he??...I just can't even beleive it.

I'd like to think he didn't, the visibility out of an escort van type is not brilliant behind, there was his engine noise, the other van's engine and my dogs barking their heads off. Sam is usually very good about getting out of the way IF HE IS AWAKE as he is deaf, several times I have had to stop the car and prod him when he has been asleep in the middle of the track in the way as he has been oblivious to any vehicle.....

..deaf dogs usually react to vibration, perhaps Sam did not have enough time..

poor old thing.

Still - I can understand the farmers reaction and perhaps the postman didn't hear.

After all, if he didn't hear him, it's not necessarily the case that he would feel it on a track. Remember, it's not a smooth road.

The thing is, a shot is very quick, if the dog's deaf he can't hear it which is what would scare him most and the farmer, is, after all just a farmer, the dog is a working dog whom the farmer is fond of. He can't afford to go to the vets and pay all that money just to have him put down when he can do it himself.
Even though I couldn't do it, he's a farmer and is probably used to killing animals.
the dog was 20, that's so old and I doubt the vet would have thought he would get better - I mean even just going under anaesthetic would probably kill him.

But, I couldn't kill him myself - for goodness sake, I give the mice that my cats bring in to my dad to finish off because I can't do it!

Poor old Sam - he had a good life and, Gill, just remember that you made the last period of that life fantastic like the farmer said. it's just a shame he couldn't have gone in a nicer way.

RIP Sam.

I'm sitting here crying buckets for poor Sam, and yet soo angry at the farmer. That type of attitude turned me against farmers years ago, once a dog gets too old to work they shoot them, disgusting!!! If we ordinary folk can look after a dog into it's old age why the h**l can't they.

At the same time it probably put Sam out of his misery quicker than going to the vet, especally at that age, there would be a slim chance of recovering from that,)I am telling myself)

R I P Sam

Ian