Tough call

[DaiTheDragon]

Occasionally on my walks I come across birds and animals with serious injuries or illness that obviously they will not survive.
It’s not always possible to take the injured party to the vets or PDSA. In these situations I hate to see anything suffering so I will put it out of its misery myself. I will not go into detail of how but it is always as quick and painless as possible.
What do you do in a similar situations?

Dai

[nightshade]

Wow you lead with your chin Dai,there are people out there who are greatly influenced by Beatrix Potter who have no idea of the real world.
I am with you in this

[Brocker]

I am with you too Dai. I have had to do it myself. Not often. . . . If the situation dictates it and there are no other options and it is skillfully done then unfortuantely it is a necessaity. . .

[muldonach]

Originally Posted by DaiTheDragon

Occasionally on my walks I come across birds and animals with serious injuries or illness that obviously they will not survive.
It’s not always possible to take the injured party to the vets or PDSA. In these situations I hate to see anything suffering so I will put it out of its misery myself. I will not go into detail of how but it is always as quick and painless as possible.
What do you do in a similar situations?

Dai

An altogether realistic point of view Dai and one I have dealt with myself on serveral occaisions - mainly with deer involved in road accidents. Advice on this point is pretty specific - if the animal cannot be treated at the scene and released immediately it should be euthanised.

I would actually question whether taking a wild animal to a vet is a humane action.

So I would say our approach is similar - if the bird or animal needs a litle help to prevent further suffering then give it that help and don't mess about.


Regards
mac

[PMG]

Violence against natural things doesn'nt come naturally to me. And lets not be coy here - it usually takes violence to kill something swiftly and there have been times when I have done it - and suffered mentally myself from my actions. And yes I've heard all the arguments - its better for the critter not to continue to suffer etc etc but its caused me suffering and pain and tears helping that critter to die........... there have been occassions where I have been incapable of doing the neccessary and have left something undone - I've suffered agonies from doing that to..........

There are people I could kill - would actually like to kill, maim and torture and tho I hardly dare to say it, might even get pleasure from doing it..........

What do these admissions make me? I've had to come to terms with these things - the done and the left undone - and I think it simply makes me human.........

Pauline

[Blackbrook Eye]

In the past fifty or so years I have twice disturbed a buzzard part way through a rabbit kill (not the same one) what do you do?- try to help the rabbit - kill the rabbit - keep your nose out and let the buzzard come back to finish the job, its a problem we take on by trying to play God. You're damned if you do and damned if you dont.

[m1.carson]

Hi pmg,

Don't mess about, say what you really mean.

But yes, it's a horrible task, but what would anyone do if they saw a rabbit with mix having it's eyes pecked out by magpies while still alive. yeuuuk.

Max.

[John]

This has happened to me only once and I pray it is the only time as well.

I was in Scotland in 98. There were four of us staying at a place called Invermark Lodge, about thirty miles north west of Brechin. It is a Grouse beaters lodge and we had special permission to go there.

The chap that was actually staying there was doing a three month Ring Ouzel survey before joining us on one of the remote islands off the North Scottish coast.

On his survey he had come across a Golden Eagle Eyrie and invited us up to go and look at them, which we did. It was a very long walk and on our way back I came across a pair of Grey Wagtails and was captivated watching them. Whilst doing this my friends had moved on a few hundred yards so I hurried to catch them up.

I had gotten to within a couple of hundred yards of them when a horrible noise, and a flutter of wings, brought me to a standstill. I had actually trodden on a Red Grouse that had stayed still in the undergrowth, hidden from me.

Blood was pouring out of its mouth and eyes and I shouted to my mates what to do and the obvious answer came back that I had to ring its neck.

Now I have never deliberately hurt anything, not even a spider, so this didn't come naturally to me. I didn't know how to do it properly and I exerted too much force in my ignorance and parted the head from the neck.

I wretched in horror and couldn't stop wretching. It made me physically sick for ages and mentally sick for at least a couple of days as I couldn't get the horror of what I had done out of my mind.

Would I do it again. Yes would be the answer but I know I would suffer untold nightmares for doing so, but you have to be honest here and say that you can't leave any living wildlife in agony like that if nothing can be done for them.

John

[The Black Rabbit]

Interesting thread Dai.
I've put birds out of their misery that we (as humans) have had something to do with, ie very badly shot (and dying slowly) pigeons and crows that were still alive.

But, regarding a rabbit thats been caught by a buzzard for example, thats nature - definitley best left to be, in my (rather strong) opinion.


As for a Myxi'd rabbit thats being attacked by magpies - well, I suppose Myxi is our doing, or was, thats a judgement call I think.

Doug

[epops]

i have put loads of animals/birds out of there misery and will always do so usually they have been victims of road accidents to me its the best thing to do sounds a harsh i know but i hate to see suffering.