Poll of the Day > I had to put down a fledgeling yesterday, and ive been all fucked up about it

(+) Yeah! (+)

found him in my garage, 1 mangled leg, 1 broken wing, and his throat was jammed full of something plastic, god knows what.

got to work with some tweezers trying to clear his airway and succeeded. proceeded to drive around from sanctuary to sanctuary for about 4 hours before i finally found one that was accepting baby birds

they took one look at him and said, he isnt going to make it. just leave him outside.


like wtf. im not really expecting them to take care of the poor little fucker, but they could at least try to make his death painless.

i brought him home and took care of it as painlessly as i could, but still man, his face fucking haunts my waking life and my dreams.
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I understand. Killing an animal quickly so that it doesn't suffer is the right thing to do, but it doesn't feel like it.

I once hit a cat with my car in the middle of the night. It was a black cat, so I didn't see it. I pulled over to see if it was okay. Before I could do anything, three more cars came through and each one of them hit it, the last launching it into the air (I'm still not sure how that was possible). When I got to it, it wasn't moving much beyond breathing. It was clearly in terrible pain, but would probably have lived for hours still. The best I could find was a partly rotted log in the woods next to the road. I slammed it down on the poor thing's head, hoping to end its pain. It was still barely breathing, so I brought the log down again, harder. It shattered on impact. The cat was no longer breathing. I pushed its body with the log off the side of the road and sat for a bit to make sure it was dead and no longer suffering, then I went home and took a very long shower. I still think about that night whenever I see a dead animal on the side of the road. I believe I did the right thing. I believe I did the best thing I could have done. It was still painful to watch that creature suffer, and to have to kill it.

SushiSquid posted...

I understand. Killing an animal quickly so that it doesn't suffer is the right thing to do, but it doesn't feel like it.

I once hit a cat with my car in the middle of the night. It was a black cat, so I didn't see it. I pulled over to see if it was okay. Before I could do anything, three more cars came through and each one of them hit it, the last launching it into the air (I'm still not sure how that was possible). When I got to it, it wasn't moving much beyond breathing. It was clearly in terrible pain, but would probably have lived for hours still. The best I could find was a partly rotted log in the woods next to the road. I slammed it down on the poor thing's head, hoping to end its pain. It was still barely breathing, so I brought the log down again, harder. It shattered on impact. The cat was no longer breathing. I pushed its body with the log off the side of the road and sat for a bit to make sure it was dead and no longer suffering, then I went home and took a very long shower. I still think about that night whenever I see a dead animal on the side of the road. I believe I did the right thing. I believe I did the best thing I could have done. It was still painful to watch that creature suffer, and to have to kill it.

thats fucking rough. i just used my .22, point blank to the top of the skull. figured it was the surest way to make it as quick and painless as possible.

no shit, i stood there with my finger on the trigger for about 3 min. before i was able to force myself to pull it.


i care little people, and less for most animals, but dogs and birds always hold a soft spot in my heart.
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Good. Keeping us safe from the second coming off the dinosaur. This bird ruse won't last forever.
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Just as I can't look at roadkill the same still (it's been four years), I wonder if you look at birds differently now?

at least it didn't suicide into a lawnmower
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SushiSquid posted...

Just as I can't look at roadkill the same still (it's been four years), I wonder if you look at birds differently now?

I've always liked birds. Used to have an African Grey parrot that died tragically young. I've got an soft spot for them.

I know what to expect from fledglings. They have something like a 40 or 50% mortality rate. They spend about two weeks unable to eat, fly, or defend themselves effectively. If you find one hurt or trapped or anything, odds are they won't make it.

Just fucks me up to do it.
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helly posted...

at least it didn't suicide into a lawnmower

Like the bunnies? I've got a family living under my shed and I'm tempted to gas the little shits
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