A grieving teenager who drove to collect her dying dog from a woodland park and found an angry note on her car when she returned is pleading with people not to judge.
Megan Ferguson, 19, had rushed to help her dad after their family pet Riley suddenly collapsed, while out on a walk at Cowpen Woodland Park.
Riley was 10 years old and showed no illness on the build up to his death.
As they were carrying Riley, a German Shepherd, through the woods to her car when Megan spotted the angry post-it note stuck on her windscreen telling her to "stop putting others at risk".
Megan, who is also grieving the loss of her mum last month, says she was "shocked and upset" by the note, Teesside Live reports.
She is now urging people to "not be judgemental" as they might not know the "complete story".
She said: "My dad often walks his dogs at the woodland as we live local.
"Riley was out with my dad's other dog, Brock, for his daily walk.
"He collapsed, managed to get back up and then collapsed again - this time he didn’t get back up.
"As it was a local walk, we didn’t bring a car so my dad called for help to try and get him to a vets.
"Unfortunately Riley was starting to pass away in our arms and it was too late to get him to a vets.
"We carried him through the woods and into the car.
"Upon return to my car, I found the note."
Megan believes Riley had a heart attack while out on his walk.
"My dad enjoys walking his dogs as it gets him out of the house," she added.
"Our family has been through a bad five weeks because I lost my mam last month.
"People should not be judgemental as they never know the complete story.
"The note could have been contaminated with someone who had the virus, so placing this on someone’s car is not the right way of getting a point across."
Meghan posted about the note on social media which attracted condolences to the family, while claiming the writer may have thought she had driven to the woodland to walk Riley which is banned.
Another said: "I think people have become this way because of all the braindead walking around as if nothing is wrong, while people are still in lockdown far longer than they need to be.
"It angers you, honestly, but yes they should know circumstances before doing such a thing."
Others have condemned "do-gooders" saying "people need to keep their noses out" and asking "why are they carrying post-its and a pen?".
"Putting this on your car is spreading it too," one person pointed out, while others said they had also been on the receiving end of an angry note stuck to their car.
One added: "People assume that anyone who is out is an idiot.
"Seeing as a million people work in the NHS, just as a starter and there are many other essential jobs.
"Look after your own lockdown and remove your beak from other peoples’."
"The thing is," another added, "if I wanted to take my dog for a walk I'd drive somewhere so it's out the way instead of walking streets."
