i have been so upset all day and still feel really upset now.
i was cycling to work and a squirrel was climbing down from a tree. he got scared and run in the opposite direction - into the busy A4. a car run over him, i dont think it hit him but he was rolling down the road and i think he must have broken his back. he was literally crawling over the road to get to the other side (3 lanes) and traffic was passing over him. i was screaming and waving my arms but no one even slowed down. it was terrible. i manged to get across the road and emptied out my rucksack and managed to get him in there. he couldnt move his back legs at all, although he wasnt bleeding. i rang my partner to come and get him to take him to the vet. it was awful. apparently he was crying in the car on the way to the vet. i cant believe that people can be so heartless as to not even slow down and just run over the poor thing. he is now no longer suffering which is the main thing. my heart feels full of pain as i feel responsible for him running in the road in the first place.
RE: such an upsetting morning
That is so upsetting and definitely cruel - some people are heartless and its more important to them to get to work on time. Animals have just a part in this world as we do. I wouldn't feel responsible as you did a good deed and know that at least your heart was in the right place. I am sure the squirrel is thankful for what you did.
RE: such an upsetting morning
Hi Vicki
I know exactly how you feel, a similar thing happened to me a couple of months ago. I saw a Dove with a damaged wing at the side of the road and went to get it. It was frightened and went across the road, nothing was coming so I went into the road to try to catch it. A car started to come and I tried to stop it, the man had no intention of stopping and ran straight over the top of it. He saw the bird, and still drove on. Sometimes I just can't understand people.
You can only know that you tried to do your best and your intentions were well meant.
With love
Jacquie [sm=love-smiley-009.gif]
RE: such an upsetting morning
I know it's really horrible to see an animal in such pain like that - I saw a pigeon flapping around in the middle of a busy motorway once and it was awful - but I remember when I had my driving lessons (many years ago), that you are not supposed to stop for a small animal like that. Dependent on the speeds you're travelling at, sudden braking could result in you killing or serously inuring another human being. Just a thought.
RE: such an upsetting morning
that is awful, i feel really sorry for you, and the poor animal, but you were kind enough to help him and that is what matters. getting the image out of your head is really difficult when you see something like that.
in the area where i live, in recent memory, smg similar happened whena dog got off the lead and ran in the road, someone swerved to miss it and unfortunately the dog and the driver are no more. not a cheery story i know, sorry.
RE: such an upsetting morning
I know how you feel Vicki.
I once ran over a rabbit while driving on the motorway at night. I only saw its eyes and it just stopped dead in front of the car. I was travelling quite fast and couldn't slow down. I tried to swerve but there was another car in the lane beside me so, i ended up running over the poor thing. I had to pull over because i was so upset and cried all the way home. I have a pet rabbit too, so it was even more upsetting for me. But, sometimes, there just isn't anything you can do when you are travelling at speed.
I would take comfort in the fact that you tried to help the little fella, even though he had to be put to sleep, i bet he was pleased you were there to help him. 😀
Kate x
RE: such an upsetting morning
This post really affected me, I couldnt sleep last night for thinking about it. I dont drive and I am really glad I dont sometimes.
2 things happened to me last year. I was on my way out to the gym and I heard a meow, I live on a busy bus route. A cat was under the hedge, it was pouring with rain, it kep trying to get onto the road and was running back, was so scared.
I went and fed it and it was pouring with rain and I thought I wont sleep tonight if that cat is out there.
So I phoned a very large animal charity so see if the cat could be picked up, they were not interested, said that it was obviously a wild cat and happy where it was.
Anyway, somehow I managed to get it into my flat and my mum came and took her the next day.
She wasnt chipped so we couldnt trace an owner so she has been with my mum ever since.
Another story was that last year I went into my local shop and as I obviously buy cat food the girl in the shop said that a wee kitten had had its throat ripped out by a dog and had been left where it had been killed.
I was so upset I cried for 2 days solid and then I decided to sponsor a cat cabin with a charity and I told my mum and she sponsored one as well and it may seem daft but just doing that made me feel better.
And maybe if you could do something for another animal who may need help you wont feel so sad, it helped me anyway.
Pauline
RE: such an upsetting morning
hi all
thanks for words of support.
i am still upset but i am focussing on the fact that he/she isnt suffering now and he/she is in squirrel heaven with all the other little squirrels! no nasty cars up there lets hope!!
pauline
sorry if it upset you. didnt mean it to upset anyone. in fact i am one of those people who are always picking up injured wildlife and cats from the road, the difference this time was i saw it get run over.
on a more cheery note, i am off to work as a volunteer for the monkey sanctuary in cornwall for a month in sept. all those monkeys to help!
RE: such an upsetting morning
Wow Vicki!! I wish there was a monkey sanctuary near me! i would love to be able to do something like that! Love monekys!!!!!!!!!
RE: such an upsetting morning
Your post didnt upset me I knew the squirrel was dead even though you hadnt said it. I just couldnt stop thinking about it.
There are some very kind people on this planet however there are also people who have run over animals and think it is funny.
Recently there was work getting done on my block of flats and the skylights were blocked and the people who blocked them didnt bother checking to see if there were still birds in the skylight and there were.
A hatch was left open and a bird got out, my mum got 2 of them downstairs only to be told that the caretaker had hit 4 earlier on with a shovel and killed them.
Someone I was telling about it said "they are just vermin" and yes they are classed as that but you need to have a permit to shoot any birds.
I was so upset I phoned the SSPCA who went round all the flats that were being blocked off and told ther workmen to make sure no birds were left in before they closed the hatches back over.
Sorry but comments like that really annoy me. I was also telling someone about my cats ant and dec who love shredding wallpaper and I am having to strip my walls and redecorate and they said, if that were me I would drown them.
What matters more, a bit of wallpaper or 2 cats who were dumped in a shelter?
Pauline