Toronto pet owner speaks out after dog allegedly run over by food delivery courier
Food delivery workers in Toronto are yet again under fire after a local pet owner claims their pooch was run over by a bike courier who fled the scene, which resulted in substantial injuries and pricey vet bills.
The resident and their dog, a small Maltese mix named Kiwi, were crossing the street at Spadina Ave. and Nassau Street midday Sunday when the cyclist allegedly ran a red light.
"All the cars had stopped, but the food bike courier must have thought he could just run the red and weave through all the pedestrians," Kiwi's parent recounted to blogTO, adding that there were many other pedestrians — children and families included — who were also crossing at the crosswalk.
"He ran over my dog and the leash got tangled in his bike, so both him and I went down on the ground. Then he just looked at us, got back up on his bike and as I was yelling at him to stop, he biked away."
Kiwi ended up suffering a large abrasion on her face, which necessitated an urgent vet visit, six hours of waiting, some treatment, and a lot of rest and recovery in a cone.
The worst part (aside from the pup's suffering, the stress and the money spent, of course), is the fact that Kiwi's owners generally avoid busy streets like Spadina solely because of how aggressive delivery drivers in the city can be.
"I live in the area and generally avoid walking my dog on Spadina because there are simply way too many delivery guys riding their bikes and e-bikes on the sidewalks, and quite recklessly," they said.
"That day, I thought with the number of people outside, we would be okay just crossing the street to get to Kensington... Which sounds crazy because one would think that sidewalks are for people."
According to updates on Kiwi's own Instagram page, two days after the accident, she was just getting her appetite back and beginning to walk around again.
"To all the food bike delivery couriers running a red light and riding on the sidewalk — please don't," her owners urge. "How many people, kids and pets have to be hurt before something is done?"
@kiwiinthe6/Instagram
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