Do you move roadkill off of the road?

Why/Why not?

I was driving along the highway to college this morning when I saw this dead fox lying in the middle of the right lane. I turn around and go back towards it, parking my car a few meters away and turning the indicator on. I knew that the fox was sure to get run over again so I walked over to the fox and I'm looking down at it, but I'm suddenly afraid to touch it. So I really want to move it over, but I dont want to cause more harm to it's body. It already looked pretty messed up..

So I walk back to my car, thinking about trying to see if I could use something from my car to help me pick it up. I get to the drivers side and it's locked. So I walk to the passanger side and thats locked too. I was about to walk back to the fox again when I see these two cars driving towards us. There was plently of time for both the cars to swerve around the fox if they wanted to, I was expecting them to, so I stood by my car and watched as the first car, this little blue ford drives up and goes around the fox. A few moments later the next car, this FWD comes along and plows straight into the fox! I dont think I've screamed so loud in my life, the fox just went flying into the air.

I just started running after that, straight down the highway towards home to get my parents to help. I couldn't stop crying.

I'm just thinking that prick of a driver could have easily swerved around the fox. The driver would have seen me, I was only a few meters away. He or she would have known what I'd been planning to do. And yet they just ran straight on top of it. Sure fox's go after baby lambs and chickens now and then, but it's in their nature, it's instinct to them. If farmers didnt want to have fox's near their livestock they should go out and buy a couple of geese or an alpaka to keep around the animals, build a better fence or something.

So it's like, because I hessitated, the fox got run over again. But I know I had no control over that. I didn't know that it was going to happen. I seriously dont understand what could have been going through the drivers mind when they just plowed right over it, with me standing less than a few metrs away too. He had plenty of time so go around the fox.

Have you ever been put in this sort of situation? What would you have done if you were in my possition?

 

I don't stop for dead birds or rabbits on the road for the simple fact they're generally sticked to the asphalt and it's too gross and hard to get them off. If it was a larger animal I'd probably try to remove it for safety issues but I haven't been in that situation yet.

 

People don't want to risk their own lives for the life of a half-dead fox?

Everyone has seen that one commercial or movie in which a guy swerves to avoid an animal and then crashes into a tree.

Plus, no one really gives a shit about some girl trying to save a fox. Such is the nature of our kind.

(I personally don't move roadkill unless it can go in soup or on the grill.)

 

i've had an experience like that once, almost exactly the same. I was driving down the street with my friends on a very busy street when i saw a turtle in the middle of the road. Now i know i might sound like a pussy, but back then (only a year or 2 ago) i didnt really like touching animals besids cats or dogs lol, it just kinda freaked me out, not really any more though. Anyway, i was gonna put this fear aside and pick up the turtle to bring it to safety.

So i wait for cars to pass, but of course no one slows down to let me go. Finally i have time to make it to the turtle so i start making my way acoss the street. All of the sudden some douchebag flies right into the poor thing! Whoever was driving had to have seen me and the turtle, and had to know what i was trying to do, but they just ran it over. I turned away but my friends said its head popped off. It was horrible.

 

I have moved stuff off the road before....

Sometimes i get a shovel and bury them also;say a prayer

I think we should all treat each other as one!!

 

i move them, a little bit of dignity

and for the safety of carrion eaters

 

Usually if I see a dead cat or dog I'll try to take it off the road,if traffic allows and if it's right in front of someone's house ,I'll take it away a distance and hide it. I've seen my own cats in "the road" and I'd rather think they disappeared instead of getting mashed. I wouldn't want some little kid to see their beloved pet in such a state.

 

I will stop to move a live turtle the rest of the way he is traveling, but not for dead things.

I try not to run over them again, but I'm not going to kill myself or anyone else to avoid them.

 

Not for little animals, though I break if they are living and running across the street, like Canadian Geese or Squirrels. Otherwise no...not work to risk lives. I dont swerve for deer either, I try to stop if possible but hit the deer if its a must.
I believe we have people who regularly check the road and clean up after dead animals.

This reminds me of a story from a childhood I saw a dog ran over by a cement mixer truck!

 

I drive around them

its too dangerous to stop on the roads here and Im not willing to die for it

most are killed by huge trucks anyways so theyre already half gone and the crows are quick to clean up whats left

if there was a hurt animal as opposed to a dead one I would stop and I would also have no trouble at all shortening its suffering if it was obviously not going to survive

 

I have moved it off when I have been able to.

Sometimes it is not possible as it is either a deer or moose as I live near a protected area. Those times I call the police and they send someone out to do it. I stay until they come though as in the country there are no lights and if you hit one of those that is even dead chances are you are going to either take the ditch or roll your car. So use my flashers and wait. Usually it is not more than an hour.

I am sorry that you had to deal with what you did. It is never pleasant to see any animals injured or dead.

 

you have a good heart..unfortunately it is ill advised to swerve for a fox..if you swerve you are endangering yourself and others on the road...you can actually be charged with careless or dangerous driving if you crash while swerving...

 

Oee time I was coming home on my bike,it was 2am and i saw a car swerve,turn around and quickly leave,didnt think anything of it until i got to the road he was on!

A poor kitty laid in the road,she was unconscious and just laying there..

I dunno if that car was the one that hit her or not,i looked for a name tag but didnt find any

I cried alot that night!!!!! -- I moved her to the side of the road ONTO THE DIRT so no one else would hit her..... I didnt want to just leave her there.. I dont know if she was too far gone or not... IT WAS SAD LEAVING HER THERE

 

i pick it up and move it

 

obviously most people are sensitive to kittens and puppies but where I live..it is common to see deer spread over half a kilometer... also porcupine and raccoons...like really common... the drill is to call the county and they send out dudes to clean up

 

I got out of my car to move a turtle (live and well) near my house a few years ago. The worst part was hoping no one would run it over as I was approaching it. I mostly keep driving the rest of the time.

 

a guy knocked down our fence 'cos he swerved to miss a squirrel, he turned up with a police at my door a couple days ago.

I think he was on drugs. His eyes were huge, he was talking funny and seemed twitchy... he was Australian though so maybe that's why he was hard to understand.

Anyways, the git owes us money now 'cos of what could have potentially been roadkill.

 

I don't. When I see it I like to check the progress. Like one of those arty fag assed art films of a rose growing and dying but that real life gritty shit son.

 

i sure do hate making a roadkill so i drive differently than folks who care less and will even make a soul-less sport of , say , toad squishing . how to drive differently ? it's to do with psychic compassion , and it can be practiced to good result .

yes , i do move some dead animals off the road . the last one was yesterday - a yesterday coyote .

 

we have these all over my county..i nearly hit a biggin on mt atv