Dog Balou missing after accident - dramatic search ends lightly!

Dog Balou missing after accident - dramatic search ends lightly!

The dog Balou was desperately sought after it was run out after a traffic accident. The incident occurred on Sunday, March 9, 2025, around 4.30 p.m. when a 26-year-old from the Rhein-Palatinate district came from the B9. Probably too high speed was the cause of the accident in which the vehicle crashed head -on against a tree. Officials from the Germersheim inspection discovered the accident car during a patrol trip and found that the BMW had suffered damage of around 12,000 euros and was no longer ready to drive. An ambulance was also on site, but the driver didn't want to go to the hospital.

After the accident, the dog Balou ran away and could not be found by the police officers. From the early evening, the owners and acquaintances searched desperately for the red Ridgeback male, which was a little over a year old and weighed 62 kilograms. They distributed flyers and called on social media for help. There was an urgent warning on one of these flyers: "Attention.

re detained dog

The search for Balou came to a happy end early Monday morning: the dog was secured and returned safely to its owners. These dramatic events also raise questions about the safety of dogs in road traffic. In another incident that occurred in Neustadt on February 15, 2025, a dog that was not a leash was hit by a car and died of his injuries at the scene of the accident. A witness report describes that the vehicle came from the Festplatzstraße at normal speed and drove towards Konrad-Adenauer-Straße. The driver let the side window down on the dog's whirl, but drove on possibly without having noticed without the collision.

In the discussion about the safety of dogs in road traffic, the responsibility of the owners should not be neglected. According to the Animal Welfare Act, owners are obliged to take help on the dog. Removing the scene of the accident can result in criminal consequences, while holder in accordance with § 833 BGB is responsible for the damage that your dog causes. This regulation applies regardless of the use of a leash or a light dish. In addition, dog owner liability insurance are mandatory in some federal states.

experts advise to get dogs used to commands at an early stage and to stick to some security measures to minimize the risk of accidents: dogs should always be kept within sight and avoid walks in heavily used roads. Drivers are asked to reduce their pace when you see a free -running dog to prevent accidents.

In both cases - both in the accident of Balou and the fatal incident in Neustadt - the safety of animals and all road users is of the utmost importance. The events show that every moment can be critical near streets and that sensitization is required for the responsibility in dealing with animals.