Breakdown cover refuses to tow camper...lorry hits it

[Kimmikins]

Story here

Woman badly injured and dogs killed in M40 crash


Part of the M40 was closed for most of Saturday morning after a crash near Banbury which killed three dogs and seriously injured a woman. A fourth dog had to be put down yesterday The accident took place on the northbound M40 between junctions 11 and 12 at around 5.30am on Saturday morning when a camper van containing 12 dogs and three people was struck by a lorry.

A woman was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford with serious injuries to her back and chest, while two other people were treated at the scene.

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9 of the dogs initially ran off and had to be rounded up. It's all a bit confusing as to what actually happened; the general consensus is that the RAC refused to tow the camper, even 6 miles to the services, and after waiting for 3hours, their camper was hit by a lorry.

So, might be worth checking your breakdown cover and it's policy regarding pets!

[sparks01]

saw this on facebook the breakdown company are a disgrace

[Kimmikins]

I do think it's appalling if it's true that they refused to tow because of the dogs! Somebody phoned them, and they said that the delay was due to a specialist tow vehicle...but surely a camper isn't that tricky to tow, even if with just a solid bar, and where did they have to rummage to find a vehicle for 3 hours?

[Dani]

 saw that on fb too,makes my blood boil to even think that some moron decided that vehicles with dogs/pets in cant be towed !! I mean what the hell is the difference ?? If they are not bothered about animals getting killed by being hit by other traffic then surely they could at least tow them to safety 

rip doggies 

[sarahhound]

I think the RAC have been given such a hard deal over this and I actually feel quite sorry for them.

It's in their small print that everyone who has insurance with has signed and agreed to! I do believe they can't tow dogs in vehicles, something due to the legalities towing 'livestock', and anyway, how many of you would be happy with your dog in a broken down vehicle being towed along the motorway? Them agreeing to take dogs in their cab along with their owners is done so at the discretion of the driver, and even if there had been a driver that agreed, it wouldn't have been safe to carry 12 dogs in the front with a driver.

I do agree they should have tried to help them, but at the end of the day, the owners agreed in their contract. It's a sad story all round.

[Kimmikins]

I think the RAC should be more forthcoming about what actually happened, because some sources are saying that they are claiming not to have denied them a tow on the grounds of the animals, but that the delay was due to them having to find a specialist vehicle that could tow the camper itself. I'm intrigued to see where it says that dogs are counted as livestock in this context (not denying that's true, a genuine interest!) and it's understandable that carrying dogs in the cab is at the driver's discretion.

It is definitely a sad story however you look at it.

[sarahhound]

It was something I came across on google, not sure if its true, just something I read. I'll see if I can find the link.