Did I Accidentally Cause Harm to a Fox While Driving?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the emotional impact and ethical considerations following an incident where a participant accidentally ran over a fox while driving. Participants share their feelings of guilt, compassion for the injured animal, and reflections on similar experiences with wildlife. The conversation touches on themes of responsibility, the nature of compassion, and the unpredictability of such encounters.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • The original poster expresses deep guilt and concern over the fate of the injured fox, questioning what will happen to it and whether it will be euthanized.
  • Some participants acknowledge the emotional weight of the situation, emphasizing that the poster's care and concern are commendable.
  • Others share their own experiences with harming wildlife, reflecting on feelings of remorse and the unpredictability of such incidents.
  • A participant discusses the philosophical aspect of compassion, suggesting that feeling sadness for such events is a natural part of human empathy.
  • There are contrasting views on the appropriateness of driving for leisure, with some participants criticizing the choice while others defend it as a personal enjoyment.
  • One participant mentions a specific quote about compassion, linking it to the broader discussion of human emotions in response to harm done to animals.
  • Some participants express frustration or anger towards the original poster, suggesting that their actions were irresponsible.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no consensus on the appropriateness of driving for leisure or the responsibility of the original poster. While many express sympathy for the injured fox and acknowledge the emotional toll of such incidents, opinions vary on how to respond to the situation and the implications of the poster's actions.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference personal experiences with wildlife encounters, indicating a shared understanding of the emotional complexities involved. However, there are unresolved feelings about the ethics of driving for leisure and the consequences of such actions on wildlife.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in discussions about wildlife encounters, ethical considerations in human-animal interactions, and the emotional impacts of accidental harm to animals may find this thread relevant.

reenmachine
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Just ran over a fox :(

I was bored tonight so I decided to go out for a drive.As I was driving , two running foxes appeared right in front of my car and I ran over one of them.This happened while a police car was following me , so I made a U-turn to go check with them.They told me this happened sometimes on this road as it's close to a field.As I was talking to the cops , I could see the fox was not in the middle of the road where I hit him anymore but was just beside the sidewalk.He was trying to walk with his two front legs as I think I ran over the back of his body.Clearly he had no use of his back legs , and the saddest thing is he actually looked me in the eyes :frown:.He was struggling so much.The other fox was still there , trying to check on him.I don't know what happens next as I just left since the cops were taking care of it.They will wait for people who capture wild animals and then what? They will kill him won't they?

I feel so bad and guilty , what if I wasn't bored and didn't go for a drive? What if I decided to take another road? What if one of the fox was actually the mother and I ran over his child?

:frown:
 
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reenmachine said:
I was bored tonight so I decided to go out for a drive.As I was driving , two running foxes appeared right in front of my car and I ran over one of them.This happened while a police car was following me , so I made a U-turn to go check with them.They told me this happened sometimes on this road as it's close to a field.As I was talking to the cops , I could see the fox was not in the middle of the road where I hit him anymore but was just beside the sidewalk.He was trying to walk with his two front legs as I think I ran over the back of his body.Clearly he had no use of his back legs , and the saddest thing is he actually looked me in the eyes :frown:.He was struggling so much.The other fox was still there , trying to check on him.I don't know what happens next as I just left since the cops were taking care of it.They will wait for people who capture wild animals and then what? They will kill him won't they?

I feel so bad and guilty , what if I wasn't bored and didn't go for a drive? What if I decided to take another road? What if one of the fox was actually the mother and I ran over his child?

:frown:
:cry:

At least you cared and stopped . That's all you can do. Yes, it will be put down, they won't spend money for care for a fox.
 
Evo said:
:cry:

At least you cared and stopped . That's all you can do. Yes, it will be put down, they won't spend money for care for a fox.

That sucks so much , and the other fox will be forced to continue his life alone :(
 
reenmachine said:
That sucks so much , and the other fox will be forced to continue his life alone :(
You are a very good person to care so much. Sometimes things can't be avoided, but caring is very special.

{{{hugs}}}
 
Why couldn't it have been honey boo boo instead whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy T_T
 
Many years ago, I rammed into a family of raccoons crossing the highway single file, at night, on the prairie in Minnesota.

Didn't see them till the last second, and couldn't have stopped in time, but I still felt like a monster for a while.
 
Whoever built the universe put check and balance mechanisms into all creatures great and small.
Compassion I guess could be our built in mechanism to hold claw and fang at bay.

So, in my opinion, occasional sadness when random bad things like this happen is the price we pay for our propensity to find joy in random acts of kindness.

“Compassion is the antitoxin of the soul: where there is compassion even the most poisonous impulses remain relatively harmless.” eric hoffer

You're okay, re-en...

old jim
 
Last edited:
reenmachine said:
I was bored tonight so I decided to go out for a drive.As I was driving , two running foxes appeared right in front of my car and I ran over one of them.This happened while a police car was following me , so I made a U-turn to go check with them.They told me this happened sometimes on this road as it's close to a field.As I was talking to the cops , I could see the fox was not in the middle of the road where I hit him anymore but was just beside the sidewalk.He was trying to walk with his two front legs as I think I ran over the back of his body.Clearly he had no use of his back legs , and the saddest thing is he actually looked me in the eyes :frown:.He was struggling so much.The other fox was still there , trying to check on him.I don't know what happens next as I just left since the cops were taking care of it.They will wait for people who capture wild animals and then what? They will kill him won't they?

I feel so bad and guilty , what if I wasn't bored and didn't go for a drive? What if I decided to take another road? What if one of the fox was actually the mother and I ran over his child?

:frown:
I've had similar experiences with other wildlife. I ran over a wild turkey hen who had crossed the road but then turned back right in front of me just as I was passing where she had crossed. I was mortified and anguished. I was traveling with others, and the car behind me stopped and they took the hen off the road. She was still alive, but too badly injured to survive. :frown:

I just try to be more careful since.

And ditto to what Evo said.
 
I was once gardening and badly injured a toad. It lost the use of it's back legs and I had to kill it (I don't think I could have done that for a mammal though). I felt awful though, especially as I have areas of the garden set aside for for animals and insects. Next time I was on the garden I found another smaller toad exposed and hopping to shelter, so I picked him up and put him somewhere safe. That helped.
 
  • #10
My mother once put a whole litter of baby rats into the bags that will be collected by the garbage trucks the following day. No way I could've done it.
 
  • #11
cobalt124 said:
I don't think I could have done that for a mammal though.
"Larger the animal, the larger the compassion."
It doesn't have a base in reason, but on propensity.
 
  • #12
I was bored tonight so I decided to go out for a drive.

What? Why would anyone do that? Next time you're bored find something else to do. For the good of the planet.
 
  • #13
You are most certainly EVIL!
 

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  • #14
billiards said:
What? Why would anyone do that? Next time you're bored find something else to do. For the good of the planet.

I find driving very relaxing and enjoyable.
 

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