A puppy just days away from his first birthday was struck down by a van and left for dead in Fishponds. Owner Justice Bond said she was visiting her mum and stepdad when 11-month-old Storm was run over on Thicket Avenue in Hillfields last Friday (February 3), but that the driver did not stop.
The 23-year-old said her world instantly collapsed when her adorable pup died. She told Bristol Live that the driver responsible has not only "torn her heart out" but has triggered her mental health issues. "They have taken my best friend away from me," she added.
Miss Bond received Storm as an emotional support dog when he was just six weeks old and says he has helped her to overcome her fear of leaving her home. She said on days when she felt down, she looked to him to lift her spirits as she suffered from conditions including severe anxiety and depression.
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“He was my world. There has never been a dull moment with him around - a proper mummy’s boy obsessed with me as I was with him,” she added.
The Sheffield native said the American bulldog-cross loved days by the sea and enjoyed human interactions. “Storm was the most amazing dog you could ever wish for because his personality was out of this world. You couldn’t be sad or depressed around him, he would change that within minutes,” she added.
Devastated Miss Bond approached the police but says she was told nothing could be done as there was no CCTV nearby. She is now determined to get justice for her beloved pooch, who would have turned one on February 9.
She said: “Even if I don’t find who did it, I want them to know how they have torn my heart out. How could anyone drive off and leave a lifeless puppy lying in the middle of the road?”
Earlier this week, Storm was cremated and Miss Bond said she will be scattering his ashes in the ocean as the green-eyed puppy was obsessed with water. “He was the most loving and soft dog you could ever wish for - he was more than perfect. He was my baby,” she added.
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