Shipping company won’t take responsibility for dog’s death

When Tim Curtis came home on May 6 his dog Suzy wasn’t there to greet him.

Suzy, a 2-year-old black Labrador, always ran out to say hello.

Tim’s son found Suzy lying in the carport and became hysterical at what he saw.

“She was tore up,” Tim told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson.

Tim assumed Suzy was hit by a car. The family lives near a highway and he thought she may have wandered out. However, Suzy was trained to stay away from the highway.

When Tim came home the next day, he learned more about his dog’s death. There was a mark leading from the driveway up to the carport. Someone had dragged Suzy up to where Tim and his son eventually found her.

A package was delivered to the house the day before, Tim told Dori.

“I called the shipping company,” Tim said. “After four or five calls, the driver called and admitted that he ran her over on the way in.”

The out-of-state shipping company is not as well-known as some that may come to mind, Dori told listeners. For now, he’s not naming the company. Phone calls to reach the company were not returned by Tuesday afternoon.

The driver told Tim he didn’t know what to do when he hit Suzy. The driver knocked on the door.

Suzy was not dead after she was hit, Tim said. She suffered.

Could Suzy have been saved if the driver had taken her to the vet?

“No, but it would have saved several hours of suffering,” Tim said.

The driver who hit Suzy is contracted through the shipping company, Tim said. The company told him the incident is not its responsibility and the driver’s insurance needs to deal with it.

“I thought it was pretty coward,” Tim told Dori.

What will make this right, Dori wanted to know.

“Nothing will make it right,” Tim responded. “I just want justice for my dog.”