> Where does it mention owners being nearby?

Where does it say the animal was wild?? All animals behave differently when poorly. I was just thinking of a different scenario

we used to say the worse people we had to deal with was animal lovers
How right you are! :)  So many people think that 'loving' animals means having the knowledge and objective attitude to fulfil the animals' needs and do what's best for them - rarely do the two equate!  Even groomers will take the easy option of clipping off a coat rather than teach the owner to handle it correctly in the dogs' best interest 'because it's kinder for the dog' - not. :(
I frequently had calls from Mothers who would say that their children were useless at school but they 'loved' animals and so they wanted to work with them ..... as though the fact that they 'loved' them would mean that they would be good to work with them in kennels or the grooming parlour.  Not once did I find that the case. :(

There are people on here who would argue black is white ,and  as you say you are entitled to your opinion . 

Give Freddie a cuddle from me !

Just how far fetched would you like the options to be here?  The OP made a decision based on facts available to her at the time.  I think she's posted on here for a sufficiently lengthy period for most members to acknowledge that she's not some raving loony who'd go off on a mission to exterminate somebodies much loved pet - with or without them looking on!

> There are people on here who would argue black is white

Yea, I've noticed that too :)  What can you do?  Try to educate and then simply keep fingers crossed I guess.

If you have ever seen an animal with myxi you would see how desperate the suffering is and to say that putting it out of it's misery immediately is cruel then I do think you should perhaps question your sentiments on animal welfare.

here here

We breed and show rabbits, have around 50 at the moment including babies but still think the right thing to do was put the rabbit out of it's misery. If we have an ill rabbit we dispatch it ourselvles humanely as rabbits can and do die from stress. To put the rabbit in a box, drive to the vets, sit in a waiting room with cats and dogs, see a vet who sticks a needle in it's belly and 10 mins later the rabbit is dead (been there, done it once and will never do it again) is in my mind not the way I want my rabbits to go when we can take it out of it's hutch and within a minute it is dead and no longer suffering.

>Rabbits are domesticated. Many have them as pets, some as 'house rabbits' living in the home

What if that rabbit belonged to someone? The chances are it probably didnt but when a rabbit has mixi' it becomes ill beyond recognition. Not very nice for the owners. 

Some are, this one was wild, I can tell the difference, it was in the middle of a business park and had come off the bit of wasteland opposite our office where there is a whole warren of rabbits.  If it was domesticated and was my pet rabbit I would have appreciated someone ending its suffering, rather it was instant than drawn out.

> A dog or cat shouldnt be different to any other animal.
> And my mind wont be changed, i dont think being crushed under the car wheels is the right way for any animal to meet its end.

cats and dogs don't get myx...

it's not nice but how else would you suggest? 

Dont know who that was aimed at LJS but yes i have seen a rabbit with mixi

By putting a thread on a forum saying she had run over a rabbit the OP has opened it up to be discussed and opinions shared, if you dont like what people may say in response then dont put it here to be read.

Thanks St Dominigo - will pass it on :-)

Astarte - was referring to the comment that dogs and cats are domesticated - i do know they cant get mixi :-)

>Actually Molezak i would be happier to see someone ring an animals neck and leave it carefully in the bushes or something than it be run over and the mess left for all to see for days

its a dead rabbit in the gutter, its not splattered all over the road, I expect the magpies will eat it this evening after everyone has gone home.

>If we have an ill rabbit we dispatch it ourselvles humanely

I used to breed mini-lops (and also dwarf hamsters, gerbils rats etc)  if we had poorly ones who were suffering my dad would dispatch them for me.  It was something he really hated doing but was done for the animals welfare.

When my hamster was poorly i took it to the vets to be PTS - i do whats humane for my animals too.
In this instance using a car is IMO not humane

>By putting a thread on a forum saying she had run over a rabbit the OP has opened it up to be discussed and opinions shared, if you dont like what people may say in response then dont put it here to be read.

I dont have a problem with other people opinions, I know I did totally the right thing, I posted on here because the majority are like minded but im happy to hear views from the "other side of the fence" so to speak.

>for most members to acknowledge that she's not some raving loony who'd go off on a mission to exterminate somebodies much loved pet - with or without them looking on!

Thanks Teri, I was beginning to doubt myself ;)

pssst.  Wasn't in a 4x4 per chance? :-p

I was beginning to doubt myself

I would much rather be like yourself anyday.

I know I can't kill (mum shut me in our barn and made me kill my pet mouses babes when I was young, scarred for life! :-D ) but seeing an animal suffer and leaving it, causes me much more distress as you are left with the image that you should have done something to stop the suffering and you didn't, in many ways that is worse than being like yourself and putting it out of it's misery.

I know I can't do it, but I'm glad others can and do, they are more humane than I.

Luckily the rabbits my brother wanted to pts I didn't really look at as I was driving so I have no image, but if I had seen a rabbit turning circles in the road I may well have asked someone else to take care of it. Leave me your phone number Claire. :-D

> I know I can't do it, but I'm glad others can and do, they are more humane than I

ditto Carrington - I'm a woose and I honestly think I'd be haunted by my actions if I could ever do it but so far thankfully I've never been in that position and if I was I reckon I'd be pulling in and waving on the car behind

I can't kill anything. I wish I could. I walked out the house one day and there was a myxi ridden rabbit on the doorstep - it didn't even know i was there it was so swollen and in such obvious pain. I called my friend and he came and shot it on the doorstep where it was. Poor thing.
I can't even run over anything. Wuss.

> I can't even run over anything. Wuss.

Never mind hun, it appears I can't even spell woose :-D

Dont know who that was aimed at LJS but yes i have seen a rabbit with mixi

By putting a thread on a forum saying she had run over a rabbit the OP has opened it up to be discussed and opinions shared, if you dont like what people may say in response then dont put it here to be read.

Thanks St Dominigo - will pass it on

Astarte - was referring to the comment that dogs and cats are domesticated - i do know they cant get mixi

I am as entitled to put forward my opinion as you are or anybody so please do not tell me if I can post or not, if you have a problem contact the moderator. And no I do not like what you have said as think you are misguided in knowing what is cruel and what isn't that is my opinion.

sheesh, that is bad. lol

I blame The Bard connection - moose, loose, about this hoose ......  ergo - woose :-p

I often find mixi rabbits on our walks and if the dogs don't get them first then I dispatch them with whatever is handy, rock, lump of wood etc. sometimes I think it would be kinder to let the dogs do the job as they do a quick clean kill, although if they all pile in it can be a bit messy! However in your position I think you did the best thing, no disrespect to those who disagree, I would find it difficult to do with a car (somehow the mind makes it seem wrong) but after having to have a couple of clouts on occasion with a heavy object I think to be squashed is prefferable. Unfortunatly not all those who saw you would know about Mixi and so probably thought you were being cruel but you know yourself it was a nescesary evil and did the job quickly and without fuss. No one wants a life to continue in pain and suffering.The only other option would be the cardboard box/vet route and this may have caused more stress I think, although still it would have got the job done.
We are all entitled to our opinions though and I feel it cruel to attack another on an open forum who is just expressing her opinion, after all it would still be better than ignoring the rabbit if not so quickly dispatched, respect it!
Aileen

Not sure why that hit my in box Merlot but if specifically intended for me,  I don't think anyone is being 'attacked' - surely just some (regardless of POV) continuing to differ on opinion ................ which, as you've rightly mentioned, "we are all entitled to"

> completely understand people who feel they couldn't be the ones to end an animal's suffering quickly, it's the ones who condemn those who do that rile me... how on earth can ending an animal's suffering quickly be wrong?
>
>

I'm puzzled at this statement.  Having re-read through this thread, I haven't found that anyone has condemned anyone else.  I haven't seen anyone slagging anyone else off.  However, being on a slaughter and disposal team myself, have to say that I would not be so distasteful as to boast about methods and glorify the way something is killed.

Don't think I could have done it but agree that in reality it was the most humane way in the circumstances and better than waiting for ages for someone to put it to sleep.

>> as well as the most humane?
> Thats a matter of opinion

Only in the same way that 2 + 2 = 4 is an opinion.

think 2 + 2 = 4 is a fact?

I would have done the same thing.

> In this instance using a car is IMO not humane

Can you explain why?  To me the essential requirement of a humane death is to be as instantanious as possible.  Nothing that happens after the death ie mess on the road etc has any bearing on whether it was humane or not.  Given that, this death beats waiting for the council or even being taken tenderly to a vet to be held still for an injection, hands down.
You could call it gory or you could call it upsetting for the bystander but purely from the rabbits point of view I don't see how anyone can consider it was not humane.

> think 2 + 2 = 4 is a fact?

Quite. That is my point. I think this death being humane is a fact :-)

Hi Jean

I don't think that anyone is "boasting or glorifying" the means of dispatching this unfortunate rabbit - more discussing it.

By the way, I hadn't realised you were in my neck of the woods. I had to take 2 of my lambs to the SVS when one of my ewes miscarried.

I agree. I'd rather be squished than run round blind, in pain, waiting to be picked off by something thats not efficient at doing the deed.

Most pet rabbits look completely different to a wild rabbit. There is no way a pet rabbit would be in the middle of a road suffering from mxyi with its owns looking on by. (not unless they were really wierd owners!) I applaud you i think it was the best and kidest thing to do for the poor thing. Having had wild and pet rabbits brought into the surgey suffering from mxyi i really do think a quick death like you describe is far kinder.

the rabbits skull is very thin and i used to despatch rabbits and guinea pigs at the zoo by breaking their skulls its not a nice job but its instant..

Heck, why were you told to do this to domestic rabbits and guinea pigs?

I guess it's instant if done correctly first time. Why were they not taken to the vet though? were they ill?

Re the wild rabbit - if it's done cleanly and the first time running it over would be more humane in my book. I'm not sure I could get the tyre accurately over a small rabbit though and that would worry me!

Lindsay

x

Maybe they were then used as food?

I doubt it as they would have to be disposed off incase of cross infection I would have thought.

Food for the snakes etc, probably.

>I haven't found that anyone has condemned anyone else.

Fred's Mum said, at the top of the thread, "unfortunately it wasnt very humane ". Suggesting someone is inhumane needs either defending or refuting. People are refuting the suggestion of inhumanity, not glorying in the method of despatch.

I think FM is getting confused between 'humane' and 'pretty'. Death is never pretty, but an instant death, by whatever means, is humane.

> not glorying in the method of despatch.
>
>

I found reference to breaking skulls, baseball bats, and the like, unnecessary, that's all. 

Descriptive, perhaps, but glorifying? I don't think so.

> I'm a woose and I honestly think I'd be haunted by my actions if I could ever do it but so far thankfully I've never been in that position and if I was I reckon I'd be pulling in and waving on the car behind <IMG alt="eek" src="/images/eek.gif"/>

I have no issue with C's actions but like Teri I'd have trouble doing the deed.  I know that my first instinct would be to avoid anything in my path as long as it was safe to do so.  I'm not sure my diagnosis would be up to much when travelling at speed although I've seen many rabbits with myxomatosis (it was a common method of despatch in our area).  Nowadays I'm more used to seeing startled young rabbits rather than ill ones.

I'm sure another of my concerns would be aiming the car properly.  When I was 10 I watched the car in front of us run over only half a rabbit - it was horrible and not something I'd want to repeat in error.

Modern life generally keeps us all several steps removed from harsh realities like this - it's a shame if it results in needless suffering but I understand that many people lack the 'tools' to do the job effectively or the emotional strength to carry out the task.

>Modern life generally keeps us all several steps removed from harsh realities like this

And that's the real tragedy.

I know I couldn't have done it but quick and to the point was the best way. This is why I hate my cats brining anything in that isn't dead.Dead I can deal with no problem but halfway dead  ? another ball game.

> Astarte - was referring to the comment that dogs and cats are domesticated - i do know they cant get mixi :-)

lol i know you know, sorry perhaps i wasn't clear but if a dog got such a horrible horrible condition would you not want it put out of its mysery asap? now i'm not advicating running a dog over but something the size and nature of a bunny its safe to hit with a car if no other means are available.

>I'm not sure my diagnosis would be up to much when travelling at speed although I've seen many rabbits with myxomatosis (it was a common method of despatch in our area).  Nowadays I'm more used to seeing startled young rabbits rather than ill ones. I'm sure another of my concerns would be aiming the car properly.  When I was 10 I watched the car in front of us run over only half a rabbit - it was horrible and not something I'd want to repeat in error.

I was going slow, I had to slow down due to other cars swerving, you could see it was a mixy bun from a distance from the way it was acting, its eyes and its general condition, def not a young startled one (there are loads of those about at the moment) not a problem with aiming and I made sure it was dead.

> Even many pet rabbits (easily distinguishable from a wild rabbit) get stressed out at being handled

Very true. My rabbit loves a fuss, he'll happily have his little fluffy head stroked & tickled for hours, but he hates being picked up, it really freaks him out :(

Well done to the thoughtful and calm person who put the rabbit out of it's misery.

I have no problem with performing this kindness myself.

Sentimentality and animal welfare seldom fit well together IMHO ....as many threads on this forum clearly show.