What a night...

[geo_chris]

Apologies if this is in the wrong thread.

My wife, my daughters and our next door neighbours went out to an enjoyable bonfire night but on the way home they came across a kitten that appeared to have been struck by a car and was crawling along the road with it's front legs, it's hind quarters was completely destroyed and it's rear leg bones were protuding. The first I knew about this was when my wife came in all distraught and told me about the incident, she explained what had occured and that the neighbours were with the kitten. I found the RSPCA telephone number on the web and she rang to notify them about the incident. I then went back with my wife to the kitten with a blanket and a cardboard box hoping that it wasn't as bad as my wife had described.

I arrived on the scene to find my neighbours stood in the road to prevent cars running over the kitten. Looking at the poor kitten it was obvious that it was dire, it's hind quarters was completely destoryed. What got me was that there was a number of people who were walking by, with children -- obviously returning from bonfire parties, who just walked on by. To add insult as I was looking at the kitten assessing what should be done a taxi driver stopped to have a look! This infuriated me....

I have come across a similar situation in the past where I have dispacted the animal in the most humane method possible, but in this instance where there was children present, my neighbour (who is a vegan) and passers by, I placed the poor kitten in the cardboard box and took it home. We rung the RSPCA back and notify them of our actions and I then spent the next hour stroking and petting this kitten to keep it calm despite it's ordeal, when the RSPCA arrived they were surprised that it had survived so long despite it's injuries and immediately put the poor kitten down.

I am disgusted by the attitude of a lot of people who just walked on by -- there was a lot of them with children. My children was distraught by the sight and didn't want to leave the poor kitten and wanted to know what the RSPCA said, needless to say we told our children that the kitten was going to the vets for an operation rather than being put down. What annoyed me the most was the taxi driver who stopped for a better look. I feel for the owners of this kitten as they will be wondering what has happened to it, we have been given some posters by the RSPCA to display which will hopefully notify them.

I know this doesn't quite fall into bushcraft but in some respects it does fall in to the subject as road kill, the thing we have t remind our selves is that this road kill was somebodies pet and that it was suffering. I did my best to ensure that it's last moments was calm and loving and will do my best to ensure it's owners are notified. But I am disgusted by the attitudes of the people who just walked by whilst this poor animal suffered, and by the heartless taxi driver who stopped for a better look.


Sorry for ranting but I have to get this off my chest.

Chris.

 

[Lodian]

Completly agree, if theres something i can't stand is peoples ignorance to animals.
The sort of attitude that of it isnt cute and fluffy at the moment just walk on by.
Well done for what you did.

 

[scanker]

I'm a bit confused about what you expected "people who were walking by, with children -- obviously returning from bonfire parties" to do? Stop and form a crowd to watch? Probably not. But I fail to see how they could have done any more to help (than was already being done by yourselves), unless one was by chance a vet.

I'll be honest and say if I came across the situation as you describe, where there were obviously enough adults already dealing with the situation, I'd have hurried by myself and tried to make sure my children didn't see. Yes, it's unfortunate. Yes, the taxi driver stopping for a look is a little odd. (Perhaps he thought it might have been his kitten) I don't think it's something children should have to witness unnecessarily.

 

[KAE1]

Sorry, I am in the same boat as scanker, If a couple of adults were dealing with a RTA kitten, I would think it better to keep everyone else away from the scene and away from the roadside????????????????

 

[JohnC]

Its som,etimes tricky to guage what others are thinking, at emergencies or or events as you described, sometimes its enough to say "need a hand?" or "are you ok?" and then move on if helps not needed. SOmetimes though you may feel youd be getting in the way of something that is obviously under control. I've been at hospital arrests etc and roadside/street events where someone is fitting or fainted and asked and told "not thanks, keep out the way" or "Yes please, do X" The usual rule of thumb is the person will shout/call for help.
Having said that, sitting by someone or something that is suffering is no fun, the only thing is to be aware you're offering comfort and you helped even if others didnt or couldnt.

 

[xylaria]

Good on you to do what you did. Dealing with an injured animal that is not your own is very distressing. When you have both hands tied behind your back dealing with pleasing human sensibilities rather than putting animal welfare first it can leave you feeling like you have all these people that aren't helping but making it worse. I see why you are angry at passers by.

I can't say what I would do those circumstances, the only time I have tried to euthanize an animal I was 10 years old. The black and white morality I had that age, meant I didn't fudge about coming to a decision. I did how ever botch it, and realised that life grips this world very tightly. The rabbit did die far faster than it would of done naturally. I knew at the time a did the right thing in the wrong way.

I have children and can understand walking by. I also understand how you feel, you very lucky that RSPCA turned up so quickly. the RSPCA mounted a prosecution against a copper that euthanized a cat in very similar circumstances, the magistrate threw the case out. But you can end up in court for doing it yourself which I think is wrong. The main reason he was prosecuted was complaints by on lookers that didn't help, but didn't like watching an animal die.

 

[Pablo]

No, it's not easy to know what to do. What you definitely don't want is a load of onlookers. It was a road, I assume it was dark and there were no end of hazzards associated with that. I've been to many Road Traffic Collisions and the more people, the greater the hazzards. Even telling people to control traffic is a bit dodgy. You did right by removing the hazzard from the road. I understand why you were upset by people's uncaring attitude, but I don't really know what you expected them to do.

In law you're on dodgy ground putting a domestic animal out of it's misery (rightly or wrongly). As xylaria said, A copper can do it, but only if a vet can't get there and the copper considers the animal would suffer even more by waiting.

Pablo.

 

[spamel]

That is mad. I remember the first time I went out with Ratbag to recce our shooting ground. We came upon a rabbit that had been poorly shot in the hind quarters. At first, I thought it was dozing in the sun, but it soon became apparent that all was not well. Matt leaped over the fence to get the poor creature, which tried to do a runner but it's back legs weren't working at all. He picked the rabbit up, grabbed the back legs and neck. 1,2,3 and it was done. I felt a bit odd as I hadn't ever seen a rabbit dispatched by hand before, but he made it look effortless and the rabbit suffered no more.

I cannot see the sense in letting an animal continue to live in agony if you can do something about it.

 

[xylaria]

In law you're on dodgy ground putting a domestic animal out of it's misery (rightly or wrongly). As xylaria said, A copper can do it, but only if a vet can't get there and the copper considers the animal would suffer even more by waiting.

Pablo.

The copper in the staffordshire case got prosecuted. The people watching complained to the RSPCA who couldn't come out. [Apologies if you're eating your tea]: The copper did use a spade!!! and botched the first few strikes and then used it on the neck.

There is a lot people out there can't see passed their own need to be closeted from the inevitable, to relieve a creatures suffering. Been stuck in a situation where you are caught between looks of horror from your own species and another animals pain doesn't make decisions that clear.

 

[Clark]

I'm not sure what any passers by could do to help? It would just distress the animal more probably and cause more undue suffering. I once hot a staffordshire dog on the dual carriageway at about 60mph and it wrecked my car and all the owner could do was cry and shout at me when it was her fault that the stupid dog was on a dual carriageway in the first place and cost me hundreds to fix the car as she didn't have pet insurance. I certainly wouldn't stop now if i hit a cat as far as i'm concerned they shouldn't be allowed out anyway. I certainly wouldn't stop with my kids to let them see that site and have nightmares about it.

 

[spamel]

Well, I disagree. By your reckoning, a fox shouldn't be allowed to roam free, just in case you hit it with your car! I fear that that sort of attitude leads to the persecution of wildlife in an effort to make life easier for us humans, instead of living together in harmony. I do of course feel for you having to pay up, and of course dogs shouldn't be wandering about on dual carriageways. The owner was bang out of order there, but animals will do what animals will do and we have to suffer the consequences if we are gonna go hairing around in cars.

I've seen all sorts of animals dead and dying by the side of roads: weasels and stoats, rabbits, foxes, badgers, owls, kestrels, rooks and crows, cats, dogs undescribable pieces of tenderised meat you name it! All of these animals deserve to be able to live without getting squashed by trucks, they have a tough enough time as it is with natural selection and adverse weather conditions making food scarce at times. I drive trucks, and I think I hit a badger a few months back. I was horrified with what may have happened. I say may as I saw the badger run out in front of me, on the carriageway but it wasn't in my lane by the time I drew level. I like to think it stopped and waited for my trailer to pass but I doubt it. I didn't have the heart to look in my mirror to see if the poor creature was dead or had made it across.

 

[GreenmanBushcraft]

Sadly in today’s world too many people would rather ignore than help, or worse still stop and stare for the shock factor and just get in the way. Good on you Chris, and your family for actually giving up your time and helping an animal in distress. I just can’t understand some people and their mentalities to animals, other people and the environment.

I have been rescuing animals most of my life, birds, wild animals and dogs, one of which we have now who still has cigarette burn scars on her skin from someone who used to put them out on her (and she’s a Chinese Crested so she’s bald). And she has no ear drum where she has been hit so hard in the head in the past.

I give up with some people (unfortunately quite a lot that I seem to meet) and this is probably one reason why I turned to nature at such a young age.

It’s a shame more are not like yourself Chris.

Kris

 

[Deleted dude 7861]

My old sergeant used to dispatch badgers/foxes with the spade in the back of the patrol car if one was hit badly. It's a tough call sometimes but when things like deer are involved in an rta the on duty vet was always called, I spent many hours calming deer that had shattered legs only to be shot by a vet. I rekon we should be all be riding horses not wizzing about the country with murderous cars I love wildlife like most and hate the damage we do to it, the least we can do is try and help all we can when an animal is injured.

 

[Clark]

Spamel, i think all non-domesticated animals have the right to roam free. This place wuld be extremely birong if we didn't catch glimpses of deer running through woods, foxes stalking rabbits along the edge of fields, buzzards soaring above the trees, squirrels scurrying up trees. I just have a major problem with cats being allowed to roam free in the neighbourhood and kill what little songbirds and animals we have left in the country. I for one am sick fed up of seeing voles, mice, birds left for dead after the cat has had it's fun with it only for the cat to go home and be rewarded with big cudlles in the morning after a night of carnage in the town. In my garden alone atleast 4 different cats pass through here a day and all leave crap laying about. I think all animals have a right to be free-roaming but just not cats. Atleast if a dog's of the lead then usually it's still under control and command from the owner and usually behaves, sure they occasionly take rabbits and other creatures as that too is in there nature as it is in a cats but cats are allowed to go killing freely and no consequences paid for their acts. I've had 2 pigeons attacked withing view of my kitchen window in as many days and as i accept that pigeons in cities can be a nuisance i don't think letting cats kill them by suffering is fair.
Anyhoos my rant is over.