Faithful Friends found Jane Pierantozzi was walking her dog Dec. 10 on South Clayton Street in Wilmington when they were hit by a vehicle.
The founder of Faithful Friends Animal Society is recovering from a hit-and-run accident that hospitalized her and killed her dog, Emma, which she was walking at the time of the accident.
The incident occurred when Jane Pierantozzi was walking her dog Dec. 10 on South Clayton Street in Wilmington near the intersection of South Clayton and Maple Streets in Wilmington.
The driver fled the scene.
Faithful Friends, Crime Stoppers and the Wilmington Police Department are seeking information to identify the driver of the vehicle that hit them, the animal society said Thursday.
The vehicle is believed to be a tan minivan or full-sized SUV which fled south on Clayton Street (traveling in the wrong direction) after hitting Pierantozzi and Emma about 7:45 p.m.
Anyone with information or video is asked to contact Wilmington Police Sgt. Pete Leccia at (302) 571-4414 or [email protected]; or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333 or at www.delawarecrimestoppers.com.
“Our entire organization is shocked and very saddened with the news of Jane’s injury and the loss of Emma’s life,” said Bob Wasserbach, president of the Faithful Friends Board of Directors. “We are thankful to have a strong and competent team who have banded together to continue our lifesaving work as Jane recovers.”
Faithful Friends is a no-kill shelter and sanctuary serving the state and surrounding communities. It serves 17,000 pets and 24,000 people through rescue, adoption and outreach services including a low-cost veterinary clinic, free pet food bank and the state’s only pet lifeline resource hotline for pet caretakers in crisis.
Since its founding in 2000, the society has advocated for reforms, increasing public funding for spay/neuter, finding loving homes for rescued pets, and providing safety-net services aimed at reducing pet relinquishment.
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Pierantozzi most recently was quoted in a Delaware Live story about how shelters are now focusing on trying to keep pets with their families instead of forcing the family to give up the pet.
Pet retention is “modeled after social services and is a better choice than a more expensive and stressful intervention,” she said. “Shelters are necessary, but they’re a place of last resort.”
The owners may need help with food or veterinary expenses, or even just advice on how to handle a certain kind of animal.
“All pets deserve a loving home, but some already have them,” she said.
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