by Douglas Walker, Deadline Press and Picture Agency
A FOOTBALL-playing dog has had a leg amputated after being mown down by a speeding hit-and-run driver.
Footie-daft Collie-cross, Sox, was walking with his owner, Liam Davidson, 19, when the car appeared from nowhere and knocked the pooch down.
The heartless driver refused to stop leaving the helpless dog in the middle of the road.
Now after making an amazing recovery, the three-legged animal still runs rings round his owner on the football pitch.
The incident happened outside the family’s Fife home when Liam Davidson, 19, was taking the two-year-old dog to the park for their daily kick-about.
Liam, from Lochgelly, said: “Sox was crossing the road just ahead of me when the car appeared from nowhere and smashed straight into his hind legs.
“Although the street has speed bumps, it was travelling over the speed limit and must have been going at least 40mph.
“Because it was going so fast and didn’t stop, I didn’t even have time to see what type of car it was.
“My immediate concern was for Sox though and I feared the worst at first.
“Fortunately it was just his leg which was inured and we drove him to the vet which is just five minutes away”
The accident, which happened on November 1, left Sox with a broken hind leg and serious ligament damage to his paw which left the bone showing.
When the vet decided the leg couldn’t be saved, he went into surgery the following day to have it amputated.
After paying over £300 in vet fees, Liam is quick to count his blessings that his eight-year-old sister hadn’t been with him at the time.
He continued: “I’m just so grateful my wee sister Caitlin wasn’t with me otherwise things could have been a lot more serious.
“She usually comes for walks but didn’t on the occasion as she was at a friend’s house.
“The fact there are speed bumps makes it even more amazing the car was going at such a speed.
“The whole family are really upset about the whole thing but the main thing is Sox has made such a good recovery.”
The pooch hasn’t let a missing paw stop him doing what he loves the most – playing football in the park.
Liam said: “The day Sox got home from his operation the first thing he wanted to do was get out and play football.
“He certainly hasn’t let only having three legs get in his way and still runs about mad.
“He doesn’t quite jump as high anymore but apart from that he is a good as he was before.”
The law states that a driver who knocks over a dog must report the incident to the police.
A witness reported the car as being a silver Renault Laguna and police are appealing for information.
A spokeswoman said: “The driver was under a legal obligation to stop and we are appealing for anyone with any information on the person’s identity to come forward.”
ENDS
