Horse killed in car accident near state highway in Pierce County Sunday evening
A horse died in an accident with a car on the Key Peninsula on Sunday, according to the Key Peninsula Fire Department.
The accident happened in the area of 94th Avenue Northwest and state Route 302, the department posted on social media shortly before 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 29. The post said the horse was injured and the car needed to be towed.
The driver of the car wasn’t injured, Key Peninsula Fire Department spokesperson Anne Nesbit told The News Tribune via text message Monday.
The fire department received the call at 5:15 p.m. for help directing traffic and remained on scene for just under two hours, Nesbit wrote. The Washington State Patrol also responded.
She said the horse “was spooked and got out of its paddock” and that the horse died from its injuries.
About 9 p.m. Sunday, a Key Peninsula resident posted on Facebook and wrote that the horse, who was deeply loved by a 12-year-old girl, had “gained its rainbow wings.”
“My family and I will be dropping off flowers and thought cards for her at the Howllywood Pet Grooming sign in hopes it can bring her some comfort and love,” the resident wrote.
The 8-year-old horse’s name was Birdie, Amanda Dominguez, the mother of the girl who owned the horse, told The News Tribune around 5 p.m. Monday. Dominguez is the owner of Howllywood Pet Grooming and Boarding, a small family-owned business based in Gig Harbor.
She was “just a sweet little horse,” Dominguez said.
Birdie replaced another horse of theirs that died in September. Her color was one of the things that made her special, since her daughter really wanted a black horse, according to Dominguez. Birdie was the horse that made her “daughter’s dreams come true,” she said.
Birdie got spooked by something, and it was hard to see her in the darkness because of her black coat, Dominguez said about the night of the collision. When she heard Birdie get hit, she immediately went to check on the couple in the car to make sure they were OK. She’s grateful that they were, she said.
Then, seeing Birdie, Dominguez said she “just laid there and cried over her.”
The family is grateful for the love and support they’ve received from their community, she said. Locals left them a card and flowers, and pedestrians helped control traffic after the accident.
“One lady even stopped and gave me a blanket so I could cover my horse’s eyes,” Dominguez said. “It’s just really sweet.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include information from the family that owned the horse.
This story was originally published December 30, 2024 at 1:04 PM.
