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Old May 5th, 2006, 09:37 AM
SarahLynn123 SarahLynn123 is offline
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What do you do if you hit a wild animal?

This has always bothered me! I, thankfully, have never hit an animal but it's coming into sping and there are bunnies everywhere! I've had to swerve to avoid hitting them on several occasions already.

What do you do if you hit one with your car? I cant leave it suffering, but its not a cat or a dog, so taking it to the vet is out. Is there a place to bring it if it is still alive? or should you just put it out of its misery?

What should you do in this situation?

Thanks
Sarah
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  #2  
Old May 5th, 2006, 09:49 AM
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jessi76 jessi76 is offline
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been there....

a few yrs ago, a deer hit me (literally RAN into the passenger side of my car) while I was going over 50mph. After all 6ft of my bf jumped into my lap, I managed to pull over. it was in the road. and still alive. I sent my bf to check it out.... it attemped to get up - both front legs were broken. we both were at a loss on what to do.

I just cried hystercially. and OF COURSE I was in a valley, and my cell phone didn't work. I flagged down the next car, who thankfully was a nice couple who lived nearby - they went home and called the cops.

finally the cops came, and had to shoot it.

needless to say, I refused to drive anymore that night, and told my bf to drive me to the nearest bar....

other than the out of the blue collision w/ the deer... I try my best to avoid any animal in the road.
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Old May 5th, 2006, 09:52 AM
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LibbyP LibbyP is offline
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From experience most bunnies die they are very small and frail, depending on where you live some Humane/Animal control officers will come out and get it if still alive, I remember being called out at 3:00am to a opossum call the mother was hit but she had a pouch full of babies that I drove out and picked up, the ones that were injured went to vet ermerg and pts and the others went to a rehab that fostered them,(which can I tell you was very overwhelming to stick your hand in a pouch and pull out hissing babies and then bottle feed these wild creatures for a week) to all the people out their that do this on a regular basis. Now if it is a larger animal ie: deer then you call the police or o.p.p. hope this helps
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Old May 5th, 2006, 11:10 AM
StinkyT StinkyT is offline
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This doesn't answer your question, but I'd like to remind all drivers out there NOT TO SWERVE when driving. It is what is known as "Reckless Driving". It's a very instinctive thing to do but when you've got other cars around and behind you, the risk of creating an accident is very real. Other drivers may not know what you're doing, just that you're very rapidly heading towards their cars and they need to get out of the way. People who swerve can lose control or their cars or cause other drivers to swerve and crash to avoid you.

Your responsibility on the road is the safety of yourself and others. Nobody wants to hit anything, but please consider the options. You could run over a cute, furry bunny or you could severely injure yourself and others.

Sorry, back to your topic....
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Old May 5th, 2006, 12:08 PM
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erykah1310 erykah1310 is offline
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Quote:
but I'd like to remind all drivers out there NOT TO SWERVE when driving. It is what is known as "Reckless Driving". It's a very instinctive thing to do but when you've got other cars around and behind you, the risk of creating an accident is very real.
I agree 100%,in the event you do hit something the most humane thing to do is put it out of its misery, not to put a damper on the thread but most wild animals when handled by humans scares the **** outta them.
Living as rural as i do and travelling as much as i do i have hit alot of wildlife,beavers, rabbits, bear, and so on. I would never put another drivers life and safety in jepordy by swerving to miss the animal, (but however i dont try to hit them, if i see them in the distance I will stop)
In elementary school my French teacher was crippled from trying to aviod a skunk with his motor cycle, he totaled his bike and had to have both his legs amputated from hitting a tree!
IMO that skunk prolly ended up getting hit eventually.
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Old May 5th, 2006, 01:23 PM
StinkyT StinkyT is offline
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OK, I didn't want to offend anyone so I'm glad that you know how to drive in such situations. I just know that there are some people who don't realize that their swerving does create more chaos on the road so I wanted to put out that reminder.

Having said that, I did something really stupid when I was younger. We were on our way to visit relatives one weekend and I was driving. A humongous groundhog or something brown decided to waddle across the road. I didn't swerve but I braked hard and closed my eyes, gripped the wheel hard as I drove over it waiting for the large, brown speed bump to flip our minivan into the air and crash and explode into a fiery mess. There was no bump and when I looked in the rearview I saw that it was lucky enough to get right underneath and between the wheels.

I was glad I didn't swerve, but closing my eyes sure was dumb.... chalk it up to youthful stupidity.
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Old May 5th, 2006, 02:15 PM
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Hmm... So far all the beasties I've encountered were on nearly deserted roads, but if there was another car, I don't know what I'd do... Probably slam on the brakes and hope for the best.

I hit a porcupine really badly once, and there was nothing we could do... And then I hit a rabbit and he seemed ok but in shock. I put my work gloves on (always have work gloves in the car, just in case) and moved him to the side of the road. He was ok after that. And then a bambi hit my boyfriend's car but ran off after, so no choice to make there either...

I don't know... I hope if that ever happens (i.e. he's suffering needlessly), I'm near enough to civilization to have more options available than just running over it again to put it out of its misery.
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Old May 5th, 2006, 02:31 PM
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mom_to_many mom_to_many is offline
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Living out here in the middle of nowhere..I have moved turtles off the roads, slowed and or swerved to miss mice, birds, rabbits, cattle, deer, snakes...etc. The only critter I knew I killed was a raccoon who came out of the bar ditch at my front wheel, and I heard and felt the thump at the rear wheel. He was dead right there...I cried like a baby the whole way home. When I drive at night, I always look for the "eyes", and drive like 90 year old woman! sssllloooowwww!
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Old May 5th, 2006, 03:02 PM
SarahLynn123 SarahLynn123 is offline
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Thanks for all the responses! Im not offended at all about my driving skills!!!

I know I shouldn't swerve, but everytime it comes down to it, my instant reaction is to swerve or brake.

The only insident I have had with wild animals so far was at night on a country road, about 3 or 4 deer came out onto the road. I seen them coming so I stopped completly and sat there, they ran right into my car, gave me a stunned look and went around They were all fine!

Im just so worried about hitting a bunny or any wild animal, and not killing it instantly! It is good to know they generally die right away. I hope Im never in this situation because I to would cry and cry and cry.


Thanks again
Sarah
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Old May 5th, 2006, 04:15 PM
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chico2 chico2 is offline
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Today,I counted 6 dead bunnies on the road on a very short stretch.
I have to admit,I would do anything to avoid hitting an animal,even a little squirrel..I always check way ahead of me on both sides of the road,for dogs cats etc...so I would always have time to slow down,or come to a stop,of course also checking the rear-view mirror.
Driving through the US down south,the highways are virtual slaughterhouses,mostly deer,but I've also seen dogs and cats,it's really sad..
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Old May 5th, 2006, 07:29 PM
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phoenix phoenix is offline
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my sister flipped her car swerving to avoid a porcupine. I agree, never swerve, it's a good reminder!
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  #12  
Old May 6th, 2006, 12:08 AM
Prin Prin is offline
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I shouldn't have come in here earlier today! lol We almost hit a raccoon but swerved in time to avoid it.

About dogs and cats- when I was in Ireland, a guy I worked with was on his cell phone driving and hit a dog. I screamed. "What?!" he yelled at me. I said "You hit a dog!" and he said "So?" and kept driving.

Yep.

Great memory. :sad:
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Old May 7th, 2006, 09:47 AM
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Stacer Stacer is offline
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Here's an interesting reason why so many animals are hit and killed on Canadian roads. My boss was talking about this a couple weeks ago, it makes alot of sense. Poor furries.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...l=968350116467
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