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Coconut 10856 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 08-02-04, 10:09 AM (EST) "Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" I'm warning all you sensitive/warm 'n fuzzy/pregnant peeps right now that this thread involves cute little furry animals being hurt, so open this thread at your own risk. On Saturday, we were on our way out to the cottage (photos to follow at some point) when, ever-vigilant, I saw a skunk on the side of the road. It looked like it had been hit by a car. However, I thought I saw it move. I asked Luminou if he had seen it, but he hadn't. On the way home, I looked again, but it definitely wasn't moving. We went back out on Sunday (no way are we sleeping in the cottage yet- it must be thoroughly disinfected first) and I saw the same skunk. It was moving. So surprised that it wasn't dead, I made Luminou turn around and we went to investigate. Here comes the gross part: The poor thing had had its back legs crushed, but 2/3 of its body was still fine. It was trying and trying to get over the little cement divider and into the ditch. Luminou took a stick and helped it over, and it crawled down into the shade. We left it some water. On the way home, we checked it again, and it was shaking and weak. We left it more water. I haven't gone out there today, but I'm sure it's dead now. The moral dilemma is this: should we have killed it? You may not know this (or you may, thanks to the Le Pew family) but skunks are incredibly appealing. Their little faces are cute and pointy, and they have darling little noses. I admit that my original impulse when I saw that it was still alive was to bash it on the head and put it out of its misery. When we saw that it was still fine (bright eyes, alert, etc), we couldn't bring ourselves to kill it. Even when it was weaker, we still couldn't do it. I know this is hypocritical; after all, I eat meat and wear leather. I grew up on a farm - I've killed many a chicken. And really, isn't it worse to leave an animal in pain? But neither Luminou nor I could conk it on the head with the hatchet. I feel terrible. This gives rise to the following questions: 1. What is the right thing to do when you find a wounded animal? 2. What would you have done? My personal conclusion is that we should have stopped on Saturday and taken it to the vet, but since we didn't do that, we should have killed it. I'm interested to see what you all think. Sad Skunk Lover   Top

Subject     Author     Message Date     ID    A fast death is preferable IceCat 08-02-04 1  RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma Breezy 08-02-04 2  RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma seahorse 08-02-04 3    It couldn't spray Coconut 08-02-04 4        RE: It couldn't spray seahorse 08-02-04 5  RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma GrendelsMom 08-02-04 6  RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma NolayC 08-02-04 7  RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma nailbone 08-02-04 8    RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma reversehalo 08-02-04 9        RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma arkiegrl 08-02-04 13            RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma emydi 08-02-04 15  RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma emydi 08-02-04 10  RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma LeftPinky 08-02-04 11  You can call me Flower if you want ... weltek 08-02-04 12    RE: You can call me Flower if you w... Smooth23 08-02-04 14  RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma motormouth 08-02-04 16

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IceCat 17415 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 08-02-04, 10:12 AM (EST) 1. "A fast death is preferable" The animal was already doomed.   Top

Breezy 18380 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 08-02-04, 10:15 AM (EST) 2. "RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" Don't you have a gun hanging in the back window? No? then pick up the rock. Poor little thing suffered enough.   Top

seahorse 14337 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 08-02-04, 10:17 AM (EST) 3. "RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" Unless , I had a gun I would have left it alone. I would not have wanted to try and kill it and be sprayed while I was doing a good deed. ©Slice & Dice Chop Shop 2004   Top

Coconut 10856 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 08-02-04, 10:19 AM (EST) 4. "It couldn't spray" it was paralyzed from the waist (if skunks have waists) down.   Top

seahorse 14337 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 08-02-04, 10:29 AM (EST) 5. "RE: It couldn't spray" I do not know that for sure. I would not take any chances. ©Slice & Dice Chop Shop 2004   Top

GrendelsMom 3272 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Car Show Celebrity" 08-02-04, 10:31 AM (EST) 6. "RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" In theory, a quick and painless death would be preferable, but I don't have it in me to do such a thing. I probably would have just let nature take its course, as you have done. Slice & Dice Chop Shop 2004 I have trouble killing spiders and insects   Top

NolayC 1251 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beef Jerky Spokesperson" 08-02-04, 11:08 AM (EST) 7. "RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" It is unfortunate, but I as well would have killed it. I almost always make sure animals I hit with my car are killed before going on. One year I kept hitting racoons and had to kill two of them with the tire iron from my car. When I hit a deer with my Mustand after seeing weltek late at night, I flagged down a deputy I knew and grabbed her shotgun and flashlight to go after the deer that I knew was hit hard--50 mph, but never did find it, so hoped for the best--an obvious broken R rear leg.   Top

nailbone 27263 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 08-02-04, 11:19 AM (EST) 8. "RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" Their little faces are cute and pointy, and they have darling little noses. They also carry rabies. And to answer your questions, I wouldn't have even stopped. Handcrafted by RollDdice The order of Banana delivery should be organized by location to save on shipping costs. o-   Top

reversehalo 300 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Cooking Show Host" 08-02-04, 11:52 AM (EST) 9. "RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" LAST EDITED ON 08-02-04 AT 12:05 PM (EST) I would have called animal control or if it is in a rural area with no a.c. the local police dept. They may or may not have done anything but at least you wouldn't have to feel guilty about what should or shouldn't have been done. Sometimes there are wildlife rehabs that will take in injured wildlife. I wouldn't have bashed him with a rock, I would have done what you did and just let nature takes it's course. About the vet-I think it's a bad idea for people to handle wildlife, it's best left up to the authorities. Years ago I was working for a vet and a woman brought in a squirrel that had been hit by a car and she ended up getting bit and the vet refused to see the squirrel.   Top

arkiegrl 9421 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 08-02-04, 07:03 PM (EST) 13. "RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" I agree with reversehalo, I would call animal control or the Game&Fish comissioner for the area. Skunks are cute, but I wouldn't want to risk rabies. Slice & Dice Chop Shop 2004   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 08-02-04, 08:40 PM (EST) 15. "RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" LOL!!! I read rabies as "babies" and thought Well Pepe and Pene seem to be doing alright!!!! ****SMOOCHIES****** to arkie Courtesy of the Amazing Slice & Dice Chop Shop 2004 Hoping Pepe is okay during his move   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 08-02-04, 01:37 PM (EST) 10. "RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" I hope our dear Pepe is okay!!! Courtesy of the Amazing Slice & Dice Chop Shop 2004   Top

LeftPinky 4150 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 08-02-04, 03:44 PM (EST) 11. "RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" Wounded animal that you don't plan to bring home as a pet should be put out of his misery (how's that for a run-on sentence?)... If you want to raise it (and it's feasible), see what you can do. Slice & Dice Chop Shop 2004 My mother loves the scent of skunks. Fortunately, that gene doesn't get passed along.   Top

weltek 16936 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 08-02-04, 04:36 PM (EST) 12. "You can call me Flower if you want to." You did more than I honestly would have, so I bow to you. I think you did the best you should/could have (handling could've been risky) and agree that letting nature take it's course was best. Handcrafted by RollDdice   Top

Smooth23 1244 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Politically Incorrect Guest" 08-02-04, 08:30 PM (EST) 14. "RE: You can call me Flower if you want to." I personally think the right thing to do would of been to put it out of its misery, but like most here I'm too much of a softy to just conk somethin on the haed like that. So unless I had a gun I'd prolly let nature take its course.   Top

motormouth 4507 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Stuff Magazine Centerfold" 08-02-04, 09:37 PM (EST) 16. "RE: Sad Skunk Story/Moral Dilemma" What a sad story Coco! I think the thing to remember here is that these things happen every day. We just usually don't witness them. I would not have stopped for that reason. It hurts to see animals in pain, especially when we can't help them. My advise? Don't look so closely next time and hopefully you won't be in that position again! Remember, that skunks fate would have been the same whether you saw it or not. *Courtesy of IceCat*   Top

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