atonement

[houseelf]

I had a horrible start to my day. After dropping the kiddies off at the sitters, I hit a mama duck and her ducklings which were trying to cross the freeway. There is no way that they survived. I feel horrible.

I was speeding but there was only a narrow berm before a concrete barrier. Nonetheless, I keep going over this in my head. I feel so bad.

I know that I should be grateful that it wasn't a human or another car or a larger, more dangerous critter, but I feel horrible that I took out an entire family of ducks. Peoples' condolences just make me feel worse. I mean, maybe there was something I could have done.

I have to find a way to atone for this crime. Any suggestions? WHat have you all done when you have hit critters ?



Kelly

[PrincessFiona]

I'm sorry, Kelly! That must have been awful.

Kris

[DCJenn]

Well, my room-mate from college and I hit a raccoon. It's a very long story but it ended with her donating all of her shoes to the AAA guy who came to change her tire.

Send a donation to a wildlife rescue organization and you will have atoned properly.

Jenn

[Auspicious]

Clearly the feathery little bastards got what they deserved.


No, I'm sorry, it's a rough thing, and of course it was an unpreventable accident.

I remember when I was a teenager my friend's mom talking about how they accidentally ran over beaver and my friend's little sister would not stop freaking out about it, until finally the mom had said in exasperation, "Lannie! God said to some animals, 'You're going to be smart and invent cars,' and he said to others, 'You're going to be dumb and run in the road' and that's just the way things are!"

A dubious theory to be sure, but years later I still can never see roadkill without thinking about God breaking the news to beaverkind that they were doomed to the role of being dumb and running in the road.

[PrincessFiona]

Julie, that's not fair. If humans weren't invading more wildlife every day to put up strip malls and new Wal-Marts , many of the animals that are killed would have the chance to stay in their habitats and not be run over... The fact that humans are taking advantage of the environment has less to do with being smarter and more to do with having the physical ability to remove trees, etc...don't you think?

I agree with Jenn... Donate to the Sierra Club...or...maybe one of the wildlife rescue organizations:

http://www.wildlifecare.org/

http://www.tristatebird.org/

http://www.waterfowlrescue.org/

[Auspicious]

Don't worry, I don't really think it's the animals' job to jump under our wheels or anything (that's why I said it's a dubious theory) but nor do I think that Kelly should lose too much sleep, since it was an accident and could have happened to anyone. Making a donation is a lovely gesture either way.

[Rapunzel]

I ran over a squirrel once. I see more squirrels run over than any other type of creature. I think just about everywhere in the US is "squirrel habitat" so I don't know that stopping construction of anything would prevent their deaths at the hands of the automobile. :|

What I did with the squirrel was to make sure it was dead. Death doesn't disturb me - suffering does. I think the most anyone can do is just prevent the animal's suffering when an accident has ocurred.

When my husband and I were traveling to visit some of his relatives in the Middle-of-Nowhere, Kansas, we had a little sparrow crash into our windshield. It died immediately luckily. I think in the case of that little bird it was so used to flying in big open fields for as far as the eye can see that it hadn't learned about the danger posed by cars (something all the birds in populated areas seem to pick up pretty quickly it would appear).

I think if I ran over a mama duck and her babies I'd probably cry. I guess being on the highway would make it hard to check and see if any of them were suffering or if any of the ducklings managed to not get hit (in which case you could take them to a wildlife rescue organization). So, that really was an awful accident.

Jennifer

[mommax3]

I'm so sorry, Kelly. Once after dropping my kids off at preschool, I ran over a squirrel. I was so shocked and upset that I just sat there in my car (I was in a residential area) and cried for a while. I was pregnant at the time, too. It is sad, I know.



Sally

Oh Kelly!

I would be upset too. Take comfort in knowing that they didn't make it rather than them being maimed. I don't have any suggestions for atoning but I think your guilt suffices.

[Meenah]

I am soo sorry. Over the years I have hit a few creatures and it sucks. On the other hand, I have also as an ER nurse wrapped more than one body for the morgue because the drivers tried to avoid hitting an animal. It was an accident, you are still alive to raise your precious children.
Luanne

[Meenah]

On the other, other hand, Jenn & JUlie you made me laugh so hard I almost peed in my pants.
Luanne

[Michele]

OK so maybe this is my long day speaking....but I'm glad that the ducklings were killed along with the momma....otherwise someone would be raising a bunch of little ducks...and it'd either be you or some poor sap vet student.

As for atonement...I agree about donating to a wildlife group or maybe even donating some towels/newspapers to a local vet. At the clinic I used to work for we were constantly low on towels (so many get soo nasty or shredded over time) and newspaper for the litter pans....people would try to donate dog food but at a vet clinic most animals are on special food...I think the shelters appreciate the food more.

Or you could go around quacking and tell all the other ducks not to walk in the road. :!

[SueC]

Good point Michele--it was probably much more humane for the babies to be killed along with their mother. If nobody came across them, then the poor babies would starve to death!
I like the idea of donating to a worthy cause, or donating linens like Michele suggested. I keep meaning to take a bunch of old blankets, towels, etc. to a local shelter--I'm sure they could be better utilized there than sitting unused in my house.

[Meenah]

Ditto on the towels. I adopted Franklin from a rescue group, and I donate linens/towels to them regularly. They can also use crates/pet carriers if you happen to have unused ones sitting in your basement or garage.
Luanne
Luanne