A WOMAN has spoken of her heartbreak following a hit-and-run accident that killed her pet dog.

Eight-year-old Yogi died in Hilary Stell’s arms after being hit on Oakworth Road, Keighley, by what is believed to be a taxi.

Mrs Stell and her son, Oliver, both of Harewood Crescent, Keighley, stroked the distinctive 45kg animal following last Saturday’s early-hours incident until she realised he had died.

She said: "I was stroking him with my arms around him when he went.”

RSPCA investigators have since issued distressing mobile phone footage, which shows the incident.

The film shows the vehicle ploughing into Yogi, stopping further along the road, then continuing. Yogi, a massive Chow Chow, then staggers along the road.

Witnesses started filming Yogi from inside their car because they believed he was an escaped lion sitting in the middle of the road, due to his size.

RSPCA inspector, Natalie Taylor, said: “This is a shocking incident. It is absolutely heartbreaking for the owners, and would have caused immense suffering to poor Yogi.

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“The driver of a car involved in a collision with a dog is legally obliged to stop and stay at the scene until the police have given the driver permission to leave, and the police must be informed of such an incident."

The RSPCA said the incident, which happened at about 3am, left Yogi “obviously gravely injured” before he collapsed.

Oliver, 25, was looking for Yogi when the accident happened and was alerted by his yelping.

He had let Yogi out for a wee in the field behind their house, on the former Bronte Middle School site, and it is believed the dog wandered off, getting lost in the long grass.

When Oliver found Yogi he called his mother, and the pair lifted the 45kg animal into the back of their car while they called an emergency vet.

Mrs Stell said: “We didn’t think it was bad as first, Yogi just had a cut above his eye. Then he started whimpering a bit. We started cuddling him.

“He’s just been my baby. He was the softest dog going. There’ll never be another like Yogi.”

Anyone with information should call the RSPCA’s national cruelty line on 0300 1234 999, quoting incident number 258/26/06/15.