Cart catastrophe puts mini Schnauzer in harm’s way

There’s nothing like that first cup of coffee in the morning, especially when you can zip through a resort community in Kissimmee, Florida on your way to get it. This was exactly what Bob Romig had in mind as he drove his golf cart to get a morning pick-me-up with Sophie, the Romig family’s miniature Schnauzer. Little did he know that a low-speed cart crash would lead to a serious health scare for his beloved pooch.

Bob and his wife, Francine, always say that Sophie is the princess of the family, and the queen of her street. “She likes riding in the golf cart,” says Bob. Considering the low speed and overall safety of the cart paths in Kissimmee, Bob regularly let Sophie sit next to him for the short ride to the café.

“Well, we had gone up to get coffee and come back on the main drive and made a turn on a side street,” Bob remembers. A man in another golf cart was in a hurry and tried to go around Bob. In doing so, he didn’t see that a car was coming and pushed Bob and Sophie off the street and onto the curb.

“I had no place to go. It didn’t roll the cart over, but I had no place to go—except against the curb. Well, when I did of course she flew, and the leash pulled right out from underneath me. I don’t know if the wheel ran over her or not, but she’d bounced around an awful lot,” Bob says.

Bob was horrified when he realized Sophie wasn’t in her seat or harness any more.

“Someone asked if I got the license plate of the car that turned, but I didn’t have time to because I was worried about my dog laying on the side of the road,” said Bob.

When he collected himself and Sophie, they went home and assessed her for serious injury. According to Bob and Francine, Sophie could hardly move and was moaning and groaning. She wasn’t doing well. They immediately decided to take her to the vet. Sophie was treated at Veterinary Healthcare Associates in Winter Haven, where she received x-rays and pain medication to treat her hip injury. Francine and Bob were unable to go into the vet hospital with Sophie—pandemic protections limited access to the emergency room—but they were pleased with the service they received from the staff there.

“Those people over there, I mean they come out, they asked us questions, they took her in and then they would call us every half hour or so,” says Bob.

Shortly after the incident, Francine and Bob noticed that Sophie was still in some pain.

Bob adds, “She had her bed by the front of the TV and I actually slept out in the living room so I could be with her, because she didn’t want to do anything.”

Fearing long term ramifications of her injury, Bob and Francine opted for cold-laser treatment to get Sophie back on her feet.

“After those two treatments you would have thought she’d never been hurt,” says Francine.

“Everyone got lucky in this situation, humans and pets alike,” said Dr. Jules Benson, Nationwide’s Chief Veterinary Officer. “We’re all happy Bob and Sophie are making their coffee runs again.”

Months later and Sophie is back to ruling the block and hearts of Bob and Francine.

As seasoned pet parents, Bob and Francine are aware of the costs and level of care needed to protect their animals. Pet insurance gives Bob and Francine peace of mind knowing they don’t have to hesitate when it comes to taking her to the vet.

Bob and Francine Romig Nationwide pet insurance members since 2012