I still feel unaccountably distressed and sad about the poor pigeon.
We're encouraged to think of them as vermin but this was a lovely wood pigeon, and I can no more think of it as vermin than the squirrels which descend on our garden from the woodland beyond.
We have a good camping friend who is a vet and I find it difficult to imagine that she regularly puts animals to sleep. Of course that is part and parcel of being a vet, and today I would have given anything to be able to put the pigeon out of its undoubted agony with a simple injection.
Years ago, in another life, one of my children discovered a poorly rabbit in the garden. It was clearly in the final stages of myxomatosis and in a great deal of distress. Neither my then husband or father-in-law would deal with it, although the ex father in law offered me the loan of his air rifle.
That was big of him.
I sent the children indoors and put the muzzle of the air rifle close up against the rabbit's head....... and after what felt like an age I pulled the trigger.
It's the only time I've ever intentionally killed any warm-blooded creature ( I don't count wasps, or ants or mosquitoes although I possibly should....) and although I knew it couldn't be saved and was destined to die a long, lingering death, I felt absolutely, desolately awful for days.
I don't like fishing (although I do eat fish)
I can't watch scenes of animal slaughter (although I do eat meat)
Hypocrite or what......?
3 comments:
If an animal is needlessly suffering then it is kinder to put it out of its misery. I don't think I could pull any trigger though, but you did do it for every good and kind reason. :o))
I eat meat too, but not much. I guess my angle on it is I don't want any animal to suffer even if it killed for meat.
Michelle xx
I once killed a grouse on a shooting moor in Scotland that had been wounded by shot. I felt terrible for ages....but like everything ...it
fades.
I hate to kill wasps and flies too..I figure they have as much right to life as I have...not that I think life is precious really.
If there were more of us...maybe the world would be a better place; no war and more of a natural balance to life.
Don't feel bad...it's just life...Sandra...but not as we know it ( or would like it I suppose).
Sx
You know what it is all degrees of acceptability. I don't eat meat, and someone asked me why the other day, I explained my strong belief that it is unnecessary to eat meat, then they asked how I felt about leather. All I could say is that my strong beliefs just don't quite extend that far, at least to footwear as there is,to me, no real alternative. Although to be fair I wouldn't buy leather coat/sofa or such like. Just be true to yourself.
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