drowned ute, dogs inside.

[Maureen Cooper]

Still getting over the awful shock but thought this might make some folks do what I did not do, put a ute into gear while parked and NOT rely on the handbrake.

Pat Green and I were training on Tuesday and he spotted some good runs while upon the steep hillside so suggested I put my dogs in the back when I had done my run and drive up to him as there was a track to park on. The initial firing peg was next to a dam. I drove up the smooth hillside and parked ACROSS it while he went down the hill to do the first run. The ute was stationary for at least 5 minutes while we had watched a young fox and then I had thrown a couple of birds. A shout from Pat alerted me to see my ute careering down the hillside straight towards him. Visually imagine a cross between the Toyota B----r advert and the AAMI ads on TV. The ute rocketed off the rim of the dam( low due to the drought), into the air and nose dived into the middle of the dam. Chess and Kahla in the cages inside.

I had careered down the hill after my truck. We saw that the dogs were still above water so Pat stripped to shorts and waded in to release my dogs. Kahla is fine but Chess is bruised around the pelvic area and on painkillers. My ute is a write-off. We were able to dismantle the cages at the wreckers. The front of the ute was under water for over 2 hours so you can guess the state of the clothing inside. Hours of washing.

All we can think is that the dogs were watching the action and bounced around which had fractionally moved the ute forward, it then had deflected on the ground and the steering had then locked keeping it straight downhill. The weight then did the rest. Had it not gone into the dam the consequences would have been disastrous; Pat's Subaru, fences, iron gates and more open paddocks with gum trees etc etc were all in the line of fire and all downhill. Pat said the handbrake was still on when he helped drag it out.

This post to alert those not a cluey as me and put a vehicle into gear when parked. The sight of it will live with me forever and my beloved dogs being inside was just horrendous. Pat and I have both had some sleepless nights after the event. He praised my lack of hysterics at the time but I was so grateful for his calm demeanour and quite honestly I was in total shock which actually does stop the hysteria!

Maureen

[Jason Ferris]

Cripes Maureen! What a story! Glad that no-one (dogs included) was more seriously injured!

Jason.

[Teresa Parkinson]

I don't know what to say Maureen! Thank God for small mercies....

Glad that you and the dogs are all OK. Too bad about the car but at least it can be replaced!

That is one tip that I think will be embedded deep in my psyche for ever.

Teresap

[Pam Lyons]

Thank goodness the girls weren't tethered to the car, Maureen.

Hope Miss Chess recovers quickly.

The things some people will do just to get a new car!! (??)

[Gareth Tawton]

Maureen,

Now you have something else in common with Joe Law. I will never forget getting the call at Tarana Pub. (I bomb out early that day) for Jake and I to come and pull Joes car up after it fell over a steep embankment. He had done exactly the same as you while closing a gate. Only to see his Patrol careering 400 meters down the paddock around a dam wall, thru the barb wire fence and over a cutting onto the road. When we arrived his bitch was out safe and sound and the car was still standing on its nose. Lucky for Joe we righted his vehicle it was still driveable with only relatively minor damage.

Needless to say Pepper (his bitch at the time) never did pass her divers licence exam

Gareth

[Kerry Webster]

What a horrible day Maureen.
Glad to hear the dogs are ok. I can imagine the nightmares for both you and the dogs.

Kerry

[Andre Fendlason]

Sorry for your vehicle but very glad to hear the dogs made it...

On a simular note/warning.

Had some folks here in the US that hunt the marsh in air boats. The had the idea the it would be a good thing to have kennels made into their boat.

Bad idea... they flipped the boat and drowned the dogs.

Had the dogs not been secured in the boat or too the boat all would have walked away.

Not much difference between tying your dog to an anchor or the boat when you think about it.

André

[Prue Winkfield]

Maureen - how dreadful and thankgoodness you are all OK - sounds as if it could have been much worse! Prue

[Wayne Parkinson]

Hi Maureen.

Glad to hear it wasn't any worse.
Thanks for the warning.

Catch up soon

Wayne P.

[Garrick Bridges]

Maureen,
I can't imagine what you must have felt seeing your ute rolling into the dam with dogs inside. I'm glad that you and the dogs are OK.
Garrick

[Susie Partridge]

Hi Maureen,
I'm so glad the dogs are OK, but sorry about the ute - but we can all learn from it!
cheers Susie

[Julie Cramond]

Thanks for the reminder Maureen on how easily and quickly accidents can happen.

Poor you, lucky dogs and bad luck about your car. I know how you enjoy (or rather used) your dogmobile. Hope you were insured and that you can purchase another quick smart.