Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: upstatenybowyer on August 08, 2017, 08:10:33 pm
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If you come across an animal that's been injured and most likely will not survive, what do you do? Do you put it out of it's suffering or let nature decide it's fate?
Just wondering cause my cat got a hold of a bat and put a hole in its wing. It was crawling around pathetically in the back yard. I opted for placing it back in the woods on a big rock to let nature decide.
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If you arent certain, then there is hope. Nothing wrong with that
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It might be OK - not sure if wings heal, or how quickly if they do, but bats will usually crawl off during the day, so that part is normal. They only fly away at night in my experience. (We usually get a couple in the house every year...) It's a good philosophical question.
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I've had to put down several deer that were hit by cars and badly injured. Just a few days ago we had a raccoon in the garage at work that had rabies or something similar. It was staggering around and it's back legs weren't working right. It wouldn't leave the garage so we decided to put it down and dispose of it before it spread whatever it had.
Be careful touching bats. They are known to carry rabies also.
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If its obviously dying or lame in a way it can't recover. Then put it out of its misery. Hole on the wing, flesh wound, probably gonna make it. At least you tried. If there are no predators around, lots can make it. I seen plenty of three legged deer. Cheers- Brendan
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I do whatever I think is best for the situation, if the animal appears sick with distemper or rabies I kill it immediately or I call the proper wildlife authorities, if it is injured most times I leave it be but I have picked up small birds and taken them to a wildlife rehabilitator.
Kevin
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You are a big boy Upstate. That's it bud.
Zuma
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Thanks for the responses fellas. Is it messed up that I started thinking about whether or not bat wings would make a cool handle wrap? O:)
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I would not touch a bat with my bare hands.
http://ww w.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/06/02/480414566/bats-in-the-bedroom-can-spread-rabies-without-an-obvious-bite
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I probably would have tried to ca glue the hole closed and released him. (with a good thick pair of leather gloves on of course)
Unfortunately, if he can't fly he can't feed. If he can't feed he won't survive.
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DK, you're a braver man than I.
Okay Clint, bats are off the table from now on. Absolutely no bat wing handle wraps on my bows ;)
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If you read the whole article, they mention that there are only 1-3 cases of rabies in humans per year. You have a better chance of being killed by a wounded deer, a falling tree limb, or the family dog. They also stated that there was "no obvious bite". Rabies is not an airborne illness. Good thing too. It would wipe out mammalian life on this planet in a year or two. It can only be contracted through fluid exchange(saliva, blood, etc.) More than likely, the bat had a flea that transfered to, then bit the victim or they did receive a bite from the bat but didn't notice. Bats have super sharp little needle teeth that might be able to puncture the skin and not be noticed.
The statistics surrounding rabies contracted from bats can be quite misleading. For example, 90% of all human rabies cases were caused from infected bats. That sounds horrifically frightening until you find out that the actual number of cases that make up the 90% is a mere 2-3. One study done where live bats were captured and examined. Ones that appeared sick, tired or otherwise abnormal were tested for rabies. Out of all the bats that appeared ill, only 6% of those has the rabies virus as the cause. Often times this study is misrepresented, leading to the belief that 6% of the entire bat population has rabies while the truth is only 6% of visibly abnormal bats have rabies.
Personally I am far more afraid of automobile travel than diseased bats. In 2015 there were over 35,000 automobile accident fatalities compare to 2 from bats with rabies. Hope that gives you a little perceptive and relieves some fear.