A dog owner has issued a stern warning after her beloved pet died in a freak accident.
Kristin Minassian told the heartbreaking story, which took place almost two decades ago and still haunts her to this day.
“Over 15 years ago, my husband and I were pulling out of a drive-thru and the person behind the counter wanted to give our dog a treat,” Kristin has since shared Newsweek“We rolled down the back window so she could give Aussie a treat.”
Kristin, who held the Aussie’s leash from the front seat, explained that the Australian Shepherd liked to hang her head out the backseat window of the car — and often did so without any problems.
Tragically, Kristin admitted that day that the couple had made “a big mistake.”
Kristin Minassian shared the heartbreaking story – which took place nearly two decades ago – but still haunts her to this day
Kristin explained that Aussie wasn’t restrained with a seatbelt and after they rolled down the window so she could get a treat, disaster struck.
The couple were distracted by their own order and overlooked the danger, because as they drove away, Aussie jumped out of the window.
Kristin couldn’t hold the leash and the puppy fell onto the street.
Despite being rushed to a vet immediately, Aussie sadly passed away. Kristin admits she is still finding it incredibly difficult.
“It’s been over 15 years now and I still feel sad and extremely guilty about it,” the dog lover admitted.
She continued, “She was such a happy little girl who loved playing with a ball, swimming in the lake, and fetching sticks.”
Kristin recently shared the story with Instagram After seeing a dog hanging out of a window, she posted a message on Instagram, urging her to post about it to warn other pet owners.
Users flooded her Instagram comments, with many thanking Kristin for sharing her story.
Kristin (pictured with her family and two dogs – but not Aussie) says she’s still sad about the loss
Users flooded her Instagram comments, many thanking Kristin for sharing her story
“Stop OMG I feel like I needed to see this my dog is always acting all out,” one user cheered. “Thanks for sharing.”
“This happened to me last year,” shared another grieving dog owner. “My puppy was a year old, I thought she was safe, the window was only ajar, but it was just enough for her to fit through.”
They continued: ‘I ran back down the street and picked her up and in a panic of guilt and shame I ran across the middle of a freeway holding her. It was horrible. I will never forgive myself.’
“I thought I was being paranoid (I am) but my dog wears a seatbelt and I still won’t open the window all the way,” someone else said.
‘Dog harnesses are about $10 on Amazon. Keep the pooches safe!’ advised someone else.
According to the American Kennel Club, There are several ways to travel safely with a dog in the car.
It is advised to never let your dog run around in the car without a leash. If there is no way to restrain your dog, lock the car windows and lock the doors with your children.
“Your dog may figure out how to operate a button, or accidentally press a button, which could cause injury, especially if he sees another animal or dog outside,” the website says.
‘Besides, he could suffocate if he accidentally rolls down the window while enjoying the breeze.’
The Kennel Club advises that animals should be transported in a crate with adequate ventilation and that they should be placed in a safe place in the vehicle.