Sad story today on the lake (Warning, graphic)

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Starsider

Starsider

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Forgive me if this sounds slightly over-emotional, but I just needed to get it off my chest.

I had to deal with a bit of a tragedy today. One of the little girls in my development was chasing some ducklings (we're on a lake, and there are TONS of babies running around), and she accidentally stepped on one. My husband and I heard this little girl screaming, and we ran outside to see what was going on. I ran down the hill to where they were in my bare feet to see what had happened.

Unfortunately, the little guy was on his way out. The step had crushed his skull to the point where one eyeball had popped out, and the other was totally gone. There wasn't anything I could really do but try to talk the little girl down, and take the duck to a place where I could dispatch it out of sight of the kids (used cervical dislocation and it was done in less than 30 seconds). The poor little girl asked me if we could take it to a "duck hospital", and it absolutely broke my heart. :cry:

Some days I hate being that "strong" person everyone looks to when these situations come around (my 32 year old husband admitted he could never have done it), the one who has to do a nasty job because nobody else can or will do it, or knows how. Honestly, it makes me feel like a bit of a monster sometimes :cry:
 
Those are the kinds of people, that when something happens, take charge and do what is necessary. Never be ashamed of that ability.
 
You took away pain and suffering from a creature that couldn't possibly understand why, that's makes you an incredibly brave person. That you feel strongly about it makes you a human being.

Beating yourself up about it is also human but limit it to ONE mental smack upside the head then stop
 
I guess I can understand why you would feel that way sometimes (why is it I can take an animal's life, when others can't? Is something wrong with me? I'm pathological, maybe?).

Still, that isn't the reality of the situation.

If that little girl had had someone else run up on the situation, they probably would have done one of two things:

1. Take the little duck and lay it under a bush "so it can be comfortable" while it dies. Never mind they don't know how long that will take, and the duck won't be comfortable, it'll be scared and in pain.

2. Take the duck to a vet, where it will be put down by the vet or attempts will be made to repair the damage. Again, scared duck in pain, though it might at least be put down.

This is what the typical person's response would be.

You saved that little duck from suffering any more than necessary. That doesn't make you a monster, it makes you compassionate and realistic.

I like what 3mina said:
3mina":3sa9sgna said:
You took away pain and suffering from a creature that couldn't possibly understand why, that's makes you an incredibly brave person. That you feel strongly about it makes you a human being.

Beating yourself up about it is also human but limit it to ONE mental smack upside the head then stop
Click to expand...
 
I hope for she now understands that chasing ducklings isn't a good idea. I know she didn't mean to hurt it, but accidents happen, and this one caused stress all round. For you, for the child, for the duck.

BTW you did the right thing.
 
Absolutely you did the right thing, Starsider. Quick dispatch of the suffering duckling and talking down the child, who was probably horrified at what she had done. A very sad situation, but you have absolutely nothing to reproach yourself for. I think you handled it perfectly.
 
I accidentally ran over one of our barn kittens this weekend...I felt like a total jerk. I was worried that one of them were under the car...I had only moved about 6 inches when I heard a noise.... :cry: My hubs got out and took care of it. I had rolled over its head, so at least it did not suffer....I, on the other hand, feel like a horrible person...*sigh* :oops:
 
I did almost the same thing when I was a child. Stepped on a baby chick I saved out of the hog pen. I wish my Mother had just put an end to it but she let it linger on till it died. Giving me false hope it would be okay. The truth is always best no matter how hard it is. Not letting unnecessary suffering is best as well. You did the right thing totally. & your a good person for doing it. & this post made me cry... I hate memories :(
 
Starsider,

hard as it was to do, you did the right thing by acting quickly like you did. I am glad for the duckling's sake that you were there so it did not linger in misery. That poor little girl learned a hard lesson- I am sure she just wanted to hold a duckling, and never thought that her actions could bring harm. I am sure she will think before she acts in the future, as will the other children who witnessed the incident.

You were very brave. Good job. ((Hugs))

Sistah,

I am so sorry about your kitty. I live in dread of doing the same thing. I occasionally hear of people here running over their kittens or puppies, and in one case an old beloved dog who had gone deaf. It seems to come with living on a ranch... there are so many more opportunities because we have more animals than your average suburbanite. Our puppies are out and about now, but thankfully they are very aware of "the big metal monster", and stay clear of it.

((Hugs))
 
I would of been yelling at the kid, not consoling her, she won't learn squat if there's no recoil for what she does. Kids, ugh.
I wouldn't see how a duck w/o eyes and a crushed skull wasn't dead, probably still twitching, but not really alive. Nothing wrong with 'finishing it', would of been cruel if you had tried to 'save' it instead.
 
Thank you for the kind words guys. Miss M, you really hit the nail on the head, it makes me wonder sometimes why I can do these things and other people can't, and you catch yourself wondering sometimes "Geez, is there something wrong with me?"

I honestly think the little girl learned her lesson, she was bawling her eyes out. After all, not like she did it on purpose, and hopefully it taught her a lesson about being careful that will stick with her.
 
I agree with everything said, you did the right thing. I will admit it is my least favorite part of being an animal person but sometimes it has to be done for the good of the animal. I think that the understading of why it's best is what makes us capable of doing it.
 

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