Pensioner who climbed footpath and killed dog in front of baby twins has been banned from driving

A man in his 70s has been banned from driving for two years after running over a dog who was walking with the family alongside two baby twins in Co Antrim.

Mother Terri McCullagh, 36, was walking with her husband, sister and two children in Tike cars on January 2, 2023, when a car drove onto the sidewalk and mowed down their pet Beagle, Annie.

The incident happened near their home in Greenisland when a silver SUV drove into their path, Belfast Live reports.

Terri said: ‘He just kept driving. He ran over Annie, he killed her and drove away. He must have seen that we were out as a family, three adults, two small children in Tike cars and two dogs on leashes. He swerved twice and climbed the sidewalk and the second time he hit one of our family members and just kept driving.”

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She called on the perpetrator to come forward and a PSNI investigation led to the prosecution of the person who was banned from driving for two years for dangerous driving.

Terri said: “We are very grateful that the man who murdered our little Annie has been held accountable for his actions. It won’t bring her back, but we’re glad it was taken off the road.

“We would like to thank everyone who supported and helped us. We are devastated by the loss of Annie. We rehomed her from Almost Home when she was five years old and rescued her from life on a puppy farm.

“We brought Annie home on November 9, 2019 and she had been used for repeated breeding, fed once a week and never socialized. By the time we got her we thought she had had at least six litters, including one shortly before she was saved.

‘She knew nothing of human contact, nothing of living in a house, of stairs, furniture, mirrors, nothing of being part of a family, but she quickly settled into family life and learned what it was like to be loved and cared for become.

“She was named Sweet Pea by the team at Almost Home and we changed her name to Annie because she was our little orphan girl Annie. After five years of working as a breeder, we were able to give her three years, one month and 24 days love before it was taken from us.

“Annie was the perfect family dog, calm and loving, able to accept love despite what puppy farmers had done to her, she was a gentle companion to Isla and Noah and a sister to Bella Beagle.

“Not only did we lose a dear family member in Annie on January 2, 2023, but it could have been one of our children, Isla or Noah, who could have been hit, it could have been my sister or my husband, or the I it could have been. What kind of person just runs over another living being and continues driving without even stopping to see what damage he’s done?

“The vet said Annie died instantly because her injuries were so catastrophic, but we struggled to find any comfort in the fact she didn’t suffer for long.

“Knowing that the PSNI has taken it seriously and that they have successfully prosecuted the hit driver, who is now off the road, is reassuring and our thanks go to everyone who helped us and the police in this case.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “You may remember the sad case of January 2023 when a collision occurred on the Upper Road, Greenisland and a family pet, beagle Annie, was killed.

“Following police investigations, the driver was identified and charged. This driver has been found guilty of a number of driving offences, including dangerous driving, and is currently banned from driving.”

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