A disturbing incident in central New Plymouth has led to charges against a motorist after a dog was seen being dragged behind his vehicle. On Tuesday afternoon around 1pm, Mary-Jayne Hodson and her sister were driving home from Hodson’s 30th birthday lunch when they witnessed the shocking scene on Powderham Street.
According to Hodson, the dog—a pitbull cross—appeared to have jumped out of the car, with its lead hanging from the rear window on the driver’s side. As the driver continued down the street, Hodson and her sister honked their horn in an attempt to get his attention. Hodson screamed out the window, desperately warning the driver to stop, but was met with the driver’s rude gesture before he kept driving.
It wasn’t until the driver eventually slowed down and pulled over outside the Downtown car park building that the dog was safely brought into the car. However, the situation took a dangerous turn when the driver allegedly attempted to flee the scene. In doing so, he nearly crushed Hodson’s sister between his car and hers, dangerously close to where Hodson’s young daughter was seated in the back.
While the dog was secured in the back seat of the driver’s car, bystanders stepped in and managed to retrieve the keys from the driver. Hodson, feeling shaken, chose to leave the scene, relieved that the dog was no longer at risk but deeply affected by the frightening ordeal.
The police were called to the scene, and a spokesperson confirmed that the driver was detained. He will face charges for driving with excess breath alcohol, though the police investigation suggested that the dog’s dragging was not intentional. Hodson later took to social media to inquire about the dog’s condition, which has since garnered significant attention from the public. The dog was receiving treatment at Vets4Pets, but the clinic declined to comment on the situation due to privacy reasons.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with many witnesses and social media commenters expressing their shock and support for the dog’s well-being.