A MOTHER and young daughter have been left heartbroken after losing their “loving” and “special” puppy Arabella in a hit-and-run.
Olivia McVeagh, 23, who lives in Baildon, only had the adorable Pomapoochi (a mix between the Pomeranian, Chihuahua and Poodle breeds) for six months before she was cruelly taken away from them at the weekend.
The young dog suffered a head trauma after being hit by a car – which did not stop - on Holden Lane, in Baildon at 10.20am on Saturday, according to Ms McVeagh.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed it is investigating a road traffic offence, with local neighbourhood officers carrying out CCTV enquiries.
Ms McVeagh described her emotions after finding out Arabella had died.
She said: “It was horrendous, I didn’t believe it until I went to the vets and saw her dead on the table.
“I even said, ‘is she definitely dead’, they said, ‘I’m really sorry, she was dead when she got here.’
“It was a head trauma, they hit her head.”
Bonnie, Ms McVeagh’s four-year-old daughter, has particularly struggled to understand that Arabella is never coming back.
Ms McVeagh said: “She was part of the family.
“We mentioned it for a while, we wanted a dog.
“We got Arabella, she just came to everyone
“Bonnie loved her to bits, she’s heartbroken.”
She added: “She just kept saying she wants another Arabella for her birthday, then it hit home for her, she had a breakdown.
“She’s getting more used to the fact she’s not coming back.”
Saturday morning was the fateful moment when the family’s life would change forever.
Ms McVeagh said: “I was laid in bed with her that morning and then she was gone, it happened so fast.”
She added: “Someone left my gate open and I opened the door to let her in the garden.
“She’s just bolted out the garden.
“I shouted her, she just bolted and kept running.”
Ms McVeagh then rang her mum to try find Arabella in her car.
She managed to spot the young puppy running in and around roads and others were also attempting to keep Arabella out of the highway and safe.
Ms McVeagh said: “Mum was following down the road.
“Lots of people were trying to get her out.
“Then a white Ford Kuga came flying up the road, overtook mum’s car and hit her.”
The 23-year-old said her mum’s memory of the traumatic moment is not clear and that it was someone at the scene Ms McVeagh knew that gave detail of what unfolded.
Ms McVeagh said: “It was a bit blurry for her (mum).
“A girl I know was there at the time. She messaged me and she told me.”
She added: “They’ve not even hit her and broken her leg, they’ve hit her and killed her, and I’ve not got a big vet bill.”
A driver must stop at the scene if they hit a dog, report the incident and give information and documents, under UK law.
Ms McVeagh posted about the heartbreaking incident on a Facebook community group, in an appeal for information.
Arabella was not just a pet, she was an integral part of the family – loved like a second child – and the devastation at her loss has been felt across Baildon too.
Ms McVeagh said: “It is a child, all the commenters, a lot are absolutely devastated.
“It is a child, if you’re not a dog owner yourself, you don’t understand that they are your baby.”
She added: “I’ve had dogs throughout my whole life.
“Then she was just so special, if you met her she was unbelievable."
She added: “She was just so loving, wanted to love everyone, amazing with kids, just such a loving little girl.
“It just was good training her as well, just the dream, she really was.”
Ms McVeagh’s message for the car involved in the hit-and-run is that her life has been turned upside down.
She said: “I just wanted to say they don’t realise how big of an impact it’s had, not just me, my family, friends, daughter, it’s impacted everybody.
“My grandma, all my family, have been crying their eyes out.
“They loved her so much, them doing that stupid little thing has f**ked my life up.”
Police have launched an appeal in relation to the crash.
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: “Anyone who witnessed the offence is asked to contact police on 101 quoting log 465 of 9 May or use the live chat facility at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/contactus.”
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