Of all the people...it happened to me

[preshi]

You all must know by now how much I love animals...

Well last night as I was driving home on the backroads, I might add I always go the speed limit on these roads as there are so many animals, anyways... driving along and out of the corner of my eye I see something running across the small 2 lane road. It was too late to slam on my breaks and I hit the poor little guy. I didnt run over the coyote... I just hit him a little...so I start to panic because, well because its me and I just finished my wildlife training. But it's not like they tell you what to do if you hit a coyote at 11:00 at night. Not like I could pick him up and take him somewhere...not like I'd pick him up anyways because of rabies fear. So anyways I turn around to see the damage to the poor baby.. and there he was laying on the side of the road... 2 cars went by and then to my amazement he gets up and runs into the bushes by a ravine. I tried my best to see if there was any blood I didnt see any.... but that doesnt mean a darn thing as I am sure the poor little guy has internal injuries and is either suffering or dead by now... Never in my life have I felt so guilty... I just hope he wasnt in too much pain

 

[Planogirl]

I know how you feel. We once had a cat run right under the car and somehow roll out unhurt (or so it appeared). I was terrified, being a cat lover. And once a male deer crashed into the side of my car on a very dark road. It damaged the car quite badly and the deer was dead. I felt awful.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>I'm so sorry. I know the feeling.

I still feel guilt about a pigeon that flew into my car & broke its neck, but it was still alive. I didn't have the courage to put it out of its misery.

 

[tc]

I am so sorry. I hit a cat once (and I am not an animal lover) and I cried all day. She died at once. I can still hear the sound of her hitting my car. I was devasted. For you it must be worse since you have such a love of animals. Please don't feel guilty. Accidents happen, that's why they're called accidents.

 

[jamsmom]

{{{HUGS}}}

 

[grinningghost]

I can imagine how you feel. I love animals and have often slammed on the brakes to save a squirrel or rabbit - DH says this is crazy behavior - my life is worth more than an animal's. It was an accident, you don't need to feel guilty - but I understand if you do. Maybe the coyote ran into the woods and wasn't hurt that bad after all. No sense thinking the worst when you can't know for sure. Here's a {{{hug}}} to help cheer you up.

 

[barbeml]

Wow, I really feel your pain. I am a total animal lover. I hit a deer a year and a half ago--it just jumped from the woods and landed in front of my car--I didn't even have time to react. Just lucky it didn't come through the windshield. Two weeks ago, my Hubby hit one. He managed to swerve to miss the first one, but there is almost always at least one more coming. Last year, we saw a panicked rabbit frozen in the middle of a major highway at night. We tried to miss him, but he ran right under our wheel. No matter how careful you are, so often there is just nothing you can do.

Every time I start my car, I say a little prayer that I will not be hurt or hurt any living thing while driving.

 

[minniecarousel]

Meagan - I know these rural roads are full of wildlife - it just can't be avoided. Don't beat yourself up, it happens.

 

[Whitegloves]

I totally understand. After driving for over 20 years and never hitting a deer I hit 3 of them in a 2-3 year period. It is so depressing. I have also unfortuantely hit more than my share of chipmunks and one bunny. (The bunny really got me, it was close to Easter time. As for the chipmunks, they like to play this game similar to dodge ball but using their own furry bodies other than a ball, it's amazing I haven't hit more.) Living in a rural area, just outside the entrance to a state park, it is bound to happen. Hopefully your coyote was fine! Be optimistic!
On a positive note...I managed to miss the possum who decided to run out in the road the other day, although I think I almost gave Mom another heart attack. =0)

 

[Blondie]

Hitting an animal is one of my worse fears. I drive home from work late at night, on several rural roads with no street lights.

Hopefully the little guy was just knocked unconscious.

Don't beat yourself up too badly over it, there's nothing any of us can do when they just dart out like that.

 

[tkyes]

{{{hugs}}} sweetie! It's not your fault.


Tamie

 

[dizneenut]

{{{hugs}}}

 

[December99]

Yikes Preshi....it would bother me also. Just because I don't like hitting any animals either. It just doesn't seem fair to them. Hope your car was okay too though.

 

[Beauty]

Oh Meagan I understand completly how you feel. Heck you can call me Ellie-Mae I have so many critters...LOL! Thats why my cats just don't go outside, I can't risk it! Accidents are bound to happen! Hopefully the Coyote was just knoced around a little and he is okay. Try to think the best.. you know its sad but if I'm honest car wrecks where people are hurt have never gotten to me like the sight of seeing an animal hit

{{HUGS}} just know that you couldn't help it!

 

[Kitty 34]

I know how you feel Meagan. I felt horrible last year when I hit a possum. It makes it harder when you're such an advocate for animals. {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}

 

[Tinkbell]

HUGS. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Don't feel guilty about an accident. There was nothing you could have done to stop it.

 

[preshi]

Thank you everyone It's just been a weird week and this just added itself right into it... sigh... luckily its almost over!!

 

[nativetxn]

{{{HUGS}}} Meagan. It's a terrible feeling to hit a living thing with a car. Unless you had protective clothing and gloves there was no way you could have helped the poor critter without endangering your own safety.

Try not to dwell on this incident. We all know you didn't do it on purpose and I'm guessing most of us know how you feel about hitting an animal on the road.

I'm sorry you are so upset.

Katholyn

 

[Saffron]

As an animal lover, I know what you're going through. Once I hit an opposum, once a deer hit me. I felt guilty for a long, long time.

You know what though? My mother crossed the street to go to a neighbors home one time, not realizing my father had their poodle out in the yard. When he saw my mother cross the road (the poodle, not my dad ), he ran after her. He was hit by a car. He rolled, head over tail, a few feet screaming the whole way, then lay still. We all thought he died. We rushed over, picked him up and took him to the vets. He was quiet the whole time, not moving, hardly breathing. He didn't have anything wrong with him at all! Not even a scratch. When we got him out of the car to go inside the building, he was his old hapy self again. Maybe that's what happened to the coyote. I'm going to believe it is.