Crash dog seeks owner

A wandering Manawatu beagle that caused an accident in Hastings is looking for its owner.

Hawke's Bay Today business editor Patrick O'Sullivan was travelling home with his wife and two dogs at 6pm yesterday when his wife was forced to brake suddenly as a lemon-coloured beagle attempted to cross Havelock Rd.

"It shied away every time a car approached and it was wet and dark - I could see it was going to get hit by a car," Mr O'Sullivan said.

"Even if it crossed the road there was a deep ditch there and nowhere to go, so we pulled over to see if we could catch it."

Other cars were forced to brake and there was a nose-to-tail accident. A passing ambulance stopped but there was no injury.

"I whistled to the dog and she came to me immediately," Mr O'Sullivan said.

"She was trembling with fright so it wasn't a good idea to put her into my car with two dogs three times her size."

He picked up the dog and flagged down a car.

The driver agreed to drive them home.

"She said she would wait while I explained the situation to my wife, which I did, but the girl had driven off.

"I don't know if she was more worried about me or the dog."

The next car he flagged down was driven by Jacqui Gray, senior partner in Hastings law firm Gifford Devine. "She once had a beagle so there was no problem."

Ms Gray dropped the pair to Mr O'Sullivan's home where half an hour later Hastings District Council animal control officer Dave Morris collected the dog. He identified it as being registered in Manawatu and popped her on the front seat of his van.

"She's friendly and pretty healthy - someone's missing her," he said.