‘My family is gone’: Woman says truck hit her and 4 dogs, leaving service dog and companion dead

Anchor/Reporter

A woman with a hearing disability in Roseville, California, is mourning the loss of two of her dogs after a truck struck them last Wednesday.

Linda Sekany said she was walking with her service dog Jersey, her canine companion breeder Dugan, her pet dog Lafter, and foster dog Karat when the crash occurred.

“I looked at this truck. He was stopped, and I’m like, ‘Good. He’s waiting for us to cross, which is the appropriate thing to do,'” Sekany said. “The next thing I know, he pulled out and just ran over us.”

Sekany remembers being thrown 5 to 6 feet away, feeling hysterical while trying to comprehend what happened.

The driver stayed on scene, and first responders were called to the scene. The foster dog Karat was unharmed, but the other three dogs needed to be rushed to an emergency veterinarian. Sekany’s son urged her to go to the hospital.

While at the hospital, her son received the horrible news that Dugan had died of cardiac arrest.

Jersey suffered a crushed pelvis, and the next 24 hours were spent trying to figure out what Sekany’s options were, but unfortunately, she was forced to put him down.

Lafter had to have hip surgery and was on the road to recovery until Tuesday, when he needed to be rushed to the animal hospital with a severe case of pneumonia. Sekany believes his immune system is compromised after all the procedures he’s endured.

While Sekany escaped the crash with no physical injuries, she said the loss of her dogs has left her feeling trapped in her home.

“My independence, my ability to function in the world, is Jersey,” she said. “They are my life. I live my life for these dogs. In one fell swoop, my family is gone.”

Sekany said it takes multiple years to go through the process of receiving a service dog, and now she’s trying to comprehend how she’ll function without Jersey.

Sekany is also a longtime volunteer with organizations such as Canine Companions and Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue.

Sister station KCRA contacted Roseville police to learn more details about what caused the collision, but the department has not responded as of Tuesday evening.

A GoFundMe page was started to help Linda during this difficult time.