Scots dog groomer ‘heartbroken’ after beloved pet pooch killed in hit-and-run

Natalie Wilson has blasted trolls who mocked her over the death of two-year-old chihuahua Bella.

A mobile dog groomer has been left “absolutely heartbroken” after her adored chihuahua Bella was left lying abandoned in the road after being killed in a hit-and-run.

Distraught Natalie Wilson, 30, was working at her horse yard on the A75 on the outskirts of Dumfries when the incident happened on Sunday morning.

She said: “I have eight dogs and the rest of them started barking. I ran out shouting for them but Bella never appeared. The next thing, a friend of mine appeared carrying Bella and said ‘one of your dogs has been hit’.

“She must have gone under the fence, onto the road and was hit by someone who failed to stop. Anyone with a moral compass should feel the responsibility to stop, check and report what happened. This isn’t about blaming the driver.

“I understand that accidents happen. If I had done this I’d be devastated. What is inexcusable is the failure to take responsibility, leaving my poor dog without a chance of help and forcing someone else to bring her lifeless body to me.”

In a bid to find out what happened to two-year-old Bella, Natalie posted a message on social media. Despite receiving “overwhelming” support and kind messages, she was stunned at the “cruelty” of others.

One man posted: “You owe me a new bumper”. Natalie said: “As well as showing a complete disregard for my pain, the message is also playing on my mind because I now question whether he did actually hit my dog.

“When I confronted him by asking if he hit Bella, his partner defended it as ‘banter'. Another man also contributed to the online mockery, further compounding my distress by responding with laughing reactions to comments made by me where I was expressing distress.

“No one grieving the loss of a beloved pet should be subjected to such cruelty. In fact, no one ever should be. You never know what others are going through, just be kind.

“Words have consequences, and it’s vital for people to consider the impact of their actions on others.” Natalie has reported the hit and run to police.

She added: “Losing a pet in a hit-and-run is devastating, but what made it worse for me was the lack of accountability. I want to encourage people to drive responsibly and, if they hit an animal, to stop and report it.

“Owners deserve to be informed quickly rather than finding out through unimaginable circumstances. There’s no words to describe how heartbroken I am. Bella was my world.

“She was always the life and soul of the pack – full of energy, joy, and unconditional love. There wasn’t a single day she didn’t bring a smile to my face. My home feels empty without her, and the pain of losing her like this is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”