A dog owner has hit out e-bikers ‘getting away with murder’ after her Pomeranian was killed by a teenager who laughed as he rode away.
Julie Whitecross’s husband, 59-year-old Lee, had taken their pet dog Saffi for a walk in Sarisbury Green, Hampshire, on the evening of February 28 when he heard the ‘whir’ of an e-bike behind him.
Moments later, Saffi let out at a scream as the careless teenage driver smashed into her on the dangerous e-bike.
Mr Whitecross picked up his Pomeranian who ‘just looked at him and died in his arms,’ before yelling at the heartless teenager, who pulled up his hoodie and chuckled as he peddled away.
After being rushed to the emergency vets, it was confirmed the beloved dog had died from an ‘impact bruise’ on her rear end.
Lee and Julie have been left ‘shell-shocked’ at the death of their much loved pet, calling the ordeal ‘the worst night of our lives.’
‘My husband took her for a walk, Saffi was sniffing a bush,’ Mrs Whitecross said.
‘She was so healthy, I am sure she would have lived another couple of years easily.
Saffi the Pomeranian (pictured) was killed when she was struck by an e-bike in Sarisbury Green on February 28
Saffi died in her owner’s arms as the teenage e-bike rider who hit her rode away chuckling
Following Saffi’s unfortunate passing, Julia Whitecross (pictured), her owner, is now calling for stricter measures to be in place to stop e-bike riders ‘getting away with murder’
‘He had her walking behind him, he heard this whir of this electric bike and heard this scream.
‘My husband turned around, he just quickly picked her up, she just looked at him and died in his arms.
‘He shouted out to the guy ‘you have killed my dog’ but he just pulled up his black hoodie, turned around and laughed and rode off.
‘It was the worst night of our lives, we were just feel really shell shocked, she went out the door and she was dead, it was horrible, it was a nightmare.’
Following Saffi’s unfortunate passing, Mrs Whitecross is now calling for stricter measures to be put in place to stop e-bike riders ‘getting away with murder.’
She says policing of ‘dangerous’ e-bikes is ‘not good enough’ and more needs to be done to protect pets and pedestrians alike from being hit by the careless motors, which can reach speeds of up to 30mph.
The mum-of-two is also concerned about a lack of street lighting on her road compounding the issue.
Saffi’s family remember her as a ‘good girl’ who loved going on dog walks. She will be sorely missed, they said
‘To be honest there ought to be heavier fines for these people, they are getting away with murder,’ she said.
‘My son nearly got knocked over by one the other day.
‘It is just not good enough, all the police seem to do is give them a slap on the wrist.
‘[E-bikes and e-scooters] are a bloody nuisance, it is the people that are riding them, they should be on the roads.
‘It is like having a motorbike on the footpath.’
Mrs Whitecross remembers Saffi as a ‘good girl,’ who will be sorely missed by her family.
‘We have got memories of walks along the beach with the kids,’ she continued.
‘She used to like long car journeys, she was just such a good girl.
‘Her favourite thing was going for walks, unfortunately the irony of it is on this particular night it was dangerous.
‘She was such a good dog.
‘She was family, she deserved to go peacefully in her sleep.’
Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, they described the rider as between 14 and 18 with a slim build and wearing dark clothing.
