Just saw a cat get hit by a car--prob'ly a rant

[Critters2]

I was just walking the beagle. I live in the downtown area of a town of 18,500. There's one bridge across a major river here, so all traffic in town narrows to the bridge. I live a block from a three lane one-way street, with a three lane one-way street going the other direction a block beyond that. People drive these two streets like they're fucking NASCAR tracks!! The speed limit through the downtown area is 20 miles, but no one ever slows down below prob'ly forty unless they get stopped by a light!

And then there's the issue of attitudes toward animals. I was stunned, when I moved here, to find a pet shop that still sells puppies!!!!!! I really thought that had gone the way of the dodo, but no, there's an asshole here still selling puppy mill puppies.

There's a crappy shelter here that is really run by one woman. I tried to volunteer there when I first moved here, but she never returned my calls. I helped to FOUND a Humane Society in Iowa, and fostered kittens for it. So, I tried to find out when the board of this shelter meets--thought I'd go to a meeting and volunteer. EVeryone says they don't hold board meetings (which would be a violation of their tax exempt status, which all their PR stuff says they have). Okay, so they don't want me volunteering. I can live with that.

But they don't do any spay/neuter education, which was a MAJOR component of the work of the HS I was with in Iowa. No one does any spay/neuter work here. And there are stray cats EVERYWHERE in my neighborhood, which, because of the traffic, is the worst possible place for animals to live.

So, tonight, everything that drives me crazy about being here--the traffic, the lack of concern for animals, etc. came together as I was walking the beagle. I noticed, up the street, a cat trying to cross the three-lane. There was one car coming along, which is unusual. Frankly, I'm sure the car could have seen and avoided the cat if he'd been paying any attention at all. But no, he hit it.

And then the most awful sight, as it was apparently seizing. It literally bounced all over the street. Another car came along, and actually changed lanes to avoid hitting it a second time. It kept jumping and rolling for several minutes, until it lay dead. It was awful to see. I stood there shaking.

I feel awful.

Thanks. :rant:

[flvegan]

1. Did you check for signs of life?

I'd hate to think an animal lay there, suffering.

[Critters2]

2. I actually did, after a few minutes. I'm 99% sure it was dead.

The beagle kept trying to get at it, so it was a bit difficult to do anything.


And I admit, I didn't know what to do after that. So, I left it there. I feel awful about that, too. I thought to myself as I walked home, "I'm not gonna drive or walk along there for a while. I can't stand to see that poor animal."

It really was very upsetting.

[flvegan]

3. If the animal

was dead, there's not much that you could do. I can't bear to see dead animals, myself. It's one of my big disconnects with folks that "hunt" and pose with their slaughter.

[Critters2]

4. Me too. As hard as most animals' lives are, a dead animal

i nearly always the victim of suffering and brutality. Why would anyone want that on display?

[jpgray]

5. Seriously? Just those that suffered a violent death, or all dead animals?

The former I understand completely.

[Critters2]

6. Well, especially those that suffer a violent death

but I tend to find violence in a lot of treatment of animals that others find acceptable--slaughterhouses, hunting, fur etc. Too many animals have awful lives.

[flvegan]

7. All dead animals.

Even those humanely put down at a clinic are tough to view. With that situation comes pain, both past for the animal, and present and future for their people.

[jpgray]

8. That's rough--I would find that exhausting

Death is never something to view impassively, but I try my best to see it as the part of life that keeps all the other parts going.

[flvegan]

10. You make a good point

However most animals, for me at least, that we see dead, die a violent death...at least in our day to day lives, I think. If not violent, then senseless to say the least.

[Critters2]

11. this was my point, actually. nt

[Critters2]

9. Well, I'm gonna go hug the kitties

and explain to Leon, one more time, why he can't be an outdoor cat here.

'Night all.