Mason the Trail Dog - Broken Leg surgery

Hi - my name is Glen and I am a life long avid cyclist, especially on the trails - and currently am the head coach for our local youth mountain bike team. It’s a great group of kids! While biking to practice this week for our ‘Tech Tuesday’ ride on a local trail here in Topsfield, on the north shore of Boston, MA - I came around a corner at the same time Mason was too - going in opposite directions. We swerved - but both in the same direction. The collision propelled me over the bars and off the side of trail, but worse - broke Masons lower leg. He kept running though! A moment later as I pulled my bike out of the ditch and got back onto the trail, Mason galloped back by me headed for his dog mom, clearly not using his poor damaged leg.

I followed him down the trail until we got to his dog mom - who was of course upset at the situation. I explained what happened, and ‘cool as a cucumber’ she asked if I was ok - and if I could carry Mason to her car. I said I thought so, if she could push my bike. So I picked up Mason and off we hobbled. We got to her vehicle and I placed him on his dog bed in back and off they went. That night his dog mom said indeed - both bones in his lower leg snapped and he’d need surgery the next day.

This is likely to be $7,000-$10,000 and while there are many factors here, it was just an awful wrong place / wrong time accident. The trails allow off leash dogs, and I was in control and could see ahead just fine - but as spring has sprung and Mason is shorter than all the brush and grasses along the trails - he was below my line of sight on the sweeping corner we ‘met’ on, and coming down the trail towards me fast! We were left with a split second decision - with a 50/50 chance to avoid catastrophe. And alas, swerved in the same direction…

In all my years of riding on trails in all sorts of situations- nothing like this has ever happened. We’re a dog family - and know we’d be upset if one of our pups had this happen too. I’ve tried to be as polite and courteous a trail user my whole life, and am a life long trail steward too. I’m always careful around animals - horses especially - and have tried to teach the kids proper etiquette as well. I was horrified at the whole situation, and worse - had to explain what had happened to the group - but perhaps it’s a story worth hearing, and learning from.

So here I am - for the first time on the ‘asking’ side of a fundraiser. As a pet family guy that has had plenty of vet visits and the requisite piles of bills - I know it can be expensive. Mason was so sweet, and let me - this big strange guy carry him down the trail after crashing with him - I’d love to help out the family with anything I can.

Thank you,

Glen