Dear Editor,

I am writing this letter because this morning (July 23) my year-and-a-half-old Pomeranian/miniature Australian shepherd Charlie was hit and killed by a pick-up truck in front of my house.

I am heartbroken and devastated, but I do not blame the person who hit him. We were still working on training issues, but he was never outside without being on a leash or lead; sometimes he would get away from me. Of course I have been going through the what-ifs: what if I had not gone outside to water my flowers; what if I had taken him with me, he may not have darted past me when I went back into the house; what if I had fenced in my yard; what if there had not been a truck parked in front of my house; what if the person had been driving slower, he might have seen Charlie in time or Charlie might have gotten out of the way.

This was an accident pure and simple, and I do not blame anyone but myself. But let’s go back to driving slower (the speed limit). UPS and FedEx trucks fly past my house, even the meals on wheels vehicle drives way too fast. Charlie and I spent a lot of time on the front porch watching the cars go by. Most of them do not go the 15 mile an hour speed limit; they go much faster. They are also on their phones and roll though the stop signs. We live in a residential section of Powhatan Point, neighbors have complained to council and the police but little is done to monitor the situation. The streets are narrow, crumbling away and not wide enough for the big SUVs and pick-up trucks that come through. People walk, jog, walk their dogs, ride bikes, push babies in strollers, and there are children playing in the yards. There are seven children in the next block all under 6 years old.

Charlie was my companion, my reason for getting out of bed in the morning, my reason for going on walks. We had a morning and nightly ritual that included little songs I made up for him. He would lay on the couch and watch me work and as soon as he heard my laptop close he would jump off the couch because he knew I was done working for the day. He followed me all over the house, and I would feel his nose touch the back of my calf. He knew the sound of the mail truck and loved our mail carrier. He knew the sound of our neighbor’s truck and could hear her front door open. He loved everyone he met. He was a happy go lucky pup that loved other animals, tummy rubs and playing with bugs.

Please, whatever neighborhood you are driving in obey the speed limit; if there are people or pets out, drive even slower. Stay off your phone and pay attention. Obey traffic signs. Save a life even if it is a beloved pet.

There is a hole in my heart.

Kathy Kenney

Powhatan Point