Call the nearest emergency vet first, then head there. Call 911 if the dog or crash is a traffic danger. If it is not your dog, call animal control.
The first call is to a vet
If your dog has been hit, call the nearest emergency vet and leave as soon as you can do it safely. Make the call from the car if someone else can drive. Say: My dog was just hit by a car. She is a 50 pound shepherd mix, and she is breathing but cannot stand. We are 10 minutes away. Calling ahead lets the team prepare, and the AKC notes that staff can tell you if they are full and send you somewhere else. If you do not know who is open, call your own vet’s number. A Texas A&M veterinary professor says many clinics have an emergency line that routes after-hours calls to a local 24-hour clinic. Go even if your dog gets up and seems fine. PetMD’s vet-reviewed guide says internal injuries may not be visible at first or may show up hours later.
Is it safe to go to your dog
Look at the traffic first. Your dog needs you in one piece, and a second collision makes everything worse. If the dog is in a live lane on a busy road, or the crash has left cars in danger, call 911 and tell them where you are. On a highway, stay out of the lanes and let responders stop the traffic. If you have a second person, have them watch for cars and wave drivers around from a safe spot. See our post called Dog on the highway: who to call and what not to do if the dog is on a freeway. Approach slowly and speak quietly. If your dog ran off after being hit, stop here and read our post Dog missing after a car accident: searching the crash area.
Before you lift a hurt dog
An injured dog can bite, even one that never has. Dr. Medora Pashmakova of Texas A&M says pets in pain may bite even if they have never bitten anyone before. A muzzle can protect you, and a leash or gauze can serve in a pinch, but the AKC says not to use a muzzle on a dog that is vomiting, because it can cause choking. PetMD suggests wrapping the dog in a big towel or blanket. If the dog can walk, guide it slowly to the car. If it cannot, Oakland Veterinary Referral Services advises keeping its body as flat as you can, with little movement of the head and legs, in case of a spinal injury. A firm, flat board can work as a stretcher, and a large dog may take more than one person. Press a clean towel on bleeding. Ask the vet on the phone how to move your dog. Leave all other treatment to them.
Who else to call on the way
Hand this list to a passenger or do it after you arrive. First, call a family member to meet you, since you will have decisions to make. Second, if the driver left, call the police non-emergency line and ask for a report number. If any person was hurt, call 911. Do not give your dog food or water on the way, because PetMD says it may need anesthesia. Do not give it any medicine unless the vet tells you to.
Get the driver’s details
If the driver stopped, get a name, phone number and license plate, and take a photo of the plate if you can. OVRS says not to leave the scene without the driver’s contact details, as they may matter later. PetMD adds that you should ask what happened, including how fast they were going, because it helps the vet, and that the driver might help with costs. Whether the driver owes you anything depends on your state and the facts. This is general information, not legal advice. Keep your vet bills and the report number.
If you hit a dog that is not yours
Stop when it is safe. Some states require it. In New York, Vehicle and Traffic Law section 601 says a driver who strikes and injures a dog, cat, horse or cattle must stop, try to find the owner or a nearby police officer, and take other reasonable steps so the animal can get care, and then report the matter. Other states have different rules, so do not take this as a national law. Check the collar for a tag and call the number. If nobody answers, call animal control or the police. In Hayward, California, for example, sick and injured animals go to Animal Services at 510-293-7200, and animals on the highway go to the California Highway Patrol. Stay near if you can. If it is safe and you can do it without being bitten, ask the dispatcher about taking the dog to a vet. A vet or shelter can scan for a chip, and PetMD’s guide suggests posting on lost and found pet sites.
At the clinic, and the bill
Staff will likely ask what happened and examine your dog, and they may take X-rays and blood tests. PetMD lists limb and pelvis fractures, lung bruising and road rash among the common injuries. Ask for an estimate before treatment starts, and ask what they recommend first. If you cannot pay the whole amount, say so at the front desk at once. PetMD lists pet credit cards, personal loans, vet payment plans, help from local animal welfare groups and crowdfunding as options to ask about. Your dog may be in pain and confused when you get home, so follow the discharge sheet exactly, and call the clinic with any question.
If your dog dies
Some dogs do not survive. If that happens, you can still go to a vet, who can talk to you about what comes next. If someone else reports it to you, ask for the exact location and whether a collar was seen. Take your time with the decisions that follow, and let someone else drive you home.
Sources
Texas A&M Veterinary Medicine, Pet Talk: vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/what-to-do-if-your-pet-is-injured. PetMD: petmd.com/dog/emergency/what-do-if-your-dog-hit-car. AKC: akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-transport-a-dog-to-hospital. Oakland Veterinary Referral Services: ovrs.com/blog/?p=3947. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 601: nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/VAT/601. City of Hayward: hayward-ca.gov/services/city-services/report-animal-emergency.