Necessity of new law a sad commentary on human indecency

After a failed surgery, Nixon lost her back leg.

Dillon has pins holding together an elbow that was shattered into fragments.

I don't need any reminders about what happens when an animal wanders into the street, because I see two examples of that occurrence every day when I go to work. And Nixon and Dillon are the lucky ones because someone brought them to a rescue that could get them the surgeries they needed to get back up again.

But what if no one took responsibility? Would they simply lie in the street until it was too late for them?

I want to believe that no human would leave another sentient being of any species crumpled helpless on the street, but I know that it must happen. If it didn't, California lawmakers wouldn't need to propose a measure to hold drivers responsible for any animals that cross paths with their cars.

A quote from state lawmaker Mike Eng in the Los Angeles Times pretty much sums up the common sense behind this proposition:

"Eng finds it troubling that California makes it a misdemeanor to flee an accident involving property loss -- a dented fender, a crushed mailbox, a crumpled planter box -- but there is no law against a hit and run involving a pet.

'You can wantonly hit an animal and leave and face no consequences,' Eng said. 'An inanimate object has more rights.'"