Where is there help?

As I was driving back from Woy Woy shopping centre along Ocean Beach Rd, near Kathleen St, on Friday, July 21, around 3:30pm.

I noticed a man pushing an empty shopping trolley yanking on the leash of his dog impatiently.

The dog was young and, as dogs do, was attempting to take in all the many sights and smells along the footpath.

It had difficulty keeping up with its owner.

The yanking on the leash quickly turned into an impatient dragging of the dog.

Being a dog owner myself, this was upsetting enough but nothing prepared me for what happened next.

The gentleman lifted the dog into the air by its leash, grabbed the dog in mid-air with both hands and, with all his strength, repeatedly smashed the dog into the footpath.

The traffic was heavy and moving quickly.

I couldn't stop immediately.

As I made my way back to the scene, a lot went through my mind. As a woman, was I going to be able to confront the man without being hurt myself?

Call the police you say?

No point, they are so understaffed and poorly resourced on the Central Coast, it's almost an impossibility to get any kind of response in a timely manner for incidents such as these.

I pulled into a driveway near to where the man was walking by and mustered enough courage to tell him never to treat his dog that way again.

He didn't reply.

He gave a half-turn of his head and scowled.

And what of the dog?

The man had by this time, thrown it into the shopping trolley.

It sat there motionless and non-responsive.

I so badly wanted to pick it up and carry it to safety but fears for my own safety, and that of my mother waiting in the car, stayed my hand.

The question begging to be asked was: Where was everyone else?

Why weren't there several people surrounding that shopping trolley?

Are we all too busy, too afraid, too apathetic?

As one person alone, I was powerless.

If even one other person had cared enough to stop, we could have rescued the dog.

Someone else driving by must have witnessed this.

Someone in the community must know who this dog owner is.

Please report him and let's get this dog, if indeed it survived, out of harm's way.

Since living on the Central Coast for the last three years, I have been given so many different numbers when seeking help for lost or abused animals, I have found it altogether confusing.

Who do you call when a lost dog wanders into your yard?

Who do you call to report an injured koala on the fire trail?

Who do you call to get a venomous snake removed from your home?

These are the numbers I have been given so far:

RSPCA Main Office 9770 7551

To report cruelty 9770 7555

RSPCA Central Coast 4372 2044 (only open on certain days and times)

Gosford Council ranger 4325 8473 Mobile: 0418 292 504

Gosford Council 4325 8984

Emergency 1800 680 828

Animal Rescue 0500 551 121

Woy Woy Police 4379 7399

Animal Welfare League 4344 6650

Can we make getting help for animals less confusing?

Could we establish a 1-800 Help-An-Animal hotline of some kind so that you are transferred to the appropriate agency which can provide you with immediate assistance?

Rosemary Ruthven Pearl Beach