First Road Kill (condo, live, to move)

[LAHopeful]

Hi,

So this is a bit weird but this is the only forum I use and none of my friends have ever road killed so I am asking here.

*Warning following may be graphic*

Today, I was driving at night (about 5 minutes ago) on a semi-residential street with a speed limit of about 40 MPH, I saw something on the road that was waving around and I thought it was another garbage bag or something. As I got closer, I saw that it was in fact a raccoon, and not only that but it seemed to have been hit by something before and had survived. I can still vividly recall his half dazed face looking up at the street and directly into my car. To the left of me was a median, and the traffic was quite heavy on the right. I tried to put him exactly in the middle of the car hoping that he wouldn't be big enough to get hit. Unfortunately, I was wrong and I heard that CLANG! sound and it just isn't leaving my memory (along with the two seconds that I saw him and his face ..). This is the first time I have ever road killed and it's really sticking to me, I even said a prayer and shed a tear but I don't know I feel so terrible. How do I forget about it it's soooo frikkin vivid!?!?!

[Tantamount]

I had a squirrel dash right out in front of my car on a street also at 40 MPH. My friend was traveling in the car behind me and saw me try to stop suddenly and swerve away from where I thought the squirrel was possibly at. Unfortunately I was unable to prevent the inevitable. I slowed down to turn my head around to see my friend in the other car acknowledge (by his physical reaction) what I had done and I shed a tear as well. It was also my first and hopefully last time as well and I did agonize over it so I understand how you feel.

I guess time will heal your bad feelings but not sure what else can be done. Maybe a donation to a local animal shelter?

[LAHopeful]

Yea, I think I that's a great suggestion. I also intend to volunteer for them as well just to cleanse my conscious thanks!

[Ghengis]

Don't be too hard on yourself, I think it's been established by many animal behaviorists that animals often commit suicide in this manner as a means to end their own personal despair over some traumatic event in their own life such as losing their mate or offspring.

[Count David]

^LOL.

If you ever move out to an area where there is more wildlife, experiences like these will become just another joke to tell when you get home. I run over cute little bunnies all the time (not on purpose of course), but when you go down a half-mile road four times a night, and have a bunny run out four times during that half-mile, they are bound to get hit every now and then. I slalom around foxes, coyotes, and deer all the time.

You get used to it.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

It happens. I miss most of them but I've failed a few times with raccoons. So far ... no deer ... knock on wood.

[LAHopeful]

Yea, I guess I have lived in urbanized areas throughout my whole life and I don't know it was just VERY shocking having done it for the first time. I don't intend to hit another animal again (purposely) but I think I will at least be able to handle it better.

[Vary]

If it makes you feel any better, it was probably suffering before you hit it, so you ended it's misery. Doesn't make the event any less awful, but at least this way the poor critter didn't lay there and die slowly.

[TurcoLoco]

Road kills are needed. After all, you pet has protein in his/her diet, right?

[LAHopeful]

Yea, I heard that if you're about to hit an animal, it is best to speed up (which is what I did). I do realize now that I ended his misery because he looked like he wasn't able to move. So at least that provides some form of condolence.